moabdee

[:@]
I know that some guys are on more than one forum and I've posed this question on another forum but I'm posing it again to see if there might be somebody here that might be able to help me.

Here's the story:

I bought a set of gears from the guys at the local ford place and also got the guys at the local ford place to put the gears on (on the side mind you to save money 1st mistake). Gears were whinning. Guys played dodge ball when trying to get fixed. Decided to take it to local mechanic. They claim the guys put some of the parts in wrong. (the two side clamps inside the rear end that I think holds the axles, Ford guys say that it doesn't matter of arrows are in or out) Got new gears and bearing kit and the mechanic installed them. Mechanic notices that one axle bearing is a little worn. Replaces axle bearings with my okay. Puts car back together. Whine is gone but now car clunks while coasting and the clunk is relative to how fast the tires are spinning. Mechanic takes rearend apart and notices that the spider gears aren't tight and figures that's the problem. Puts new set of spider gears in same clunk during coast. Mechanic suggest changing clutch pack inside differential since that's the only thing that hasn't been changed. Changes it and same clunk during coast. Mind you at this time I'm $1100 in the hole. Mechanic shop blames the previous mechanic and says unless I replace the entire rear end there's now way to find out where that noise is coming from and that with the bad installation it could have warped something inside like the differential house. I'm not a mechanic but I can see how that is feasible seeing that it wasn't clunking before I brought them the vehicle. So here I am, no where to go and no mechanic in my little town to trust. Is there anybody out there that might be able to help me or shed some light? Thanks.

2002blkgt

i know how frustrating it is to have a problem and to think no one has the answer. i have 3:73's and had a ford mechanic do it on the side to save money also. i don't know what the clunk sound is you are hearing. does it do it at slow speeds? does it do it in reverse? does it make the sound with the car off and rolling? maybe some of these answers will lead you in the right direction or help someone recognize the problem. i have to change my seal after the install because i have a rear end leak. good luck and sorry no answers!!
GT or v6? i'm guessing GT. the gears have to be shimmed, i believe, did they do that?

moabdee

Yes it's an 02 GT and yes they did shim it at least according to them. I've done some calling around and got some different opinions such as:

The side gears in the differential housing weren't put in correctly.
Try the u-joints.
Did they check the pinion bearings (which brings up a good point because yesterday while putting in the clutch pack they saw that one of the side carrier bearings that came with my bearing kit was bad and so replaced both carrier bearings, which of course i called them today and asked about the pinion bearing be changed but I haven't gotten a phone call back yet.)
The most promising thing though is what I found on summits website:


http://www.summitracing.com/streetan...ial_noises.htm

Noise: Clunking when depressing the throttle pedal (takeoff)
Cause: Worn U-joints; worn spider gears; worn axle splines; excessive gear backlash; loose yoke splines; worn slip yoke splines

Anyway, if they don't want to own up, I believe I'm going to do the rest myself. Since I live by a military base they have a hobby shop on base and since I work for the government I can use that shop and I talked with one of the guys there and they said that they would help out as much as possible. I just don't think they can do the work themselves. Anyway, I'm not trying to hire another mechanic to do it and sometimes if you want things done correctly, you have to do it yourself. I'm not real mechanically inclined but I figured if I can troubleshoot computer problems I should be able to troubleshoot this one. Thanks for the reply though.

Dagwood

One time I had this weird popping noise from the rear, I thought it was the diff going bad, turns out it was the upper control arm that was loose. The noise wouldnt be there in motion but if I stopped hard or took off it got to the point to where the sound was more constant. I took to the shop I work at and rammed all the bolts on the uppers and lowers and problem solved

mikev08826

Bummer. If I had to replace my rear end again (god permitting I never take out another tree) I think I'd go IRS.

JPGT_00

You already ask them about the pinion gear, Im trying to remember when I did mine, there is a bearing on the pinion and a carrier bearing, did both of those get changed out. I would drop the drive shaft and make sure theres not alot of play in the Flange there, Im no expert just process off elimination, I know you are going broke trying to do that.