I am hoping someone can help me regarding a noise I am having with my 95 F250 HD Dana 44 IFS axle. If I lock the hubs and leave the transfer case unlocked I get a humming noise that kinda sounds like something is out of balence. If I engage the transfer case and give it gas about 95% of the noise goes away, but as soon as I let off on the gas the noise is back. I have checked the u joints, axles, rear and drive shaft and everything looks ok. The only thing that I know is when I purchaced the truck the front drivers side wheel bearing was loose. So I torqued it back down. If I do not lock the hubs there is no noise. Hopefully someone can help me because I am LOST. Thank you, Joe

 

I have the same problem on my 95 f250. I put new ball joints and relaced all the u-joints from the transfer case foward. I'm thinking maybe spindle shaft bearings or differential problems. It looks like someone has had the differential apart before.

 

Thanks for the reply Smiles,
First I would like to say I a have a Dana 50 , I dont know why I wrote a 44, only the f150 has them. Anyway I also think it is the needle bearings. I spoke to one of my friends who is a Major Ford Nut and he told me that the Dana 50 is a full locking posi Axle. (Not limited slip) So both wheels turn @ the same speed and therfore you get the chatter. I personaly do not belive this. I have a 1985 f250 with the same axle and I have no sounds @ all. I can tell you that I will have the answer for you shortly. After plowing for 12 hrs yesterday I can clearly hear some new Major noise when shifting from drive to park. Since I am in the truck I can not tell if it is from the differential or in the hub. But I will be taking the front end apart this weekend. If you have any more input I would Greatly Appreciate it. Thank you for the reply.
NJ Poolman

 

it is a full floating axle meaning that the vehicle weight rests on the axle tube, or spindle on the front, instead of the axle shaft. If its stock then it definatly isnt a locking diff and probably isnt a limited slip either because you had to special order them from the factory

 

Thank you Fordman300. I understand the meaning of a full floating axle. This F250 I purchaced had many extras from the factory. I will have to get the info off the axle and find out what it has in it. But If you could explain to me, if I do not have a locking diff or a limited slip than what would I have ? Thank you for you help, NJ Poolman

 

"If you could explain to me, if I do not have a locking diff or a limited slip than what would I have ?"

Stock without any options it would come with an 'open' differential. This setup works the best for cornering and turns as both wheels can turn at different speeds without any hinderence. However when there is a loss of traction, the wheel with the least amount of resistance gets all the power. As soon as one wheel spins free, there is nothing to turn the other wheel, and barring other input, the vehicle is stuck.

I would clean, inspect and re-pack the inner spindle bearings (inside the spindle for the axle to ride on) as a possible source of the noise. They get dirty and are rarely get lubed.

Good luck