so my rear differential is at it again, I had my mechanic pull the cover off and the gears are chewing and making a whining noise from 0-30 mph. The previous owner had the same problem and I thinks it due to the large wheels. Can I pick up a F 250 limited slip differential from a junk yard and swap it out? What would I need to do to make it fit? Is this the best option?

My Truck: 2002 F 150 XLT 4X4

 

sounds like theres a different problem. maybe the gears weren't installed properly. slightly larger tires shouldn't do that.

 

possibly, they are not monsters like yours but they are pretty big. Could anything hurt from swapping the differential? From what I have read as long as axel size is the same its a bolt on deal

 

yeah as long as the axle is the same you shouldn't have any problems. in the first post you said something about an f250 axle. is it the same axle under your truck?

 

A high gearing would not be a problem with larger than stock tires for the gears, but I can't say the same thing for the tranny

Your best bet is to have the gears replaced at a shop where the mechanic knows what he is doing. You have an 8 year old truck and you have gone though 2 sets and will be on your third soon. I dont think I have ever heard of someone going through gears that quick unless you are putting ungodly amounts of miles on them! Do you have anything done to the truck besides larger tires? Also, what gear ratio is it?

 

My axle is a stock f-150, I wanted to put a f250 in because I thought it would handle the tires better

I dont know the gear ratio or how I would find that out.

The truck has a full suspension lift, volant cold air intake, gibson exhaust, troyer custom tune, mickey thompson rims and the large rubber. When I got the troyer tune I had to fill out worksheets with every little detail about the truck. I dont even drive it much, I stay on my motorcycle most the time. Probably do 5K miles a year tops on the truck and its short distance unless I am taking the bike to the track.

 

Which engine do you have. Reason I ask is to know which axle came with the truck. If you do not have the 5.4 you have the 8.8 if you have the 5.4 you have the 9.75. If you are chewing up the 9.75 there is something wrong with the differential housing or the tool you are using to fix it....... If you have the 8.8 go find a 9.75 and a drive shaft and it bolts right in.

 

Its the 5.4 so it must be the 9.75. I think the housing is leaking a little bit since the bottom always looks moist.

The noise had almost gone away since the fluid was changed, but it still whines in reverse.