Need Help W/ Rear End Pop

[Sean J Blackburn]

We got a storm and the temp dropped to around 100, so I just did the diff. It looked totally fine from what I could tell. No shavings, no glitter, looked very good inside. Took forever to get all that rtv off!

Installed a new lubelocker gasket, torqued the cover to 30 foot pounds, and filled with 4 ounces Mopar friction modifier and about 2.5 quarts valvoline synthetic 75w-140.

I still need to go for a test drive but I'm hoping this makes a difference in the noise.

 

[Sean J Blackburn]

Here's a Pic of the diff

 

[Wild one]

Here's a Pic of the diff

You didn't need the friction modifier as you have the open non limited slip diff,but it doesn't hurt to add it either.
That doesn't look like a stock ring gear,i'd say at some point in time it was re-geared

 

[aszumilo]

You didn't need the friction modifier as you have the open non limited slip diff,but it doesn't hurt to add it either.
That doesn't look like a stock ring gear,i'd say at some point in time it was re-geared

I agree on the ring gear. Maybe the lash wasn't set properly and that is where the noise is coming from?

 

[Sean J Blackburn]

You didn't need the friction modifier as you have the open non limited slip diff,but it doesn't hurt to add it either.
That doesn't look like a stock ring gear,i'd say at some point in time it was re-geared

The vin decoder says I have a limited slip differential, but I don't know for sure. My truck is a 2010 1500 4x4.

You think it was re-geared? I've had the truck for about 6 years so it would have been before me. If it has been re-geared that means I have no clue what the gear ratio is. That's not a great surprise!

 

[Sean J Blackburn]

I agree on the ring gear. Maybe the lash wasn't set properly and that is where the noise is coming from?

I've had the truck for 6 years and put about 90k miles on it. I never had a problem until recently, in the last couple thousand miles. So if it has been re-geared it was before I had it and was working properly for years. So I don't think it's the regearing that is the problem since it worked fine for years and 90k miles. I didn't even know it was re-geared. Not a great surprise to find haha

 

[aszumilo]

I've had the truck for 6 years and put about 90k miles on it. I never had a problem until recently, in the last couple thousand miles. So if it has been re-geared it was before I had it and was working properly for years. So I don't think it's the regearing that is the problem since it worked fine for years and 90k miles. I didn't even know it was re-geared. Not a great surprise to find haha

Probably right. Just thinking out loud. Gotta be something, so, throwing ideas out there.

 

[Sean J Blackburn]

Also, just got back from a drive. No difference in the noise unfortunately. BUT, a major potential breakthrough! I was under the truck checking the diff to make sure it wasn't leaking after the test drive. On the way out from under the truck I grabbed the part of the hitch that connects to the frame to pull myself out and very slightly heard what sounds like the noise. So, obviously I immediately started shaking the hitch. If I really put some sideways force on the hitch I hear what sounds like the same clunk I hear when turning. I had not even considered the hitch as a possible source of the noise because I have a hitch tightener on it that is supposed to prevent any type of noise. I'm going back outside to take the freaking hitch off and go for a drive. If this is the source of the noise I will be happy the issue is resolved but frustrated it was something so stupid

 

[Sean J Blackburn]

Probably right. Just thinking out loud. Gotta be something, so, throwing ideas out there.

No worries, I appreciate any and all help

 

[Sean J Blackburn]

Took the hitch off, noise is still there and as loud as ever.

Getting back to the diff: mechanically, it looked great. No chips glitter etc.

Someone mentioned I don't have limited slip but I thought I did. If no limited slip, we can obviously rule out LSD clutch packs as a source of the noise. If there is limited slip, would there have been any indication the clutches were bad with the diff open?

If we can rule out the diff that would be one thing off the suspect list.

 

[Wild one]

I've had the truck for 6 years and put about 90k miles on it. I never had a problem until recently, in the last couple thousand miles. So if it has been re-geared it was before I had it and was working properly for years. So I don't think it's the regearing that is the problem since it worked fine for years and 90k miles. I didn't even know it was re-geared. Not a great surprise to find haha

Nobody said anything about the gears being your problem,i just pointed out it looks like it's been re-geared at some point in time.Look for the number of teeth ,it should be stamped into the ring gear. Did you check the cab mounts and box mounts to make sure they're all tight and in good shape.

 

[Sean J Blackburn]

Nobody said anything about the gears being your problem,i just pointed out it looks like it's been re-geared at some point in time.Look for the number of teeth ,it should be stamped into the ring gear. Did you check the cab mounts and box mounts to make sure they're all tight and in good shape.

Understood, was just pointing out the gears have historically been ok. Wasn't trying to come across as difficult etc. I had no idea it had been re-geared.

I will check the cab and bed mounts tomorrow. Still going to swap out the trailing arms too since I already have the parts.

I will update with what I find

Thanks for your help!

 

[Sean J Blackburn]

Torqued all 6 cab and all 6 bed bolts to 80 ft lb. All were already tight. Tomorrow I will torque down the hitch bracket where it attaches to the frame for good measure.

 

[Sean J Blackburn]

Did all 4 rear control arms last night. They actually looked pretty good considering the age. Noise is still there unfortunately. However, I don't regret switching out the suspension components as they had a ton of miles on them.

Not sure what else to check, maybe the springs?

 

[Sean J Blackburn]

Have an update, pretty sure I found the source of the noise. The rear passenger shock will twist by hand just the tiniest amount. Tightened it up as tight as I could get it with a 2ft breaker bar, but still just barely rotates.

In looking at the actual lower shock mount, it looks like at some point I caught a rock off road and it slightly bent it. So the shock is sitting just slightly off level and causing the shock not to tighten fully.

I didn't notice before as it is just barely off level. I ran a torque wrench over the nuts previously and they were torqued to spec so I assumed it was fine. But with it being just slightly off level the shock has the tiniest amount of rotational play by hand which I'm sure is greatly magnified while driving.

Until I can find a proper fix for this I think I'm going to try shimming it with a grade 8 washer to hopefully take out some of the slop and tighten things up. At least that will confirm if the shock movement is the problem or not.

 

[Sean J Blackburn]

Two updates:

Bent the rear shock bracket into place and replaced the rear shocks. Noise is still there, but those shocks were toast and needed replacement so I put bilstein 5100s in.

Hit a bump in my neighborhood much harder than normal and it made the noise. This tells me it is definitely suspension related. As I have now replaced every suspension component in the rear minus the coil springs, it likely is coming from the front and just sounds like the rear. This would make sense as on my way to work this morning I had a rattle from the front right of the truck coming from the area of the tire.

At this point I suspect it is the passenger lower ball joint. When it cools down in a couple of months I'm going to redo the entire front end as I'm sure it needs it with 178k miles. Besides, it needs to match the nice new rear suspension .

Going to do upper and lower control arms, inner and outer tie rods, and put in bilstein 6112 leveling struts to replace the Rancho quick lift.

For the control arms and tie rods, what do you all recommend for brand? I've been looking at and reading good things about mevotech TTX.

 

[Sean J Blackburn]

Ok final update on this. The front suspension does need to be done, but that wasn't the problem. After more time and effort than I would like to admit I finally found the source of the stupid noise. My wife was riding with me and she said "when your truck makes that noise it feels like something is rolling behind me". So I looked under the rear seat and there, right where I must have left them and then completely forgot about them after camping 3 months ago, were the sway bars for my equalizer hitch. When I made a hard left turn they would slide and bang into each other.

I was 100 percent sure what I was hearing was coming from further back under the truck but I was 100 percent wrong. I'm glad the noise is finally gone, just wish I had remembered those equalizer sway bars were under there