Rear End Noises after Multiple Rebuilds

[Woodshop28]

Hope I get this in the correct thread, my apoligies if not! My 2012 Ram Mega Cab 4X4 started having rear end (Pinion Gear noises) this spring. I started hearing the "roaring" noises mostly under decelleration at hwy speeds on my trip back from east texas after a fishing trip. I did have to drop the rear end in the water to launch and load the boat but never thought it would be an issue because of the vents in the rear end. Anyway, took the truck to my mechanic when I got back and they diagnosed the rear end noise and stated the pinion gear was "going out" and they recommended replacing the entire rear end components. This included the pinion gears, internal gears and the limited slip components. I trust my mechanics were making the right decision, based on past experiences with them so I signed off on the work. I was billed $4600 roughly for new gears and the work. They went with Yukon limited slip gears and parts. Had the truck for about a week and when I called to check they were trying to "dial it in". They were on their "6th" attempt. Apparently they couldn't get the pinion gear noise to go away at certain speeds. They gave the truck to me to put some wear on the gears but it just wasn't right. I could hear a high pitched "drone" at highway speeds under acceleration and a low pitch "howl" during deceleration. They were sure it was the torque preload on the pinion gears. They confirred with Yukon's cust service dept for tech assistance and re-set the gears and tried again, but still couldn't get it right. We were now in week 2 of the rebuild. Apparently, Yukon's techs wanted pics from the shop of the gears to show wear patterns so every attempt to communicate had a time delay, which frustrated everyone. After week 2 of chasing the noises, the shop went ahead and purchased another set of Yukon gears, thinking the first was a bad set. Gears came in and were installed on week 3 and adjusted many times for 2 days. After multiple test drives and calls back in forth with Yukon again they still couldn't figure out the noises. And now, the rear end was binding up slightly when turning sharp the first several times. They think this was because of the limited slip rings being tight and they needed some break in, or perhaps more additive. My shop then decided to send the truck to another shop for a second opinion. They ended up replacing the 2nd set of Yukon gears with American Standard ( I think) gears and adjusted and told them it was ready. When I went to pick the truck up from them it still had pinion gear noises under high and low speed and the limit slip rings binding. I took it back to the first shop and they now have tried for the 4th time to adjust the gears with no success. They tested my drive train to make sure it was not any other component making the noise and didn't find anything. I'm now 2 months into this with 3 different rear end gear sets and 2 shops and no-one has any clue what is goin on. My shop has reached out to Yukon many times but they don't seem to be of any help. The Yukon parts rep also visited with my shop owner and drove my truck and acknowledged the noises but wouldn't make any moves to help since there gears were not in the truck anymore. My shop owner doesn't' know what the next move should be. Looking for some advise or direction.

 

[crazy jerry]

any time you drive in a lake you have to be aware water might enter the housing and destroy everything.
i know some yukon stuff was made in china. me i wouldnt touch yukon parts.
why didnt they put aam back in ? probly to save a buck im sure.
many mechanics dont believe in service manuals. since they been doing it so long they think they know everything. its very good chance they got the setup wrong. or perhaps the china gears.
$4600 just for the rear ,ya you got robbed. probly could of bought a entire new loaded housing for less than that.
best of luck

 

[Woodshop28]

Yes, sir jerry, it's feeling like we got robbed for sure, especially since the first shop appears to be scratching their heads about what to do next. I think they got the first set covered under warranty but not the labor. So far we've all been disappointed in the lack of concern coming thru Yukon. I wouldn't doubt that some of the parts they sold are from across the pond. What parts company have you dealt with, successfully?

 

[Daw14]

Search for an off- road or speed shop , they do gears on a regular basis. Maybe one will have some mercy on you and help resolve your issues .

