It's been a while since anything exciting (???) happened with my Expedition. Not that I'd really like anything to happen, though...

Anyway... The problem now is this noise coming from the rear of the truck. I know noises are pretty difficult to diagnose by writing, but I'll try. Truck in question is a 2004 Expedition EB 5.4 2WD with non-limited slip rear end (axle code 16 on the label) and 118K on the odo.

There is this sort of like hissing sound and so far I have not been able to diagnose it. It's mostly coming from the passenger side rear, but you can also hear in on the driver's side. It is sort of like metal to metal kind of noise echoing in a metal bucket (nice metaphor, huh? ), but I replaced the rear pads and rotors about six months ago. I also checked them last week and everything is fine, just like the parking brakes.

You can not really get the noise to appear if you just try to turn the rear wheels by hand when the tire is in the air, but you can definitely hear it right after you hit about 20mph or so. You can also hear it from the outside. When you come to a stop, the noise disappears just before you come to a complete stop.

Like said, I have already checked the brakes, adjusted the parking brakes so that they are not hanging and today I changed the rear end fluid, but to no avail. One thing I was a bit worried about was the amount of tiny metal shavings swimming in the rear end when I changed the fluids... There was also a pile of sludge kind of stuff stuck on the drain plug.

I have read a few threads about people having to replace the whole rear end. Hopefully I'm not there... Pinion bearing, maybe? Something else? What...? The sound is definitely not your usual gear whine or grinding. I think...

I'd like to give this thing all I got first before taking the truck to a shop and pay up the wazoo for the work, so any and all help and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

Could the rotor be rubbing against the backing plate?

 

Like said, I have already checked the brakes, adjusted the parking brakes so that they are not hanging and today I changed the rear end fluid, but to no avail. One thing I was a bit worried about was the amount of tiny metal shavings swimming in the rear end when I changed the fluids... There was also a pile of sludge kind of stuff stuck on the drain plug.

You really ought to remove the cover on the dif. and see where the metal is coming from as that can get real expensive real quick! then worry about the noise if the problem is not in the dif.

 

Don't see any rubbing marks anywhere. No extra dust, metal shavings etc. on the wheels, either.

While I was under there yesterday, I tried to figure out how to remove it, but looks to a pain in the *** with all the suspension stuff in the way.

 

Take out the spare tire and you'll have enough room to sit upright under there while you get the cover off. And yes, the cover will come off without having to remove that track bar running across it.

Tip: Before removing the cover, make sure the fill plug can be removed. I've seen people drain the fluid and then not be able to get the plug out in order to refill it with fluid.

 

I already had the spare out yesterday and still it looked like hell under there. I guess I'll have to go back there next weekend and see what I can do.

Fill and drain plugs both worked fine yesterday when I changed the fluid.

 

Well that's a step in the right direction. Hoprefully you won't find a disaster area when you get the cover off. Let us know what you find. Good luck with it.

 

Yeah, I'll have to keep my fingers crossed... If the gears are messed up, I have the throw my hands up in the air and take it to a shop. At least there's a good one I've done business with before, so I know I won't be taken in for a ride.

So, anybody have any other ideas where the noise might be coming from? I don't think it's coming from something rubbing as there is no extra dust etc. anywhere. Therefore I'm fearing it's the gears. Especially with the small metal shavings I found... But would something like pinion bearing do that, too?

 

Possibly a dust cover on the pinion flange.

 

Checked it out myself briefly over the weekend and then took it to a good/reputable indy shop and... Yup... Confirmed to be the pinion bearing. Cost: 1200 bucks... That is to change also the carrier bearings, seals etc. Damn...

Not really something I'm willing to take up on at the moment, so I guess I'll have to bite the bullet... Is that cost in line what others have seen/experienced?

Damn, damn, damn... But I guess there's not much that can be done at the moment...

 

That don't seem too bad for a shops rate including parts. I would strongly consider a used unit from a Pick N Pull type of yard. If you have some basic tools and a little patience you could save about $1,000, but you would have to pull the rear from a donor and get it home, then install it in your truck. You would probably get it all, from rotor to rotor and it would be a fairly easy job in an afternoon.

 

I don't know about a shop, but I rebuilt the entire rear end in my van last summer, including new ring and pinion gears for just under $400. The gears were about $150, so if I reused the old ones it would've only cost me $250. Plus I chose to remove the rear end instead of leaving it in, so there was the cost of the new u-bolt set to the tune of $30. I spent about $70 on some tools I didn't have. Overall if I had to do it again, left the rear end in and reused the gears, it would only cost me about $150 for the parts. Based on that, figure the shop is in reality charging you $1,000+ in labor charges.

 

Yeah... I know I could save a bunch if I'd do it myself, but I don't think I'm up for it at the moment. Too many things going on... Getting one from a pick-n-pull sure would be an option, but that could also fail after a short while, so I definitely prefer going with new parts. Even if it means paying out the wazoo...

Just the bearings and seals can't be that much and I think the guy said it's 8 hours, or something, of labor. I guess they are going by the book, though, and not the actual time spent. As usual...

 

...and $1080 later everything is back to normal again... Got one of the bearings back and no wonder it was making all kinds of noises. That thing is pretty much wasted!

Luckily the gears were fine.