Cree
New member
Alright, so I've tracked down my driveline noise, and it is absolutely the rear 3rd. I'm betting the backlash is too tight. Ungodly howl at anything over 30 MPH.
https://youtu.be/Uh3oMboE5Xs
Replacing the whole truck at this point is not going to happen. We're building a new house and trying to cut debt, not add to it. I'm probably only a year out from a 5th gen, but that may change.
I'm wondering what the people here would do, and I'm asking for HONEST input. Keep the snarky stuff in your pocket if you're so inclined:
Option 1: Run it
I've mentioned before it's a Chicago truck. Rust in both front corners of the floor pan, rust in the quarters, hole in the frame next to the gas tank. Rear end already has a repaired UCA mount and a replacement rear cover (more on that in a minute). AT MOST she has 24 months of road service left before I send her to pasture (literally make a farm truck out of it). Other than the howl, it drives fine, just obnoxious as all get out. Here's my hang up: I do use this as a daddy mobile. If it fails, I'm betting it's going to fail at the worst possible time, and I'm not sure I'm good with that.
Option 2: Replacement 3rd
I've ran it for probably a year with this getting progressively worse (I'm a run it till a breaks guy most of the time), so I'm betting a rebuild is out of the question at this point. Or at least one that would change anything. I can probably crib a 3rd at PickNPull, however.....
Option 3: Replacement Rear
Remember that part about the replacement rear cover? Yeah, I'm thinking that perhaps the whole axle warped when we welded it. If it pulled backwards, that would misalign the axles in the housing forward, causing the backlash to tighten. That was about 2 years ago, so IF I just replace the 3rd, I'm betting I'll see about the same life span before I'm back in the same boat.
The cost difference is about 50 bucks at the part yard, and I guess it's just a matter of 5 bolts between having the 3rd or the entire rear. But, those 5 bolts turn into a lot more work in the dead of winter by yourself on your back in the middle of a junkyard, and that's IF the ONE 3rd gen near me has what I'm after. Otherwise, I'm looking at shipping from somewhere.
So, given all the above, what would you guys do?
https://youtu.be/Uh3oMboE5Xs
Replacing the whole truck at this point is not going to happen. We're building a new house and trying to cut debt, not add to it. I'm probably only a year out from a 5th gen, but that may change.
I'm wondering what the people here would do, and I'm asking for HONEST input. Keep the snarky stuff in your pocket if you're so inclined:
Option 1: Run it
I've mentioned before it's a Chicago truck. Rust in both front corners of the floor pan, rust in the quarters, hole in the frame next to the gas tank. Rear end already has a repaired UCA mount and a replacement rear cover (more on that in a minute). AT MOST she has 24 months of road service left before I send her to pasture (literally make a farm truck out of it). Other than the howl, it drives fine, just obnoxious as all get out. Here's my hang up: I do use this as a daddy mobile. If it fails, I'm betting it's going to fail at the worst possible time, and I'm not sure I'm good with that.
Option 2: Replacement 3rd
I've ran it for probably a year with this getting progressively worse (I'm a run it till a breaks guy most of the time), so I'm betting a rebuild is out of the question at this point. Or at least one that would change anything. I can probably crib a 3rd at PickNPull, however.....
Option 3: Replacement Rear
Remember that part about the replacement rear cover? Yeah, I'm thinking that perhaps the whole axle warped when we welded it. If it pulled backwards, that would misalign the axles in the housing forward, causing the backlash to tighten. That was about 2 years ago, so IF I just replace the 3rd, I'm betting I'll see about the same life span before I'm back in the same boat.
The cost difference is about 50 bucks at the part yard, and I guess it's just a matter of 5 bolts between having the 3rd or the entire rear. But, those 5 bolts turn into a lot more work in the dead of winter by yourself on your back in the middle of a junkyard, and that's IF the ONE 3rd gen near me has what I'm after. Otherwise, I'm looking at shipping from somewhere.
So, given all the above, what would you guys do?
