Rear differential - Replace or rebuild
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2010
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Rear differential - Replace or rebuild
Hello everyone. I have a 05 F250 PSD with 160k miles on it. Recently, I was preparing for an upcoming move (from Nashville to Tuscon) and was changing all of the fluids. When I got to the rear differential, I noticed a lot of metal on magnetic filler plug and small slivers of metal about the size of your pinkey nail in the casting wells. This made me worry, so I got out all of the old fluid, cleaned out the gears, got the metal chuncks out and cleaned off the filler plug. I then refilled the differential with oil.
I drove the truck for two days and rechecked the filler plug. There was a good amount of metal "mud" on the plug as well as rice size metal flakes. I had the truck towed to my local repair shop to have a mechanic look at it.
He called today, the bearings look fine but the spider gears are very worn and there was more metal bits in the casting wells. He believes it will be more expensive to rebuild the differential than it will be to just get an whole new rear axel from a salvage yard. As this is going to be a pretty expensive repair I'm looking for FTE users opinion on what way to go from here. Thanks in advance.
I drove the truck for two days and rechecked the filler plug. There was a good amount of metal "mud" on the plug as well as rice size metal flakes. I had the truck towed to my local repair shop to have a mechanic look at it.
He called today, the bearings look fine but the spider gears are very worn and there was more metal bits in the casting wells. He believes it will be more expensive to rebuild the differential than it will be to just get an whole new rear axel from a salvage yard. As this is going to be a pretty expensive repair I'm looking for FTE users opinion on what way to go from here. Thanks in advance.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,877
Likes: 49
From: Tennessee
If you plan on keeping the truck long term , have a Jasper rebuild priced . If not . Price a junk yard unit . Main issue is warranty length . I would rebuild it myself if it were mine , but , I do my own work . When paying for work , warranty is a good thing . Best of luck !
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,825
Likes: 43
From: Land of Taxes
In my case Id rebuild so long as all the major parts inspected out OK. In your case being as your not doing the work and gonna move from the area Id get a rebuilt unit or a guaranteed low mile unit from a bone yard (say under 50-60 K, no more). Both with a warranty of course. The warranty from your mechanic on the internal repair isn't going to do you a whole lot of good once your out in the desert and Id guess neither would the one from a local bone yard. That leaves a warrantied rebuilt as your better option as far as the internals go. How much do you trust your mechanic? If he showed you the guts would you know what your looking at? If negative on both Id again point you towards a guaranteed rebuild.
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 48
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If you plan on keeping the truck long term , have a Jasper rebuild priced . If not . Price a junk yard unit . Main issue is warranty length . I would rebuild it myself if it were mine , but , I do my own work . When paying for work , warranty is a good thing . Best of luck !
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,877
Likes: 49
From: Tennessee
Not sure on cost for your truck . Benefits ? Many ! A reman unit from a nationally known rebuilder can be worth the extra cost . It gives piece of mind for one . It also ensures you can get warranty work done all over the nation . If you travel a lot ,move often , or are just stranded while traveling , finding a company with a good reputation , nationwide ( or regional ) coverage , is a plus . I only mentioned Jasper because I use them . There are others also . Do some research as far as warranty vs cost . Make an educated decision , not a knee jerk decision . Best of luck !
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 984
Likes: 8
As long as your mechanic is skilled enough to rebuild a diff just fix it. I'm not sure what a used axle goes for in your area but they are kind of expensive around here, and a reman you'll really be in for a shock. If the spiders are trash then a good chance the carrier is junk too. Depending how much metal has been running through the gears will determine how bad they are. You can usually get a used ebay special carrier under $200 and around $200 for a gears and $150 if you need a master install kit with bearings. Might not be a bad time to do the hub bearings. That plus labor is usually cheaper than a used axle. If the installer knows how to set gears properly there is not a worry...same thing as buying a reman axle.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Blue Hill Township
It would be a great time to put a new parking brake backing plate on and new parking brake parts.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 24,724
Likes: 74
From: Blue Hill Township
I think you are still going to be cheaper rebuilding what you've got. A reman axle is going to have freight and a lead time. I would be willing to bet it is going to be a more expensive purchase price and there is the cost to swap it out.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 13,484
Likes: 42
From: Stevens Point, WI
Personally I would get a used one from a yard after popping the cover and inspecting it myself.
But this would be after confirming the diff in the truck now is bad enough to change. To me it sounds like your LSD clutches are coming apart. If all else was good I would just get some new clutch packs and stick them in and replace the spiders if they are bad.
But this would be after confirming the diff in the truck now is bad enough to change. To me it sounds like your LSD clutches are coming apart. If all else was good I would just get some new clutch packs and stick them in and replace the spiders if they are bad.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 24,724
Likes: 74
From: Blue Hill Township
Personally I would get a used one from a yard after popping the cover and inspecting it myself.
But this would be after confirming the diff in the truck now is bad enough to change. To me it sounds like your LSD clutches are coming apart. If all else was good I would just get some new clutch packs and stick them in and replace the spiders if they are bad.
But this would be after confirming the diff in the truck now is bad enough to change. To me it sounds like your LSD clutches are coming apart. If all else was good I would just get some new clutch packs and stick them in and replace the spiders if they are bad.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 13,484
Likes: 42
From: Stevens Point, WI
That is also what happened to me. Went from semi floater open diff to a full floater with lsd only to find out a few months later the clutches were worn and needed to be replaced.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 24,724
Likes: 74
From: Blue Hill Township
The pinion bearings went out on our used one and stranded our tech. I had to go pick the truck up on a Saturday. The bearings in the used unit looked just fine.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 9,303
Likes: 48
From: Lyndonville, Vermont
Thats weird to have the spiders shot as they don't spin much as long as both rear tires are the same size. Also usually most of the metal comes from the diff bearings. Mine were pitted and had holes in them at 80k miles. I would replace the defective parts and get on with it..Never would I get a rebuilt anything to do with the rear end. Maybe time to do a locker and forget about the spiders..Plus I would replace the two bearings on the diff and check for pinion bearing issues...
Dick
Dick
