Hello all
I have a 96 Ram 1500 2WD that makes a whine which sounds like a power steering whine when I hit about 35mph and let off the gas. The sound does change pitch as I slow down and goes away at a stand still. I replaced a power steering hose that was seeping. Noise continues, I took it to a shop, they replaced pinion bearing, carrier bearing and u-joints. Guy said I would hear a bit of a whine until the gears meshed. Does that sound right? For good measure I replaced the wheel bearings in the front. I have put it neutral while rolling and gassed it and the noise did not change pitch. I am fairly certain it is not engine related. The sound does "seem" to come from forward of the cab or under cab. It is hard to pinpoint. I am guessing possibly torque converter or something tranny related. The engine is 5.2 318 and tranny is I am assuming 46E. If anyone can help, I would appreciate it.

 

Jack up the rear end, and run it on jack stands. (block the front wheels......) See if you can localize where the noise is coming from.

 

GEEZ!!!...Doc, Doc, I got an awful headache...well lets amputate your toes, you've got indigestion!...N these repair shops wonder why we don't trust 'em...silly us! If you got a stethoscope or some metal object you can attach to the area that the noise seems to come from this does wonders for isolating the noise.

 

I can't remember for sure. Is there a bushing in the tailshaft and the drive shaft has a slip yoke? Or does your drive shaft have splines in the middle?

 

bushing and slip-yoke.

 

Appreciate the feedback, I live on a damn hill so I will have to find a parking lot to do the jack stand test. I did trying turning the overdrive off and the noise isn't quite as loud. The pinion bearing and carrier bearing has been replaced recently like in the last two weeks and I haven't driven over 40 miles since they were changed. One of my mechanic co-workers said replace the filter in the tranny. He said it has probably never been changed and it can't hurt. Like I stated before the guy that replaced all of bearings and stuff in the *** end said he drove it and the sound is the new gears wearing in but this sure sounds like it is coming from under the cab not the *** end.

 

Yeah, sound sure can move funny from inside the truck....... I've had rear wheel bearings sound like failing water pumps.

 

I am leaning to the sound of loosing pinion preload. I paid the local garage 2k to fix it and apparently they didn't do something right. Taking it back tomorrow and raising hell with them .

 

Let us know what happens. And: Good Luck.

 

One of the things I discovered about working on differentials, even seasoned mechanics n hobbyists would rather pay someone else to do this one. Luckily, I didn't need to replace my pinion bearings when I upgraded my diff to LSD...just set the backlash n runout n double check the engagement pattern of ring/pinion gears. To be fair to auto shops, they work on the idea and basis of speed. They're doin' a job based on a time estimate on no 2 jobs or vehicles that are alike AND this estimate comes from the manufacturer of the vehicle for which their mechanics work on exclusively and intimately familiar with. If they want profit (which all businesses absolutely must have in order to succeed), they gotta repair at almost breakneck speed. Unfortunately, many times, this comes at the cost of quality....ah well. Ask me how I know this, lol!