rear end time
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2006
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rear end time
So my 97 e350 v10, axle code 34 , srw ,drum brakes, needs a new rear end .. I'm not dumping $2300 for a new axle into this van on a rearend.
What are my options.
I was thinking of finding a van that is being parted out and swapping the whole rearend out for simplicity and less down time. Now I need to know if I have semi floaters or full floaters. And should I just swap the whole axle or should I just rebuild the rear end with new guts.
My vans pinion is loose and the diff has a light whine to it.
What are my options.
I was thinking of finding a van that is being parted out and swapping the whole rearend out for simplicity and less down time. Now I need to know if I have semi floaters or full floaters. And should I just swap the whole axle or should I just rebuild the rear end with new guts.
My vans pinion is loose and the diff has a light whine to it.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Isanti, MN
My first choice in your situation would be to drop in a used axle from a salvage yard. Where are you located at?
You can run a search at Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market and see the inventory of thousands of yards across the country. I can't find any definitive source, but what I can tell says you have a Dana 60 with 3.73 gears.
You can run a search at Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market and see the inventory of thousands of yards across the country. I can't find any definitive source, but what I can tell says you have a Dana 60 with 3.73 gears.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2014
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From: N Ca.
My first choice in your situation would be to drop in a used axle from a salvage yard. Where are you located at?
You can run a search at Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market and see the inventory of thousands of yards across the country. I can't find any definitive source, but what I can tell says you have a Dana 60 with 3.73 gears.
You can run a search at Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market and see the inventory of thousands of yards across the country. I can't find any definitive source, but what I can tell says you have a Dana 60 with 3.73 gears.
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so im old school and rather than throw away good parts there has to be another way ... so i called my mechanic friend who lives in another state away and talked to him .. my rear end is fine .. i just need to tighten the pinion nut ( at most replace bearings for that pinion) ..so after work i pulled the diff cover off and yup the gears are fine.. there is a little wear but its pretty good for a 275,000 mile diff... so tomorow i will be adjusting the pinion nut
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Isanti, MN
I don't know, that nut can't just loosen on its own. Chances are your pinion bearings are badly worn which caused the pinion to have some slop. You can tighten it back up, but it probably won't last long. The depth and backlash will also be off, which explains why you have developed a whine.
I can't find much of anything definitive. Just about every source says it's a Dana 60 full floater with 3.73 gears. Car-Part.com shows a bunch of yards with 3.73 Dana 60s from '97 E350s, so I presume they'd be compatible with Tim's.
Originally Posted by vettex2
Can you tell the # of splines from the code# ?
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Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Long Island NY
I had a whine coming from the rear too.. Changed the gear oil, additives etc... Same whine! When i opened up my rear diff everything looked great! perfect actually!!! But what the heck do i know about a rear differential?? lmao.. Its gotta be way too technical for the untrained eye to see.. I swapped out the rear myself with a junkie and no more worries.. The complete rear including brakes came out to $350 and $0 labor being that i did it myself.. About 1 days work for a shade tree diyer like myself..
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2006
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I don't know, that nut can't just loosen on its own. Chances are your pinion bearings are badly worn which caused the pinion to have some slop. You can tighten it back up, but it probably won't last long. The depth and backlash will also be off, which explains why you have developed a whine.
I can't find much of anything definitive. Just about every source says it's a Dana 60 full floater with 3.73 gears. Car-Part.com shows a bunch of yards with 3.73 Dana 60s from '97 E350s, so I presume they'd be compatible with Tim's.
I can't find much of anything definitive. Just about every source says it's a Dana 60 full floater with 3.73 gears. Car-Part.com shows a bunch of yards with 3.73 Dana 60s from '97 E350s, so I presume they'd be compatible with Tim's.
you are correct on the bearings .. but its not to bad ... that nut was on TIGHTTTTT so yeah it ait moving.. sooooo thicker gear oil for now... and sigh ill start looking for an axle to rebuild myself ... then throw it in under it . i have been driving it this way for the past 2 years .. as long as it makes it through the year and into next year is all i want .. well that and a strong finish to the year and a strong positive first quarter next year ( plumbing business owner and its my only van
and i have been eyeing some new vans out there ... then this could become a back up van ...or a big billboard that i can randomly park places
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,057
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From: gravel road ONTARIO
my 2003 E350 had a whine on coast in the 100km-110km range, 62-70mph range. I thought it might be the torque convertor lockup so we cut our trip west and just did the lake superior circle tour. that was 4 yrs ago and the same noise is still there, its the dana60 rear, but has not got worse or better with 1 oil swap . and has been hauling my trailer , and driving like its stolen since.
I think these diffs have a collapsible collar between inner and outer pinion bearings. unless you change that you can't get a proper torque on the pinion nut anyway.
good luck
I think these diffs have a collapsible collar between inner and outer pinion bearings. unless you change that you can't get a proper torque on the pinion nut anyway.
good luck
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 2,196
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From: N Ca.
you are correct on the bearings .. but its not to bad ... that nut was on TIGHTTTTT so yeah it ait moving.. sooooo thicker gear oil for now... and sigh ill start looking for an axle to rebuild myself ... then throw it in under it . i have been driving it this way for the past 2 years .. as long as it makes it through the year and into next year is all i want .. well that and a strong finish to the year and a strong positive first quarter next year ( plumbing business owner and its my only van and i have been eyeing some new vans out there ... then this could become a back up van ...or a big billboard that i can randomly park places
and i have been eyeing some new vans out there ... then this could become a back up van ...or a big billboard that i can randomly park placesand
breakage always occurs when you need the vehicle most
Good Luck.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2015
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I had similar problem recently, actually still have it.
I have 1989 Econoline E-150 5.0 EFI. When i start accelerating i hear the whine, after getting in second gear it kind of lost, driving further, cant hear it anymore, maybe it is still there, but it is in the rear
So i changed the rear bearing for the half shafts, they were bad. Changed oil, whine still there. There was a small pinion gears freemotion, but i cant get them anywhere in my country for reasonable price.
Also my rear leaf springs is in pretty bad shape, when hauling or driving with little bit of overweight, it is going down any ideas where to get similar leaf springs, E-250, E-350, what years could be better ? for a better houling and usability ?
I have 1989 Econoline E-150 5.0 EFI. When i start accelerating i hear the whine, after getting in second gear it kind of lost, driving further, cant hear it anymore, maybe it is still there, but it is in the rear
So i changed the rear bearing for the half shafts, they were bad. Changed oil, whine still there. There was a small pinion gears freemotion, but i cant get them anywhere in my country for reasonable price.
Also my rear leaf springs is in pretty bad shape, when hauling or driving with little bit of overweight, it is going down
any ideas where to get similar leaf springs, E-250, E-350, what years could be better ? for a better houling and usability ?