Repair Topics / Rear End Problems / Rear Differential Problems

• How gears work
• How a differential works
• I hear a whirring sound when a drive?
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• How a clutch works
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• Howling noise from car

MORE: Rear end differential questions

Vehicle Rear Differential Problems - This category contains featured questions as examples. They relate to most vehicles.

Question: 2001 Chevrolet Express, miles: 88,000 Last November we had to have the entire rear-end assembly replaced for no known reason at 72,000 miles. Then this past weekend when towing our camper the same problem reoccurred, this time at 10,000 miles. The garage states that they do not know the cause of the problem but assure me that it will be covered under warrantee. My question is what is causing this problem and would it have anything to do with towing a camper? (By the way the van has the 3.73 ratio in the rear and we tow a 5000 pound camper. The tow capacity of the van is 7300 pounds.)

Answer:   Sometimes rear differentials can malfunction, and it sounds like the repair garage that rep the differential did not complete the repair correctly. Most differentials last between 150,000 and 300,000 if maintained properly and not abused.

Question: 2003 Toyota Tundra mileage: 50,000.  The seal, on the driveline yoke on the rear-end, throws gear oil onto the muffler.  Is it difficult to change the pinion seal and what are the torque specs on retightening the nut that holds the yoke into the rear-end?   I am mechanical enough to change this.   I need to know if something will go wrong when I pull the yoke and can I re-torque the nut.  Thank you

Answer:   Theoretically you should disassemble the ring and pinion and replace the crush sleeve on the pinion shaft.  What you might try is to mark the end of the pinion shaft and the nut for reference.  After replacing the seal, tighten the nut back to the marked location.

Repair Topics / Rear End Problems / Rear Differential Problem