 

[crazy jerry]

i think the first step is getting the truck away from the shop its at now as it appears theyve bungled the entire thing. hopefully they havent damaged the housing in any way.
find a shop that specializes in differentials and even better if theyre familiar with the ram stuff. me i would just use the factory gears and bearings.
as for the carrier ,im not sure what you got going on with that. the diff shop should be able to sort it out

 

[crazy jerry]

you didnt say what truck it is but 2500 and 3500 have used aam axles the past 20yrs. you wont need to buy the gear sets and bearing through a dealer. theres numerous other places to get aam branded stuff. a competant shop would know all this.
if its 1500 i dont know if they are aam or chrysler axle but either way i wouldnt use yukon parts

 

[Jeepwalker]

That sux.
I guess keep working with the shop and be persistent.

 

[GTyankee]

2012 MEGA Cab Rams, almost certainly would have AAM rear differential

10.5" rear axle ring gear diameter

possible Mega Cab ratios:

3.42 Rear Axle Ratio	+$0
4.10 Rear Axle Ratio	+$50
Anti-Spin Rear Axle Differential	+$325
3.73 Rear Axle Ratio	+$0

Genuine American Axle & Manufacturing parts for Dodge RAM with AAM 10.5 inch 14 Bolt Rear Axle​

AAM American Axle Manufacturing 10.5 inch 14 bolt rear axle shafts, bearings, yokes, seals, pinion flange, ring and pinion gear sets, internal gears, differential carriers and related parts for DODGE RAM 2500 and 3500 series 4x4 trucks. The 10.5 inch 14 bolt is typically found in 2500/3500 gas engine trucks. See 11.5 inch 14 bolt for diesel engine trucks. Sometimes referred to as the 10.5 inch 12 bolt but is actually the same as the 10.5 inch 14 bolt. The last year for the 10.5 inch in the RAM trucks was 2013.

Did your mechanic ever say that they actually saw water mixed in with the differential fluid ? just curious ...

The vent tube is attached to a 1 way valve, that is mounted into the differential.
The other end is fastened to the cross members that the bed fastens to

Good Luck finding a fix .....

 

[1999 White C5 Coupe]

Hope I get this in the correct thread, my apoligies if not! My 2012 Ram Mega Cab 4X4 started having rear end (Pinion Gear noises) this spring. I started hearing the "roaring" noises mostly under decelleration at hwy speeds on my trip back from east texas after a fishing trip. I did have to drop the rear end in the water to launch and load the boat but never thought it would be an issue because of the vents in the rear end. Anyway, took the truck to my mechanic when I got back and they diagnosed the rear end noise and stated the pinion gear was "going out" and they recommended replacing the entire rear end components. This included the pinion gears, internal gears and the limited slip components. I trust my mechanics were making the right decision, based on past experiences with them so I signed off on the work. I was billed $4600 roughly for new gears and the work. They went with Yukon limited slip gears and parts. Had the truck for about a week and when I called to check they were trying to "dial it in". They were on their "6th" attempt. Apparently they couldn't get the pinion gear noise to go away at certain speeds. They gave the truck to me to put some wear on the gears but it just wasn't right. I could hear a high pitched "drone" at highway speeds under acceleration and a low pitch "howl" during deceleration. They were sure it was the torque preload on the pinion gears. They confirred with Yukon's cust service dept for tech assistance and re-set the gears and tried again, but still couldn't get it right. We were now in week 2 of the rebuild. Apparently, Yukon's techs wanted pics from the shop of the gears to show wear patterns so every attempt to communicate had a time delay, which frustrated everyone. After week 2 of chasing the noises, the shop went ahead and purchased another set of Yukon gears, thinking the first was a bad set. Gears came in and were installed on week 3 and adjusted many times for 2 days. After multiple test drives and calls back in forth with Yukon again they still couldn't figure out the noises. And now, the rear end was binding up slightly when turning sharp the first several times. They think this was because of the limited slip rings being tight and they needed some break in, or perhaps more additive. My shop then decided to send the truck to another shop for a second opinion. They ended up replacing the 2nd set of Yukon gears with American Standard ( I think) gears and adjusted and told them it was ready. When I went to pick the truck up from them it still had pinion gear noises under high and low speed and the limit slip rings binding. I took it back to the first shop and they now have tried for the 4th time to adjust the gears with no success. They tested my drive train to make sure it was not any other component making the noise and didn't find anything. I'm now 2 months into this with 3 different rear end gear sets and 2 shops and no-one has any clue what is goin on. My shop has reached out to Yukon many times but they don't seem to be of any help. The Yukon parts rep also visited with my shop owner and drove my truck and acknowledged the noises but wouldn't make any moves to help since there gears were not in the truck anymore. My shop owner doesn't' know what the next move should be. Looking for some advise or direction.

