Hello all, New guy here but have been lurking and using the information here to do a bunch of work to My 1999 Durango with the 5.9.

thanks in advance for any and all help.

here is my problem, this weekend coming back from camping rear diff started whining. it is dependent on speed, worse when you go faster. it is does not change based on load. it is just a constant whine/ hum.

I pulled the rear diff cover and besides the normal blackish pieces on the magnet no metal. Truck has 160k on it and has regular maintenance scheduled done to all the fluids.

i went by a transmission shop and they want to rebuild the entire rear to include the gears. the wear pattern on the gears looks good, but i was thinking it was a pinion bearing, (Had one go out in my old jeep).

what are my options and do you really think it may be? I do not think that i trust the transmission repair facility. but all of the ones around here are quoting $1200. I can get a salvage rear end that has 90k one it for $300.


I can turn a wrench I just hate not knowing what is going on before i start. Also I do not have all of the needed tools according to the service manual.

I have done a search and have seen a couple of writeups I am just not finding the answers I need.

Thanks again this is a great site.

 

Sounds like a pinion bearing to me, but if you do it your better off doing the carrier bearings as well.

It really isn't that bad to do it as your not changing the gearing so you should continue to use the same pinion shims and should be able to use the same crush sleeve. The only thing you need to do other than that is set the backlash. But if you only remove one side of the adjustment caps then you should be able to nail it close the first time around no problem.

I can walk you through it if needed but $1200 seems pretty steep to me as a master rebuild bearing kit is only like $120.

 

Thanks Hydra,

Just an update,

sorry for the delayed response but for the last 2 nights i have been busy replacing the rearend. turns out there was more going on in the differential than I thought. When I pulled the gears got a tooth missing. So i did the salvage yard swap. $250 for a rear end off a d with 90k. I replaced the brakes and all of the brake lines.

Had to deal with the Michigan winter corrosion factor and it increased the workload x10. nothing wanted to come apart easy, thank god for air tools. So after braking every brake line connection i could find i re did the brake lines to the rear of the truck and fluid filmed everything.

New/ old rearend works great, stops better now than it did before I started and the total cost with all new parts and fluids $371.54 plus 16-17 hours of hard labor in the 95 degree heat wave here in Michigan.

My god if it isn't the salt and corrosion it is the heat. I will continue to lurk here to gain information on my next project- fixing the heat before the winter sets in. looks like a fun project LOL

thanks again hydra. I will PM you because i am sure at some point I will have to actually get into replacing the bearings.

 

I had a whine coming from my rear..so, i started leaving the wife at home and it stoped! lol


Seriously, my whine turned out to be the carrier bearings.

 

LMAO!.....


Anyway, just doing the bearings are pretty easy but it takes a few tools and a lil know how to set everything up.

 

After putting 250 miles on the d this weekend i wanted to report that the salvage yard rear end and brakes are doing great. total cost ended up at $458 for parts and fluids. this included a new master cylinder and rear brake lines. over all i guess i could have done a rebuild on the diff for less but my level of knowledge was not as extensive as I thought i needed.

Reps given to Hydra for the offer to walk me through it and i will certainly use his help on the next project fixing the heater core and blend doors.

Overall I am happy that I did it this way since I was able to replace all of the brake lines. Have the Kids driving the truck and want them to be safe.

thanks again to everyone that contributes to the sharing of knowledge on this forum. I lift my glass and salute you all.

Bill

 

seem lake cost a right at 1100 to rebuild mine months ago...
And guess what. something whines still.

 

mine was the fact that i had an lsd didn't know it and put straight diff fluid in without the friction modifier.

 

If it wines and you paid for it to be rebuilt take it back.

 

Funny you say that..
"put straight diff fluid in without the friction modifier."

At superlube the guy said my diff fluid was bad dirty,, he sucked it out, and refilled.
2 months later mine needed rebuilt.

Yes I think I will take it back up to th eshop and let them listen to it.
He had told me some time even a rebuilt one will have a slight whine.. Hmm