B4 Axle on E250 Van
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B4 Axle on E250 Van
<b>Hello all, from Canton, MI:<br>
1. The B4 axle / differential on my 1996 Econoline 250 has a varying pitch howl / whine. It is a high pitched whine at any speed over 20 or 30 mph. At 5-10 mph, it is a low pitch howl, reflecting the frequency of the gear contact.<br>
2. I Purchased the van (for the right? price) at a Gov. auction a month ago. Have driven the van for at least a thousand miles, with no apparent change in the sound.<br>
3. From another post at this site, its listed B4 axle is: Limited Slip, Dana 60, 4.10 ?<br>
4. If in park and each tire is alternately jacked off of the ground, there is barely ANY backlash! It is almost TIGHT. Is this normal for a "limited slip" differential? My concern is that the mesh on both sides is too tight?<br>
5. My wife's '96 Suburban K1500, 4x4 has about 3" of backlash on the periphery of the tires when off of the ground, which is what I am familiar with on most vehicles that I have owned in the past.<br>
6. Besides the questions in (3) & (4) above:<br>
a)Is there a way to determine if the whine is being caused by either too tight or worn gears instead of worn bearings in the "pumpkin?"<br>
b) If it is a gear mesh problem, can each side be adjusted independently? If so, how much backlash should be observed at the periphery of the tire?<br>
c) Can I get a used B4 pumpkin & change the gears and/or bearings myself? Doesn't look like these were designed for a simple "pumpkin switch" like was possible with some older cars.
<br>
Thanking ANYONE in advance for ANY feedback.</b>
1. The B4 axle / differential on my 1996 Econoline 250 has a varying pitch howl / whine. It is a high pitched whine at any speed over 20 or 30 mph. At 5-10 mph, it is a low pitch howl, reflecting the frequency of the gear contact.<br>
2. I Purchased the van (for the right? price) at a Gov. auction a month ago. Have driven the van for at least a thousand miles, with no apparent change in the sound.<br>
3. From another post at this site, its listed B4 axle is: Limited Slip, Dana 60, 4.10 ?<br>
4. If in park and each tire is alternately jacked off of the ground, there is barely ANY backlash! It is almost TIGHT. Is this normal for a "limited slip" differential? My concern is that the mesh on both sides is too tight?<br>
5. My wife's '96 Suburban K1500, 4x4 has about 3" of backlash on the periphery of the tires when off of the ground, which is what I am familiar with on most vehicles that I have owned in the past.<br>
6. Besides the questions in (3) & (4) above:<br>
a)Is there a way to determine if the whine is being caused by either too tight or worn gears instead of worn bearings in the "pumpkin?"<br>
b) If it is a gear mesh problem, can each side be adjusted independently? If so, how much backlash should be observed at the periphery of the tire?<br>
c) Can I get a used B4 pumpkin & change the gears and/or bearings myself? Doesn't look like these were designed for a simple "pumpkin switch" like was possible with some older cars.
<br>
Thanking ANYONE in advance for ANY feedback.</b>
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,140
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From: Oak Harbor, OH
I would start with making sure that the rear brakes are in good order. If the shoes are rubbing the drums it can make a whine or howl. While you're that far into it you could also look at the bearings in the ends of the axle to make sure that they are not bad. The other thing it could be is a bad u-joint.
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