Paragraph breaks would be very helpful.

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

Gotta give my opinion, I would go to a pick&pull and get a used differential, put new fluid and modifier for the limited slip and call it a day, sounds like those shops don't know jack, next time take it to a shop that specializes in 4X4, differentials and transfer cases.

 

[crazy jerry]

do you have a itemized reciept ? im wondering how in the world they got to $4600. its easy to look up what the parts cost. 8hr labor i think is common for a rebuild. is labor rates 300 per hour now

 

[Runaround]

I just had a 2014 half ton Ram rearend rebuilt with new Eaton True Trac carrier, new gears, pinion bearings, crush sleeve and seal for $2100.

 

[DILLIGAF]

I just had a 2014 half ton Ram rear end rebuild with new Eaton True Trac carrier, new gears, pinion bearings, crush sleeve and seal for $2100.

Awesome, it's nice to see some shops are still honest!

 

[Sherman Bird]

Hope I get this in the correct thread, my apoligies if not! My 2012 Ram Mega Cab 4X4 started having rear end (Pinion Gear noises) this spring. I started hearing the "roaring" noises mostly under decelleration at hwy speeds on my trip back from east texas after a fishing trip. I did have to drop the rear end in the water to launch and load the boat but never thought it would be an issue because of the vents in the rear end. Anyway, took the truck to my mechanic when I got back and they diagnosed the rear end noise and stated the pinion gear was "going out" and they recommended replacing the entire rear end components. This included the pinion gears, internal gears and the limited slip components. I trust my mechanics were making the right decision, based on past experiences with them so I signed off on the work. I was billed $4600 roughly for new gears and the work. They went with Yukon limited slip gears and parts. Had the truck for about a week and when I called to check they were trying to "dial it in". They were on their "6th" attempt. Apparently they couldn't get the pinion gear noise to go away at certain speeds. They gave the truck to me to put some wear on the gears but it just wasn't right. I could hear a high pitched "drone" at highway speeds under acceleration and a low pitch "howl" during deceleration. They were sure it was the torque preload on the pinion gears. They confirred with Yukon's cust service dept for tech assistance and re-set the gears and tried again, but still couldn't get it right. We were now in week 2 of the rebuild. Apparently, Yukon's techs wanted pics from the shop of the gears to show wear patterns so every attempt to communicate had a time delay, which frustrated everyone. After week 2 of chasing the noises, the shop went ahead and purchased another set of Yukon gears, thinking the first was a bad set. Gears came in and were installed on week 3 and adjusted many times for 2 days. After multiple test drives and calls back in forth with Yukon again they still couldn't figure out the noises. And now, the rear end was binding up slightly when turning sharp the first several times. They think this was because of the limited slip rings being tight and they needed some break in, or perhaps more additive. My shop then decided to send the truck to another shop for a second opinion. They ended up replacing the 2nd set of Yukon gears with American Standard ( I think) gears and adjusted and told them it was ready. When I went to pick the truck up from them it still had pinion gear noises under high and low speed and the limit slip rings binding. I took it back to the first shop and they now have tried for the 4th time to adjust the gears with no success. They tested my drive train to make sure it was not any other component making the noise and didn't find anything. I'm now 2 months into this with 3 different rear end gear sets and 2 shops and no-one has any clue what is goin on. My shop has reached out to Yukon many times but they don't seem to be of any help. The Yukon parts rep also visited with my shop owner and drove my truck and acknowledged the noises but wouldn't make any moves to help since there gears were not in the truck anymore. My shop owner doesn't' know what the next move should be. Looking for some advise or direction.

