2004 F150 Rear End Noise....WHAT NOW?

I you had your vehicle checked at a Ford dealer three times and they were not able to fix the problem, your warranty certainly isn't "up".

Complain again to the dealer, and work your way up to the regional offices from there. I would file a complaint with my states Attorney General if Ford refuses to fix the problem.

I think it's about time to take the axle apart and see what's wrong with it. There's nothing expensive in there, so it's not something to get too worried about. If it was a choice between getting Ford to piddle around and fail to fix it at their own expense, vs. paying your own money to actually fix it, I'd just fix it.

If it is the bearings, they did fail awfully early, and were defective from new. BUT no sense speculating until you tear it down.

Nothing expensive in there?? Where did that come from? :)

Al

I had the identical problem in my E-150. Same axle as yours. The dealer replaced the clutch packs, and then they had to replace them again because, evidentally, the first ones were incorrectly installed.

These axles are normally very durable, but the Shop Manager at the dealer I use told me that in recent years, the number of axle problems they see has increased a little.

Go back to the dealer, and don't hesitate to get FoMoCo's customer service involved if need be.

CJB

I would try another dealer and contact regional office at same time. I got GM to fix a problem out of warranty a few times that way. He has a history and they should make it right. My "guess is that preload was set too tight in rear axle when it was new and it has burned up the carrier or pinion bearing since and now rear axle is basically a boat anchor because all the bearings and gears in it will likely need replacement now.

----------------- TheSnoMan.com

Just wanted to post what was found when the rear axle was turn down for repair.

One axle bearing in particular was really destroyed. Every roller had severe damage, looked like something was trashed around in the bearing and took pieces out of some rollers and that beat up the other rollers.

Pinion bearing starting to go the same way, just not as severe yet. Other axle bearings didn't look bad.

When I saw the differential gears after being removed from the rear end, they looked good, but I could see some junk inside the assembly that will be cleaned up before reassembly of the rear end.

I didn't do this work myself! Had a trusted transmission / gear shop do it.

After about 500 miles now, no original noise of the limited slip on tight slow turns, and definitely no noise during normal or high speed driving (up to 85 anyway).

Thanks to all who answered my first question.

Eric

The rear end is the only real problem I have had with my 2001 F150 in

175,000 miles of use. I had to have the rear end rebuilt twice, the first time the pinion bearings failed, the second time it was an axle bearing, both times we replaced all the seals and any questionable bearings, I just hope this last time it outlasts the truck...though that could be a while, engine runs like it's new, less that a quart of oil used between 5000 mile changes and it's always been that way. The only expensive thing other than the rear end that ever failed was my A/C compressor, I almost had to spend a decent amount of money on the power module for the ABS but I found a heavy wire that had corroded and burned off when I was going to remove it, I was able to solder the wire back and save an expensive part and what looked like a real PITA to change too.