At about 47,000 miles mine started Growling. Took it to the dealer and they told me to drive it untill it stops. Either Growling or on the side of the road. Makes sense cause I thought the LS had locked up and might as well not rebuild something that doesn't need it!! Well at about 147,000 the growling stopped. At 161,000 I had the Lube changed and at about 220,000 the Growling has returned.

 

As far as I know I thought you had to lightly greese the bearings upon installation. As a precaution..


Dick

 

I know that when ever I removed them I would just put the bearings in a plastic bag until I was ready to reinstall them ( if they where dirty when you remove them you have big problems besides bearings). I have also been told that all you want in the rearend is the proper lube grease and friction modifier if its a LS and if it is a LS you for sure don't want anything else in there.

Denny

 

Make sure you mark right left top of each carrior bearing cap make sure put them back in the same spot there are lined bored in the rear end housing dont mix them up make sure the carrior shims are also put back on there correct sides or you back lash can be off as for LS modifer I been told the clutch plate are alread socked with from before so dont put to much back in the erear end to much will make the LS slip to much mite as will have on LS at all.

If you have the gear paint check you'r gear pattern and back lash as long as you in you rear end it cant hurt.

At least you know what you'r rear end looks like.

If you go to the west coast diff web site it will give you'r tourqes back lash, Ect, good luck and have fun, Ha Ha Been there done that.

I hate the smell of 75/140 gear oil.

 

Per the manual says to greese the wheel bearings upon install.


Dick

 

When ever you remove them and put them back in,I was taught to repack with a grease(non teflon type) and readjust preload on them. I'm talking rear wheel bearings on full floaters .yes rear gear lube does get out there, but not untill rolling and the grease helps the initially for breakin and after readjust of preload.

Before pulling the carrier to inspect the bearings take a prybar (clean of course)and see if you have any side movement of the carrier and ring gear.if you do its showing a wear in the bearings.
I've been in hundreds of these rear ends before.
Rich

 

2nd UPDATE ON NOISE IN REAR. I removed the axles and the noise was still there, as I thought so I pulled the differential from the case and one of the carrier bearings was showing surface ware. I had new bearings pressed on the differential with the inner shims in the same location. I installed the differential in the housing and in doing so the last outer spacer had to be driven in with a hammer. The outer spacer along with the inner shims give you the proper preload on the carrier bearings and the proper backlash in the gear mesh. The backlash seems fine but I think the preload on the carrier bearings is to high. Anyway I was going on a trip the following day and didn't have time to go any further, so I went with the extra load on the bearings. I drove the truck about 3000 miles towing a 14,000 lb load and had no problems except I could smell hot gear oil at rest stops occasionally. I am back home now so I plan to take the differential out again and see if and why there is excessive preload on the carrier bearings. Ive been told that its normal for the gear oil to reach 200-220 deg. and that it should get hot, but I think its too hot. (I am also going to check the temp. of the oil) I am thinking that the rear may have been set up wrong from the factory and that is why the bearing went bad in the first place because from what I understand its not necessary to reshim the rear as long as your just changing the bearings on the carrier. Anyway my next step is to check the torque req to turn the differential and see what portion of that is related to the carrier bearings. I hope this wasn't to long but I thought someone might be interested. Thanks Bob

 

In reality, you need a spreader to get the diff in without a hammer

On the 8.8" rears, I think you spread the diff apart .010"

So, I can see having to bang in that shim. Refresh my memory - SRW or DRW?

 

The truck is a 2002 F-350 with dual rear wheels and a diesel and is a Dana 80 rear. I am aware of the case spreader being used, but to me this was still excessive? Thanks for the reply, Bob

 

With the preload well within specs, any rear end I've done, be it Dana 60, Dana 44 (front-end for my highboy) or Ford 8.8", the diff was pretty near impossible to get back in without a large hammer or spreader.

Take the diff out again when you get a chance, and check those bearings.

 

My 10.5 went in with a hammer. It was way tight...but ok.


Dick