My son has a 2003 F150 supercrew 4x4 and yesterday I crawled under it and saw his front differential case is cracked and broken. No idea how this happened.

I found someone parting out a 2001. Will the 2001 unit fit in my 2003?

He is asking $500 for the whole front drivetrain and he said he just put new HD axles in a few months before he rolled the truck. Is that a good deal?

Thanks!

 

Got pics of the broken one?

Those are teh same generation truck so I dont' see why they won't work. One thing you need to make sure of is if the gear ratio matches what you currently have. most likely 3.55 or 3.73. you door jamb sticker should be able to tell you what you have and i think there is a small tag on the axle that says it as well.

 

Are you losing gear oil out of the crack? Seems odd to just crack unless it was hit by something; in which case you'd know what happened if it was bad enough to crack the axle housing. Agree...post some pics.

 

I didn't take any pictures and he lives with his mom about 25 miles away.

I can see if he can take some when he gets home from school if it isn't raining.

I did notice the tag on the differential so I will make sure the gears match.

 

Yes it is losing gear oil. You can grab the passenger side axle and shake it around and feel it woobling.

Will try to get some pictures this afternoon when he gets home from school.

 

I think it would fit as well

I don't see that being a high demand part for someone parting out their own truck so you probably could offer him like 300 bucks for it

 

Maybe it partially froze, - if it had a missing breather and enough water in there. Iduno, that might be a stretch.

car-part.com

 

Ok I got a couple pictures from him and looking at them it appears that the differential housing may not be cracked. It looks like from the pictures that only the axle flange is cracked. I need to get the truck towed to my house or get a car dolly and pull it myself so I can do a total inspection of what is exactly broke.

Hopefully it is just the axle flange and I can replace the axle.


Well I can't add pictures for some reason. Any Ideas?

 

ok I see that this forum is different than I am use too.

I added the photos to my album section.

 

dang! what did he hit to do that?

 

I have no idea. He says nothing, but I know better and will get it out of him eventually.

I just hope nothing internally is messed up.

 

"Idk dad that giant rutted up mud hole appeared outta no where"....I always forgot to clean under the truck lol

 

A floor jack could do that. If someone were to....

Probably hit a half buried bolder.

 

Ok I got the truck towed out to my house.

It is a cracked axle tube not the differential case.

Can I easily replace just the axle tube or do I have to replace the whole differential case and tube assembly?

If yes anyone know where I can get one?

 

you could just replace the tube, but you still have to take the whole axle out anyway. so i would just do the whole thing.

check a junkyard for parts, or craigslist