Front differential noise

[TxHummer07]

I've searched multiple threads but need a little help...Have a whining noise coming from the front differential while accelerating, and goes away when I let off the gas...

Took it to the dealership to investigate and they wanted arm and leg to crack it open and check it out, although they narrowed it down to the front diff and not the trans etc

A friends shop is going to open the differential and tell me whats wrong...as far as parts... does anyone have an idea what parts i'd be looking at to replace? Trying to prepare my wallet/budget

The dealership told me 2 case bearings, 2 pinion bearings

Please help!:banana

 

[cgalpha08]

My money is on the pinion bearings. That noise and situation is all too familiar

 

[alrock]

Dealer's got a good guess but no one will know until the diff is torn apart. You won't get any guarantees from any mechanic until they are into the diff. I would take it to a driveline shop vs. the dealer. Better price and you get guys that do this stuff all day. I've seen screwups in a few dealer "fixed" diffs, front and rear.

 

[4speedfunk]

Pinion bearings. Find an axle guy and get it rebuilt right. I wouldn't let GM work on a Schwinn.

 

[TxHummer07]

My money is on the pinion bearings. That noise and situation is all too familiar

Thanks!

Dealer's got a good guess but no one will know until the diff is torn apart. You won't get any guarantees from any mechanic until they are into the diff. I would take it to a driveline shop vs. the dealer. Better price and you get guys that do this stuff all day. I've seen screwups in a few dealer "fixed" diffs, front and rear.

Exactly, I took it there because I just had a new transmission put in about a year ago and thought that was the culprit.

Oh yes, never have the dealer do the work (which the 07-09 H3's will have a AC resistor recall coming out, they just dont have a fix for it yet, even though i've replaced my melted one already)

Pinion bearings. Find an axle guy and get it rebuilt right. I wouldn't let GM work on a Schwinn.

Thank you! And i am...it's at his shop now.

 

[SedonaBound]

+1 on taking it to a driveline specialist vs dealer.

 

[digglesworth]

My rear diff was doing the same thing. 4speed put a little elbow grease bandaid on it when we had the axle out. But what do you know, the damn fronts doing it now so now I have 2 diffs that are gonna need rebuilt... Stupid pinion bearings.... Grrrr....

 

[TxHummer07]

Im about to pass 200k miles on the truck and the axle shop recommends replacing a few other things in the diff as well. They believe its the pinion bearings, they're worn severely. Any ideas? I get parts for a significant discount through dealership friends...

 

[4speedfunk]

Our trucks are very hard on pinion bearings for one simple reason...they see a lot of use. The pinion bearings see 4.56 times the wear & tear that the carrier bearings see. Thats why carrier bearings last forever comparatively. Driving at 70+ mph with gearing this low, simply wears things out much quicker than a typical 3.08 or 3.56 geared vehicle. At least thats my theory.

 

[05Mudiak]

Just had to have ours rebuilt. Got it rebuilt at a very good off road shop Kryptonite Customs. It was the pinion bearing but with that the shavings started to wear the ring gears so while it was out and open we had everything replaced new. The Yukon gears were a little more but I know their reliability is great. I cant remember the exact cost but I believe parts were about 500. and labor was 650 because it was a front diff few extra steps then a rear diff.