Ok, Remember a couple of weeks ago I mentioned that the ball joints were replaced on my truck. Then the next day they had to replace the differential/axle seals because the broke one when they pulled my stuff apart. Then the following week the trucj had to go back in because of a rotational thud/click sound it made when the hubs were locked without the truck in 4 wheel drive. The sound worsens in 4 wheel drive. This noise was not present prior to the ball joint repair. After 3 weeks in the shop they have given up. The service manager has been anything but helpful. He is siding with ford and their engineer who said the sound is normal. This engineer can claim this from a phone conversation without hearing the noise. The mechanic and service writter said the sound is not normal and it is loud. The mechanic replaced my spider gears and bolt because they were a little loose. They thought this was the problem, guess not the noise is still present. The mechanic said he can't even keep his "mechanic ears" on when driving the vehicle over 55mph because the noise is so loud. He said the passenger side sensor is quiet while the drivers side axle sensor is louder and the differential sensor is very, very loud. This is really pissing me off. How can a service manager and field engineer claim this is a normal noise when it is obviously not. Everything has pretty much been replaced on the drivers side of the truck. The total bill to this pint is over $5,000 and still no fix. What do you think the noise is and what can I do. It is not the traditional hum of a bad pinion bearing but the mechanic said it is definately the front differential. My axles had new u-joints placed on them and a special drive shop checked them and said they were fine and not the problem

 

Does the noise occur at all when the hubs are unlocked? If not, I'd check the hubs, to see if they're missing the snap rings that hold them together. It sounds like the dealer is playing the parts-changing game and seeing if they get lucky somehow. It's not entirely impossible either that they may have dropped the axleshaft and bent it slightly when removing or installing it.

 

The hubs have been ruled out. I installed a new set of Warn Hubs to make sure it was not the hubs. The noise still occurs. I had a mechanic friend of mine drive it tonight and he said that it felt like the drivers side axle was walking in and out causing the noise. Supposidly the axle was sent to universal joint in Syracuse NY where I live and the axle and u-joints were fine. I am really getting frustrated with this. I want my truck back to normal. I really hate the fact that dealerships play this game and could care less about the inconvenience to the customer not to mention the frustration. Poor business, especially to have a field engineer tell them the sound is normal without hearing it and the mechanic telling me something is definately wrong in the differential. I hope a ford mechanic comes across this post and can offer some insight. Anyone else who has something to add, please do!! Any help is good help.

 

Please, can someone throw me a bone!! I need someone who has a good idea of what the problem is. I am desperate.

 

Amazing,out of all the visitors and members of this forum there is nobody with some solid information. I may be sounding a little bitter, its because my truck needs help now!!

 

I'd guess it's not put together right. Look at it this way, it didn't do it before they took it apart, so the problem is in the work they did. Take it somewhere else, then send them a copy of the bill and demand payment. It's ovious they had no business messing with it in the first place.