Ford Differential

You could have a Dana 135, or a Dana 150s. I lost the third member at about 30K, and it went south very fast. It started making noise under acceleration, and I got under it to check the drive line, and found a noticeable up and down shake at the pinion. Called Ford Dealer for a check, and drove over. Went to take the service manager for a ride to listen to the noise. We were going around the block, and we were afraid we were not going to make it. When I picked the MH up, he told me they have had about 1/3 failure rate on the big Dana rear members. Dana was covering the costs for the replacements.

So, yes they do fail. If it is making noise, it may fail very quickly. I have raced and done this type of work all of my life. Not much can be put over on me anymore. I hope.

Born To Travel wrote:
I would get a second opinion.. rear axles rarely go bad... Once I took my 3 year old truck to the local dealership for a state inspection.. The shop manager came out and told me the differential was bad in my truck and needed repaired...............

Wonder how many folks they have suckered with that story before they bumped into someone like you who stood up to them!:M

I would get a second opinion.. rear axles rarely go bad... Once I took my 3 year old truck to the local dealership for a state inspection.. The shop manager came out and told me the differential was bad in my truck and needed repaired.. As a former inspection mechanic, knowing that the differential is not an inspection item in my state and having my license for over thirty years I pulled out my cell phone and asked him not to do anymore to it as I was calling the state police barracks down the road and ask them to send the state police inspection mechanic to come look at it... He said he was going to check with the mechanic working on it and make shure it is bad... A half hour later my truck was ready with a new sticker and nothing was said about the rearend...

Definitely need a 2nd opinion

As MOST rear axles have some slop, unless it's whining badly I wouldn't take his comment too seriously.
But a second opinion would be a good thing.

Which chassis is it? Or which axle? Dana S135 probably?

pauldoe wrote:
I have a 2004 Damon Challenger on a Ford chassis. I was just told by a truck garage that I needed a new differential for my coach that only has 34,000 miles on it. I am told there is play in the rear end.

Has anyone else ever experienced this? I plan on looking for some place for a second opinion but I have never heard of a rear end going bad with such low mileage.

So what, would be my first impression and I have some slop as well, as does my truck. I've run them that way for years and even a few hot rods, so unless you're experiencing something really bad, I'd forget it and wait until you do, which may be next to never. Funny thing, our rig picked up a little play after having the rear seal replaced and even though they supposedly counted the threads, when removing the yoke, so my question is, why can't one just go a few turns, without causing any problems? Having said that, it would probably start howling or something worse and then you'd be sorry you messed with it. I liked the way they were built in the old days, whereas the whole pumpkin could be removed from the front of the differential case, intact. With cars, one could just visit the junk yard, look around on the ground, choose a ratio and change it out after work and before supper time.

Paul,

Please tell us your SYMPTOMS. Statistical failure rates won't do you much good. Need to find out the problem, then the solution.

Could be low on lubricant.

what scott said. how much slop, or backlash is there. a little is no big deal.