rusty crusty rear diff cover

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Aug 6, 2004 | 03:35 PM

PatsPOS

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Joined: Feb 2002

Posts: 636

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From: Portage Twp, PA

rusty crusty rear diff cover

My dear ol' dad and I were out picking up almost 9400 lbs of concrete block the day before yesterday (and the trailer weighs 1500 lbs...we were damn close to that magic 11,000), and when we got it back to his house, the entire rear of the X and the front of the trailer was fairly covered in oil. I quickly ruled out a rear main leak or a tranny leak, as everything forward of the diff cover was dry. So I assumed the seal between the housing and the diff cover sprang a leak, and I told him I'd fix it yesterday.

Well, yesterday I crawled under the truck and discovered something quite disappointing. The lower third of the diff cover was soaked in oil due to the fact that the cover is badly rusted....similar to the problem Ford was having with early-'90s small block V-8 oil pans. I did a search here yesterday, but didn't have any success. Has anyone (especially in the snow belt) had this problem?

My folks have an extended warranty on their X, so I'm not worried about cost...at least this'll give the techie that works on it a chance to look into that harmonic whine coming from the diff when we're towing.

Thanks for listening and for any input...
Pat