I have a 2003 6.0L powerstroke dually with 12,200 miles & I have been reading this forum for about a year now. I have read all the problems and kept wondering to myself on what a great truck I must have been so lucky to receive! NOT ONE SINGLE PROBLEM UNTIL YESTERDAY. I was towing a small trailer under 3,000 lbs. - I use this truck for a landscape business I run - and
we heard this sound. It sounded like a playing card caught in a bike wheel.
I thought it was something caught in the trailer wheel or something.
But it would come and go for a few miles. Well it started getting worse so I pulled over at our next account and checked it out. I discovered fluid leaking from where the driveline meets the rear end. Not dripping out, but splattered on everything. So I decide to drive it back and it starts to shutter and grind like a wet pig. I unloaded everything and drove to dealer, but of course on a holiday weekend they are closed before 5:00 and not opened until tuesday.
I am sitting here sick to my stomach because I dont know what is wrong and I certainly dont want the problems to start. Also noticed that when I use the brakes the front end has vibration & dashboard rattles like a snake.
Can anyone please soothe my thoughts.

 

Mine is leaking too, and chattering, however neither is severe. Have you been running the truck hard? Mine seems to leak worse days i have been driving like a bat out of you know where, and less severe on lighter days. The "playing cards" sound is the clutches in your limited slip unit; some noise from these is normal however if you are low on fluid and leaking the noise will be amplified by the lack of fluid. Mine has been getting progressively louder as my fluid level drops, however as long as the leak gets no worse i dont really mind adding some diff fluid now and then. To be honest, i want rid of the LS and install a Detroit locker.

 

I don not run this truck very hard - am not a fast driver at all.
But do tow this trailer around everyday.

 

My best advice would be to take it in for service. Could be a number of things, including the plug or gasket; i doubt the housing would be cracked but that is possible to. I can say with some degree of certainty that all the noises and vibrations are in direct result of the fluid leak; as the rear end will do all sorts of crazy things under the increased friction and wear of low fluid.

 

Take it in soon.
Too costly to wait