Grinding while turning?

[JCleary]

I've got a strange thing happening with my rear axle...



I searched with no luck in finding an answer.



I noticed it about 6 months ago. While towing a small trailer and taking off around a right or left turn, there would be a little grinding noise coming from the rear of the truck. It only seemed to happen while letting out the clutch. Otherwise the truck is fine.



This past weekend I drove around quite a bit in the snow, using 4wd only on loose surfaces. I also illustrated the finer points of drifting and doughnuts to my girlfriend and her sister in 2wd and 1-2 inches of snow over ice.

I had my boxes turned to stock, as there wasn't much traction.



Now my truck makes that weird grind when turning left or right, until the clutch is fully released.



The diff is filled with the proper Mopar fluid without friction modifiers, and I have about 7k miles on the fluid. (I understand they're not required as we don't have clutch packs in our diffs)



Is this the source of the noise? Or is it something else?

 

[Kvic]

Jcleary,



If you have a limited slip differential, the noise you are hearing is the clutch material surfaces slipping past each other. At least that is what the dealership told me. I have two packets of friction modifier in mine an still hear it. DC says this is "normal". I am going to change to redline with modifiers at next change.

 

[Pawpaw]

Third Gen "anti-spin" differentials don't have clutches.



Bob

 

[JCleary]

Third Gen "anti-spin" differentials don't have clutches.



Bob

Correct. They're similar to a Torsen design (if not the same thing).



Hence my concern when hearing/feeling a grind while turning.

 

[Pawpaw]

Correct. They're similar to a Torsen design (if not the same thing).



Hence my concern when hearing/feeling a grind while turning.

I would be concerned too, but I can't offer any guesses what the noise is.



I think I would have to take a look inside, if it were mine. You could pull the fill plug and check for metal shavings. I believe its magnetic.



Bob

 

[JCleary]

Unfortunately the PML covers come with only one mag. plug, and I installed it as a drain. I figured it would be best to catch filings there. I guess I'll go down to the 'ol stealership and get a few quarts of Mopar fluid and see what's going on.

 

[GaryCarter]

... Now my truck makes that weird grind when turning left or right, until the clutch is fully released. ...

If it's exactly like you describe it here, why would a rear end noise stop when you get off the clutch? If it's the rear, you should get the noise on any turn, no?



Gary

 

[KDillard]

Its weird. I had the same noise on my 03 auto 2500 hemi turning left. I switched to amsoil and it went away for about a year. When I serviced the diffs there was minimal metal dust on the magnet. Noise came back last June and truck was traded in July for my 05 CTD. It got expensive having to do maintenance to that 545rfe transmission at the same time as the front and rear diffs. That transmission requires two filters and lots of fluid. Thats why I got my 6spd.

 

[GregTaylor]

had the same problem when the lube shop put in the recomedned higher viscosity oil in the diff. had them put in the stock viscosity it came with "even thou there is a tsb on the higher viscosity" i also use synthetic only as it saves in fuel millage... .

greg

 

[Jeremiah]

Grinding noise when turning

I had a grinding noise while turning develop and it turned out to be driveshaft U-joints. Do a search and you'll find out lots of others have had the same problem. They're covered under warranty if you still have one. If that's what it is, make sure the dealer sends the drive shaft out to be balanced. They don't like to do that but it's necessary to remove all the vibration.

 

[JCleary]

I had a grinding noise while turning develop and it turned out to be driveshaft U-joints. Do a search and you'll find out lots of others have had the same problem. They're covered under warranty if you still have one. If that's what it is, make sure the dealer sends the drive shaft out to be balanced. They don't like to do that but it's necessary to remove all the vibration.

I think the warranty is out the window. I had a guy try do deny me warranty on the door seals based on me having gauges.



Surely with the TST and Ramifier (and BDDL if they check for keystarts) my drivetrain warrany is shot.



Greasable U-joints are cheap enough at Napa, I'll pick some up and swap them out. Hopefully that will cure the problem.



Thanks for the advice.

 

[Jeremiah]

They are certainly cheaper there - and better too. The dealer just replaced four ball joints under my extended warranty (55,000 miles) and I offered to provide him with greasable b-joints from NAPA at my cost. Nope, the dealer said, we can't guarantee anything that's not factory. So they replaced 'em with non-greasable b-joints at their cost. Go figure.