Rear end chatter
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From: Long Island USA
dakotamrd, is this in a straight line? If so, sounds like something else besides the LS, did you check the tranny? Does it make any high-pitched whining at highway speeds, either on the gas, off the gas or coasting?
As to the u-joints, sorry to ask a silly question, but did you make sure it was in neutral first?
As to the u-joints, sorry to ask a silly question, but did you make sure it was in neutral first?
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Originally Posted by krewat
dakotamrd, is this in a straight line? If so, sounds like something else besides the LS, did you check the tranny? Does it make any high-pitched whining at highway speeds, either on the gas, off the gas or coasting?
As to the u-joints, sorry to ask a silly question, but did you make sure it was in neutral first?
As to the u-joints, sorry to ask a silly question, but did you make sure it was in neutral first?
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Joined: Jun 2005
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Originally Posted by 1stexpy
I checked the u-joints, and maybe I did it wrong, but the way I checked it was to get under there and try to spin it by hand. I couldn't budge it at all. I have to try the suggestion mentioned earlier about applying the brake while tapping on the gas to see if it will happen.
You want to try and move the driveshaft near the u-joints side to side in relation to the Joints as well as in a radial motion radial (twisting). Any movement is too much really. The good news is that u-joints are very cheap and relatively easy to replace. Double-Cardans are a bit more complex and spendy, but in the grand scheme of things, cheap as well.
RJ
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I have a 03 Expy and the same problems. They replaced my rear end and it's quite as a mouse now. (3.73.limited slip) Also much smoother now to. There's an old thread on here that talked about it. Have to go way back to find it. There are also 2 or 3 TSB's on the rear end problem too.
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From: Long Island USA
I was going to go into the rear gears/bearings themselves being the problem, especially after some of you said it does it in a straight-line.
Sounds like the front pinion bearing getting loose, and the whole pinion wobbles around...
Didn't want to say it, because I didn't want to depress a pile of people without some proof
A few 8.8" rears I've seen have all Timken bearings except for the front pinion bearing. And when you look at that front bearing, even with only 40K miles on it, it looks black or scored. Replacing them with Timken bearings, I've never had a problem after that. I would imagine other Sterling/Ford rears would be setup the same way... Hmm...
If anyone does get a technical answer for this, please respond back to this thread.
Sounds like the front pinion bearing getting loose, and the whole pinion wobbles around...
Didn't want to say it, because I didn't want to depress a pile of people without some proof
A few 8.8" rears I've seen have all Timken bearings except for the front pinion bearing. And when you look at that front bearing, even with only 40K miles on it, it looks black or scored. Replacing them with Timken bearings, I've never had a problem after that. I would imagine other Sterling/Ford rears would be setup the same way... Hmm...
If anyone does get a technical answer for this, please respond back to this thread.
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*UPDATE* I added an additional bottle on friction additive and the problem has almost disappeared. I drove about 250 miles this past weekend and only noticed the dragging feel once and I'm not entirely sure if it wasnt the road that caused that feeling.
To my suprise the additional bottle went in w/o issues although when the fluid was changed out a month ago it was full, or at least the service tech told me it was.
To my suprise the additional bottle went in w/o issues although when the fluid was changed out a month ago it was full, or at least the service tech told me it was.
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My wife said she noticed the dragging feeling just once today... was at a stop, on a hill, making a right turn. Adding the additional bottle definately made a huge differance. I think I'm gonna add another bottle to see if the problem goes away completely. I'll keep you guys posted. Just be careful not to spill that friction modifer on yourself. It smells horribly... like cat **** x100
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I had pretty bad chatter when accellerating while turning, like from a stop sign. I changed the rear diff fluid and put in the Ford friction modifier (quite possibly the worst smelling substance on earth) and it seems to have fixed the problem.
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I had changed the fluid and put in the recommended amount of Ford Syn. Lube and Friction Modifer. The problem disappeared then came back in less then a week. I then added a 2nd bottle of friction modifier as I mentioned in my previous post
Last edited by ugotkern; Jun 20, 2005 at 09:24 AM.
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I must say that I've got the same issue when starting while the steering wheel's turned. Really not that major to me, because I have taken all the needed precautions by checking that everything's tight, and the fluids are good throughout the driveline. If the damned rear end blows up, then F#$K it!
If there is a way that I may further prevent this issue from ever happening, then I am also willing to give that a shot as well... nobody ever likes to spend an arm and a leg on your family grocery getter.
Thanks guys.
If there is a way that I may further prevent this issue from ever happening, then I am also willing to give that a shot as well... nobody ever likes to spend an arm and a leg on your family grocery getter.
Thanks guys.
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rear end
my 99 had this problem as well. Seemed to be worse after highway driving. When I would get off the highway and come to a stop and turn left it would chatter. Never chattered when going straight.
I took it to my brother in law several times. He too changed the oil in the rear end. This seemed to delay the problem but it returned. He finaly found the problem to be the clutch plates in the rear end. It has been several weeks now and no problems. Cost me a around $500.00 not sure what a dealer would charge.
I took it to my brother in law several times. He too changed the oil in the rear end. This seemed to delay the problem but it returned. He finaly found the problem to be the clutch plates in the rear end. It has been several weeks now and no problems. Cost me a around $500.00 not sure what a dealer would charge.