I found this site while I was looking for some info about my rear axle.I have a 2001 Expedition.I like it alot so far.The only thing is I bought it 3 months ago and 5 days after the warranty went out i started hearing a roar fron the rear end. the dealer said too bad so i tackled the job myself.i think it has a bad pinion bearing.is this a common problem? it only has 74k miles on it. any info would help.

 

If it was a factory warranty and it was a covered item and the warranty expired only days ahead and you kept your services up, then call Ford Customer Relations and scream!

 

I agree with Homer, Ford has a customer relations problem and they should be willing to work with you inorder to keep you/us happy. A bad pinion is not an easy job. I just looked over the procedure there are many special tools required. Are you a mechanic with access or a weekend tooler?

With only 74K this is not common. The book doesn't even call for a differential flush until 100K.

 

Seawolf, a year and 1/2 ago I tore into the differential in my 2001 EB, it had a "whirring or owl-like" noise since new at certain speeds and loads.

Then after a 2000 mile trip [at about 30,000 miles], pulling a small trailer cruising around 60 to 65 MPH, I noticed diff oil drips on the floor.

I checked and found a bad input shaft seal. Got all the tools and parts together and after disconnecting the drive shaft found there was no preload on the input shaft bearing! From the factory.

BTW, I suspect that was the problem in a lot of posts I read a few years ago when the differentials were having problems.

I made a couple tools to improve leverage when R&R the nut and setting the preload. One is basically a heavy aluminum bar that bolts to the flange to hold it while precisely tightening the preload nut.

You will need a small inch pound torque wrench, the torque bar kind and short, not the ratchet kind, to measure preload when you tighten the nut on the crush washer.

It's tricky but easy once you get the hang of it.

IIRC, the outer bearing should be accessable for inspection after you pull the yoke.

Oh, just remembered that there is an issue with the yoke removal and "pressing" it back on.

The heavy aluminum bar I mentioned earlier also had tapped holes so it could be used as a "gear puller" to remove the yoke.

I also turned down one of the input shaft nuts so I could get the yoke started to press back on.

Why not pull the cover and look for metal first?

 

Thanks alot for all the support. The warranty was provided by the dealer,but it was a ford warranty(service shield?).What made me mad was I asked my salesman for some help and he tried to sale me a 2004 Expedition!I just decided not to fight it.I have some mechanical experience PLUS ,best of all ,an uncle that has been a mechanic for 25 years with alot of time on his hands ha-ha-ha. Expy I think you may be right about not enough preload from the factory. I also belive someone has already serviced the rearend because the cover had ALOT of grey silicone on it. It may not have had synthetic lube put back in. I will let everyone know how it turns out we are going to get the parts tomorrow an put it back together. Again thanks , I really like this site!