04.5 Rear-end noise up to 30mph in cold?

[Wiredawg]

Fellow Rammers:



A friend of mine has an 04. 5 auto 2wd w/ 6,400 miles. The rear-end started to whine up to 35 mph since it has been down in the 40s at night. It stops when it warms up. Diff fluid level is good. He's had it to dealer and they said everything is OK.



I don't have this problem on either my 02 or 03.



Anyone having this experience? Any fixes?



Thanks for any suggestions or info



Wiredawg

 

[Kennywould]

It was down to 2 here last night, went up to 18 today, my 05' is garage kept but I swear I heard it also today, sounded like the rear end. I will check it out tomorrow again... ... ...

 

[juicedcummins]

I was in a friends 04 today and it is doing the same thing.

 

[GCrowell]

Whine

I posted about a similar thing on another thread. Mine sounds more like a transmission whine since it changes with the shifting. It seems to disappear or at least I cannot hear it above about 30mph. It also seems to be temperature sensitive. That is, below about 20°F I don't hear it. Between about 20° and about 30° I hear it well. I don't think mine is the diff because the pitch changes with the transmission shifting. Not much help here but another data point!



George

 

[JohnnyH]

Last night I noticed a slight whine/howl after the truck was cold soaked for a few days. It went away once it warmed up, and I've never had the problem before. All summer its been quiet. I am running Mobil 1 75W90.

 

[Dick Garcia]

Fellow Rammers:



A friend of mine has an 04. 5 auto 2wd w/ 6,400 miles. The rear-end started to whine up to 35 mph since it has been down in the 40s at night. It stops when it warms up. Diff fluid level is good. He's had it to dealer and they said everything is OK.



Hello Wiredawg,

Can you describe the sounds you are hearing? I have a high screeching sound when I drive the truck for the first 15 min. in the morning between 5 and 35 mph. Dealer said the "out put seal" was dry and their was rust on the slip yoke at the transmission. The dealer lubed it up with lithum grease and it knocked out 95% of the sceech and he says the sound will go away in a few days. Although he is not 100% this is the problem.

Dick

 

[ramtifosi]

My 04 has 20,000 miles on it and about 2 weeks ago it was exceptional cold for my area, one night it got to 31. My rear diff was howlin' like a hound till it the diff would warm up. Then it was normal. The only good thing about them temperatures was I got to try out the block heater and it works!

 

[roperteacher]

The AMerican Axles have been having quite a few problems!! Myself included, but mine finally subsided after repair and 20,000 miles of driving. If you do a search on here, there are lots of threads of Rear diff problems! Seems like mine does that the first few minutes of driving and I have a hill I need to go over right after I leave the house. I thought it sounded like the Turbo. . It is usually gone in about 2 minutes of driving and since it did it this winter and not summer I thought it was normal. I'm not to worried about it. .

 

[Punkineater]

Mine does it as well and only when it's good and cold out.

 

[Scooby]

Mine does it too. It sounds like a howl. Very prominent when it is a cold morning. If I keep the speed at about 28 I get almost get it to sing a tune.



Dealer said fluids were fine and shims were good. Too bad these rear ends don't have shims.

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

I have been having an intermittent howl during some cold weather driving. Usually at low speeds, e. g. 10 mph and very rarely.



I was reading on one of the other forums about this problem and the fix was repacing the driveline and I think something to the center bearing/carriage or u-joints also. Folks were describing it as "an owl", or whining, or howling, sound. I stuck a dictaphone tape thing'a'ma jig in the truck so I can record the sound and then give my dealer a call with both the forum info and the sound. Just want to make sure I get it noted at the dealer - just in case. Now I'm armed and just waiting for the 'hooter' to make an appearance.

 

[Patriot_RAM]

Mine also does it in the cold weather (about 15 degrees and below). Maybe it's normal?