Perhaps the shop might have used parts made by American Foundries. These are NOT budget friendly, but the company is the OE Vendor for GM; likely others as well. I've used this brand on several occasions and had stellar results. Quality is top notch.

Nothing is more frustrating than dealing with the fallout from poorly made parts.

As far as the negative feedback from others as to the price; Decent car repair costs dearly these days. Perhaps the cost might have been "not mentioned", eh?

Blumenthal's in Oklahoma City, Ok. is where I get my standard transmission hard parts and parts for driveline/ transfer cases.

 

[Woodshop28]

Yeah, We've narrowed down the problem to the quality of the parts, since they came from the same manufacturer. Since then, we have changed the type of anti friction oil and put some more wear on the unit and it has stopped grabbing in the rear end. Some pinion/ring gear noise is present but definitely better than before. I'm loyal to the shop and sounds like they learned as much on this job as I did.

 

[Sherman Bird]

Yeah, We've narrowed down the problem to the quality of the parts, since they came from the same manufacturer. Since then, we have changed the type of anti friction oil and put some more wear on the unit and it has stopped grabbing in the rear end. Some pinion/ring gear noise is present but definitely better than before. I'm loyal to the shop and sounds like they learned as much on this job as I did.

As a 48 year veteran of this trade, I still learn on a regular basis. Regardless of all variables, greed seems to be the consistent thread when troubles arise, no matter the flavor! Peace!

 

[Hagar1]

2012 MEGA Cab Rams, almost certainly would have AAM rear differential

10.5" rear axle ring gear diameter

possible Mega Cab ratios:

3.42 Rear Axle Ratio	+$0
4.10 Rear Axle Ratio	+$50
Anti-Spin Rear Axle Differential	+$325
3.73 Rear Axle Ratio	+$0

Genuine American Axle & Manufacturing parts for Dodge RAM with AAM 10.5 inch 14 Bolt Rear Axle​

AAM American Axle Manufacturing 10.5 inch 14 bolt rear axle shafts, bearings, yokes, seals, pinion flange, ring and pinion gear sets, internal gears, differential carriers and related parts for DODGE RAM 2500 and 3500 series 4x4 trucks. The 10.5 inch 14 bolt is typically found in 2500/3500 gas engine trucks. See 11.5 inch 14 bolt for diesel engine trucks. Sometimes referred to as the 10.5 inch 12 bolt but is actually the same as the 10.5 inch 14 bolt. The last year for the 10.5 inch in the RAM trucks was 2013.

Did your mechanic ever say that they actually saw water mixed in with the differential fluid ? just curious ...

The vent tube is attached to a 1 way valve, that is mounted into the differential.
The other end is fastened to the cross members that the bed fastens to

Good Luck finding a fix .....

Yes, the tube has a one way valve but if it gets blocked and you put the vehicle into water over the Axles, I've seen it pull water past the axle seals. Hot axle, cold water with a plugged vent is a recipe for trouble.

 

[GTyankee]

many owners run the vent line up to the underside of the bed

others remove the Left Tail Light & run the vent tube into that cavity.

 

[Woodshop28]

Vent tube issue makes sense. When this problem started I had backed the truck up into the Sabine River out in East Texas (Brown stained very sandy water), to launch and load my boat during the sand bass run. When we hit the road back to the DFW area we noticed the noise for the first time coming from the rear end. Never had any issues with it before that so I was pretty sure that had something to do with it. I wander if the axle bearings got heated up or sand in them and started the doomed outcome on the way back to DFW 75mph pulling the 20ft boat. I'm pretty sure the shop changed my axle bearings inner/outer every time they changed the gear sets but I will ask to make sure. I still have the pinion noise (slight), but the friction while turning tight at low speed has gone away. Thanks for your input GT Yankee.