Help with whine from rear end

[MrMark52]

OK - got another long winded question -

My '03 TJ with automatic and Dana 35/3.73 rear axle whines. PO or O's didn't take care of her - when I got her the lube was chocolate milk.

So - what to do, what to do. I'm not a rock climber so plan to stay with 3.73. 155k miles. I'm not into rebuilding, figure I can find one for a lot less hassle. 42RLE tranny and ABS.

So - questions are -

1. Do I stay with Dana 35 or put a Dana 44 in?
2. If Dana 44, I believe I have to shorten the driveshaft, or did Jeep they make one?
3. Are all Dana 44's disc or do they make drum?
4. Did they build a Dana 35 with disc brakes? If so, could I assume that would that be an indicator of axle build date (mine is drum - it's an '03)?
5. I realize switching to disc's I will need to replace the balancing valve. Where is that located?
6. What about ABS rear sensors - is the wiring there?
7. What issues will I have with the E-brake - do I need to be sure to get specific linkage parts with whatever axle I find?

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have to Offer!

 

[pagrey]

You might look into a used or junkyard Dana 35 with 3.73 gears in it and toss that in. Car-part.com might have a few local to you. It might be cheaper than having your current axle worked on. If you have stock size tires and just do light duty stuff you don't need anything special like a Dana 44.

 

[MrMark52]

Thanks pagrey! As you can see by my questions, if I'm going to spend the $ that car-part is showing, and even though I"m mostly mall-crawling (actually "toading"), the dilemma continues when considering resell value.

 

[pagrey]

You ain't kidding! I just checked in my area and car-part has them for $800-1000, that's nuts. A really good diff shop could get you up and running for less than that. I personally wouldn't worry about resale, just get it back to where you can enjoy it.

 

[MrMark52]

Yeah, that may be the route I have to take.

I have been watching Craigslist, 5miles, Letgo, Facebook Marketplace and similar places - have found a few Dana 35's for from $100-$200. I would rather gamble $100-$200 against getting a dud than $500+.

Since I have your ear (and anyone else is welcome to chime in) - if I find one, my list of things to look for will be -
1. Mileage
2. Check cover for signs of previous removal/quality of work if it had been removed before
3. Rotate axle to installed position and check lube level/condition / or see if any lube will drain out and assess
condition
4. Signs of lube leakage at cover and wheel bearing seals.
5. Ask Seller questions that may shed light on the condition of the axle (i.e. why removed)

Anyone have anything else to add, please do.

 

[pagrey]

Used is going to be a crap-shoot. In a junkyard I look for vehicles that have been crashed, you probably can guess they had a working rear axle when they were wrecked. I wouldn't believe a seller with respect to mileage or just about anything else but I am a bit of a cynic. It's just one of those things, could you tell your axle was toast if you changed out the fluid and ran it for a week then tried to sell it?

 

[MrMark52]

You and I think too much along the same lines as far as used .

I'm going to snoop around and see if I can find a rebuilder, see what that costs. As I said originally, rear ends (at least not these kinds of rear ends ) are not my specialty. I'll take on the task if I have to, but would prefer to find someone to at least do the ring/pinion and spider cluster. I wouldn't have a problem doing everything else.

I have to get the front end of my RV rebuilt first - Chevy P30 chassis with 27k miles and pretty much everything on the front end is worn out.

 

[AndyG]

OK - got another long winded question -

My '03 TJ with automatic and Dana 35/3.73 rear axle whines. PO or O's didn't take care of her - when I got her the lube was chocolate milk.

So - what to do, what to do. I'm not a rock climber so plan to stay with 3.73. 155k miles. I'm not into rebuilding, figure I can find one for a lot less hassle. 42RLE tranny and ABS.

So - questions are -

1. Do I stay with Dana 35 or put a Dana 44 in?
2. If Dana 44, I believe I have to shorten the driveshaft, or did Jeep they make one?
3. Are all Dana 44's disc or do they make drum?
4. Did they build a Dana 35 with disc brakes? If so, could I assume that would that be an indicator of axle build date (mine is drum - it's an '03)?
5. I realize switching to disc's I will need to replace the balancing valve. Where is that located?
6. What about ABS rear sensors - is the wiring there?
7. What issues will I have with the E-brake - do I need to be sure to get specific linkage parts with whatever axle I find?

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have to Offer!

Wait til you get the whine from the passenger seat. It is tough.

 

[MrMark52]

Wait til you get the whine from the passenger seat. It is tough.

If she could only be atune enough to problematic vehicular noises as opposed to high concern about a rock being thrown into a wheel well.

And I just realized (if it really matters/FWIW) - I've got 117k miles, not 155k miles on this buggy.

 

[Steel City 06]

You might consider regearing at the same time. You're already doing the labor and parts cost for the rear, so doing the front wouldn't add too much money.

Assuming you have stock 30 inch tires (or nearly stock) tires, 4.56 would be a much better ratio on the freeway than the 3.73. You'll have more torque at all speeds, and may see a modest increase in fuel economy.

This chart is for any TJ that regularly sees highway speeds:
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...angler-tj-lj-and-other-re-gearing-faqs.17063/
If you have to replace the carrier, consider an upgrade to a limited slip differential like the TrueTrac. A limited slip will give you a modest increase in traction on dirt, mud, snow, and ice without the complexity of a locker. Still not suitable for rock crawling, but a good option for a DD. It would be a couple hundred bucks more than an open differential, but the labor cost to install is the same.

 

[pagrey]

You might consider regearing at the same time.

Tire size is listed in the profile, I don't think gears make sense in this situation.

 

[Steel City 06]

Tire size is listed in the profile, I don't think gears make sense in this situation.

Also has the 42RLE...

 

[pagrey]

Also has the 42RLE...

I average 17 mpg on larger tires with those gears and a 42RLE and that includes towing a trailer and miles on the trail. It's worth considering all points of view and I guess all I mean is I wouldn't re-gear.

 

[MrMark52]

Thanks pagreay and Steel City 06! Going to study that chart.

Have not gotten 17mph highway since we got her at 103k miles. Have installed new plugs and cleaned the throttle body with modest improvement in mph and power. On our recent trip to Santa Fe, while drving around I noted tranny was slipping and at one point went into limp mode. Getting back to camp, I found tranny fluid nearly a quart low - my bad ! Power and shift is much better now, but have not run through a full tank on her since getting back.

Today is multi-function switch repair day. Just got it out, and I see signs of heating and melting in one of the corner pins on the connector. Nothing bad, yet, but need to figure out the cause - after I figure out the issue with the MFS (hazard light relay buzzes - all other functions - fog lights, turn signals, headlights, wipers, etc. work correctly).