Has anyone noticed the very small differentials in the chev 1500 4x4's?Do they have troubles with them?I have a f-150 2002 4x4 with 373 gears .It has a huge 9 3/4 diff that's about two to three times the size of the chevy 1500's.How can they get away with that?You would think it would blow up the first burnout.They keep some weight off this way,but how much durability do they lose?

 

That's probably still the same basic innards in those GM axles like my mom's 98 c1500 Silvy package.

My stepdad is starting to pick out an occasional grind in the rear axle. It's always had a noise, but thankfully my mechanic friend said we can bypass the $700 quote and find someone who will shim where necessary. Actually, for $35, our favorite shop inspected and said it was still quite okay. Maybe time for synthetic or something (a grenade?) in the diff.

Needless to say, stepdad's 3/4-ton with 454 ain't having none of that biz.

 

No stories to tell there. Actually Ford's been the one battling howling differentials the last few years- go figure.

 

I thought most problems where just in need of posi lube additive.That for some reason peaple put off until the last thing to try.

 

Yep- but when someone buys a $40K truck, additive doesn't seem to be the preferred cure. There have been a lot of replaced ring and pinion gears/drivelines because of noise, although I've yet to see one actually fail.

 

Don't even talk to me about it...

But only on the 8.8" gearset right?

 

NO, the 9 3/4 LS has had a lot of problems in the F150 and I understand the problem has been around since 97 on Explorers and other similar vehicles.

I think they have finally gotten the problem resolved. I haven't really been comfortable with the Ford rears since they quit using the 9" rear and copied the Chevy design.

 

Really guys, what was wrong with the 9" that they felt the need to go to something different? The 9" in my F100 has been through all sorts of abuse, and never gave me one problem!

 

We never recieved the 9 3/4 here, so I am not as aware of the problems with them.
But now you mention it, I do recall hearing some things about the 9 3/4

 

Been around 10 1/4's and 9 3/4's since they been out. Nevr seen any problems in them. They have larger axles than the Dana 60 and equal to the Dana 70 and GM's big 14 bolt. I 've saw quiet a few 10 bolt Chevy's bite the dust with tires bigger than 31-10.5-15's hanging on the end of their axles.

 

that's what I'd fiqure.The new chevy's are light....compared to our fords but I'm not a grocery getter so I want something strong.

 

Both Ford and GM actually copied the Dana design. GM axles used to be the same layout as the 9". My 1957 Chevy has the removable carrier setup.. Toyota is the only one that still uses that design today. Ive also never had a big problem with the half-ton GM axles, just a slight pinion seal leak after switching to synthetic lube. My current Ford did blow its 8.8, all you could get in an F-150 a few years ago. GM's 8.875 (Sorry, I dont know the "XX-bolt" slang for different GM axles.) is at least as strong as the equivalent Ford 8.8.

Jim

 

Then you wouldn't (or shouldn't) be in the market for a 1/2T in either brand, because that's primarily where the design focus was- ride and comfort.

 

My gripe with Ford diffs have nothing to do with durability and everything to do with the cheap limited slip units that are (were, hopefully?) installed in them. They were not very durable, and would wear out in a year or two. It is frustrating to look at the friction plates in a Dana 44 w/limited slip and notice that they are much larger and more numerous than the ones you can get in a Ford 8.8 or nine inch. The nine inch was a durable diff, they put them in race cars.

But the limited slip friction plates sucked and didn't last long. 2 years at most, then you had an open differential thereafter. I've seen Dana 44 limited slips last for years.

Hopefully Ford has corrected this, as I'd hate to pay 300 something dollars for a limited slip in a new truck that wasn't working after 2 years.

 

10 1/4s are good axles and diff. I thought chevy had those tinny pun-kins for more ground clearance. I only had 8" with 31" tall tires at the pun-kin.