What in the heck is the problem?

Before my warranty expires, I want to make sure I know what the problem is, or to be able to explain it to the Ford Dealership.

It only happens when I come to a complete stop and accelerate on a turn. As slow as 1-5 mph I feel this annoying vibration.

At first I thought it was my cheap rear tires not griping correctly but from 1-5 MPH!!

Can anyone help me out on this? What do I tell the service department?

Thanks!!

 

Let me guess.....you have a limited slip rear end.....and it's chattering.

 

I too have that problem, is it worth Ford looking at, or is it normal?

 

If it's still under warranty, have them look at it. Odds are they'll rebuild the diff at no charge.

Assuming it's a limited slip, it's the clutch pack, and it's not normal. If it's not a limited slip, it's an even bigger problem and you definately want them to look at it.

-Joe

 

Thanks.

I'm taking it in......

I found this:

ORD:
2003-2006 Expedition
2004-2005 Excursion, Explorer Sport Trac
2004-2006 Escape, Explorer, F-150, F-Super Duty, Ranger
LINCOLN:
2003-2006 Navigator
2006 Mark LT
MERCURY:
2004-2006 Mountaineer
2005-2006 Mariner

ISSUE:

Some vehicles may exhibit a tire/wheel vibration caused by excessive runout.
ACTION:

The following procedure should be used if normal diagnostics lead to a potential runout issue. The procedure is intended to assist with the diagnosis of tire/wheel assembly runout and/or force variation issues. To diagnose and correct the concern, refer to the following Service Procedure.

NOTE: FOLLOW THIS TSB PROCEDURE ONLY IF THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC TSBs/SSMs RELEASED FOR THE VEHICLE SYMPTOM BEING EXPERIENCED.

GENERAL INFORMATION

NOTE:

 

If you are not under warranty do the drain,refill and figure eight trick. I've put about 30,000 miles on mine and it's been fine. I used 3 bottles of friction modifier.

 

Well , what's happening is your driveshaft isn't slipping on the Yoke spline properly because it's dry and it's binding your clutch pack (Hard turns -one wheel rotates more than the other, if the shaft doesn't slip on the spline as it should - it binds the pack) Theres a TSB on it, But unfortunately , not a recall.

You/they need to pull the shaft and apply some teflon grease to the splines. Have Ford do it if under warranty. Theres a chance the clutch pac is spent now, so haveing them do it - since the TSB exists. There prolly going to replace the pac anyway..Take it in..

There is two separate TSB's rear end and shaft related. This one's named the "clunk" TSB, by Ford Motor.

 

Huh???? You're talking about two separate and unrelated issues covered by two completely different TSBs and two different service procedures.

No, this one's the chatter. The chatter doesn't happen in a straight line, the clunk happens both in a straight line and around corners.

-Joe

 

I'm just saying theres two TSB's that exist back here - There should be one because they tie into each other.

One they call Clunk(thats an older one) / The clunk happens at take off low speeds - the spline teflon grease TSB .

Then that (clutch pack) Chatter - On right/ left turns TSB.


That's right, there is one more -Then you have the high speed vibration above 45mph fluid break down/modifier TSB..

Which on do you want to see I have all of them..

 

My point is that they're two completely different and unrelated problems,and do NOT tie into each other. The spline issue with the driveshaft has nothing to do with the clutch packs inside the diff. The pinion gear isn't floating or moving around with the back half of the driveshaft. It's solidly locked in place in the diff housing with a pair of bearings. One problem cannot cause the other, nor can fixing one problem fix the other.

-Joe

 

Hi Joe,

I see your point , I may of been misinforming , I will have to correct if I am.. I believe they work together . There's three different types of setups, I'm learning as I go here so , yes correct me if wrong. - Open, LS, Traction Lock. From what I gather these TSB's apply to all - I'll re-read tonight. All systems float , I got that , but isn't it possible that if the drive-shaft sticks stationary on the spline in a hard turn with the wheels turning different rotation speeds that it would apply enough pressure to shift the clutch pack out of it's tolerance ? I think it's good idea to eliminate that possibility , I posted it so it may save some grief later on .. Worst case scenario I think it's possible..

Yes your right - there's two separate TSB's - Keeping the shaft sliding on the spline as it should is easier on everything..At this point I believe one could effect the other.

Jim

 

[QUOTE=jbrew]Hi Joe,

I see your point , I may of been misinforming , I will have to correct if I am.. I believe they work together . That's only two. The Ford Trac-Loc rear axle is Ford's proprietary limited slip rear axle, and there are far more than just those two options, but that's another discussion for another thread.

Nope. The TSB for the rear axle doesn't apply to vehicles with an open differential.

I don't understand what you mean by this? What floats?

No. As I already explained, the pinion shaft on the end of the driveshaft is locked in place by a pair of bearings. It does not move fore and aft. Aside from the torque applied to it, nothing that happens to the driveshaft spline affects the inner workings of the differential, limited slip or otherwise.

And I beg to differ. Both problems occur on vehicles independent of each other. Take a truck with a chattering rear diff, yank the driveshaft, and push it around the corner, and it'll still chatter. The clutches still have to slip when cornering to allow one wheel to turn farther than the other.

The spline issue occurs on vehicles with an open differential. It's a single clunk, not a chatter. Read the TSB.

 

[QUOTE=GIJoeCam]

 

So its NOT normal and should be looked at?
Mine is still under warenty but not for long....
What should I say to the dealer?
To ckeck the splines or the Clutch Pack or the simply the fluid?

I always tought it was normal for a limitid slip to react that way under pressure...

I used to run lockers in my Toyotas rear ends so this is pretty smooth compared

Thank you!!!

 

Yes.
Just describe the symptoms and let them diagnose the problem. That way, if it doesn't fix the problem, they can't say, "Well you told us to do...{blah, blah, blah} so we did it. Now pay us."

(as a mechanic in manufacturing, I hate when the operator tells me how to fix it... let me see what's broke, then I'll decide how to fix it. That's what they pay me for!)

Again, don't specify the repair, just describe the symptoms.

Nope.

The Trac-Loc operates nothing like a limited slip. (In fact, I don't know why they call it a limited slip... clutch-based limited slips like the GM Posi or the Ford Trac-Loc don't actually limit the slipping wheel)