How do I know if my rear differential is bad?

Symptoms Of A Bad Rear Differential
  1. Vibrations. A bad differential can cause vibrations that increase in intensity as you speed up and reduce as you slow down. …
  2. Grinding Gears. Grinding gears is another significant sign that your differential is failing and that the gears are wearing themselves out. …
  3. Whining Noises.

Can you drive with a bad rear differential?

You can still drive your vehicle with a bad rear differential, but it can cause severe damages. The problem may increase to the point of stopping you in the middle of nowhere. And, if you are asking about driving with a total broken differential, no, don’t do it unless you want to damage the entire drivetrain system.

What happens when a rear differential fails?

When a rear differential fails, it can cause vibration, noise and fluid leaks that impact a vehicle’s acceleration and driveability. A driver should consult a certified mechanic to deal with a bad rear differential and prevent further damage to the vehicle’s driving systems.

What does a noisy differential sound like?

Rumbling… “Rumbling or whirring” at speeds over 20 mph can be caused by worn carrier bearings. The noise may change while cornering or turning. A “Rumble” while cornering or turning may indicate bad wheel bearings.

What does bad differential sound like?

The most common sound of a failed differential is a whining noise. This is often due to poor lubrication within the differential, meaning there is a good chance that the differential fluid is leaking. If you spot a reddish fluid under the differential, there is certainly a leak.

How much does it cost to replace a rear differential?

The average replacement cost for a whole rear differential is between $1000 and $4000. Luckily, you can just repair it or replace it with a used differential, which will decrease the costs a lot. Most differential repairs will cost between $200 and $400 to repair.

How long can you drive with a noisy differential?

To reiterate, in terms of how long can I drive with pinion bearing noise — it can be ten days or ten years. This will highly depend on the condition of the bearing. If it is worse, get it replaced as soon as possible.

Why is my rear differential making noise?

If the cause of the noise is inside the differential, this can be due to either tight-meshing pinion gears, or too much backlash on these gears. Another cause could be worn out differential-case bearings, and these can also cause noise when turning.

What causes a rear differential to whine?

A whine during deceleration may mean there is a bad or loose pinion bearing. A howl during acceleration may indicate the same problem. Rumble or whining sounds only at speeds greater than 20 mph could be a sign of a worn carrier bearing. The sound may change while cornering.

How many miles does a rear differential last?

A rear differential service consists of removing the rear differential cover, cleaning any old fluid from inside the differential case, resealing the cover, and adding clean fluid. After a rear differential fluid change, most vehicles will go 20,000 to 40,000 miles before it’s due again.

How long does it take to replace a rear differential?

three to five hours
A complete rear differential replacement includes replacing the housing, gears, bearings, and seals. The average time it takes a certified mechanic to perform a differential rebuild at a shop is usually three to five hours. A rebuild on a commercial vehicle by someone without prior experience could take much longer.

Can a rear differential be repaired?

A typical rear differential repair costs anywhere between $200 and $400. These typical repairs would include your bearing, seals, and fluid changes. Of course, when a gear change is required, that’s when things get pricey.

What causes clunking sound in rear end?

If you hear those annoying clunking noises when going over bumps, it means that something is wrong with the suspension system. … These are the areas to check the next time you hear these sounds on the road. Worn or Damaged Struts. When struts are damaged, the strut shocks fail to perform as they should.

What causes a differential to go bad?

The leading cause of a differential failing is due to using the wrong lubricant type and specialty lubricants. … When water enters it will emulsify the differential lubricant and result in rusting on gear and bearing surfaces. Seized U-joints that result in vibration can cause differential failure as well.

Does changing differential oil make a difference?

In most cases, you will need to change differential fluid every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. It’s important to stay on top of changing differential fluid because metal-on-metal contact creates heat from friction. It also weakens gears and wears down surfaces. That can lead to differential failure, which is a costly problem.

Is rear differential service necessary?

Most differentials need a fluid change at about 50,000 miles. If left too long or if the fluid starts to run low, the differential will become noisy and can eventually fail. If that happens, the gears can seize, locking up the rear wheels and potentially causing a lot of damage or even an accident.

Do differentials wear out?

Located between the rear wheels, the rear differential takes the rotational energy created by the drive shaft and splits it equally to the wheels. Overall, they’re pretty durable. However, they can go bad overtime, due to normal wear and tear or if you regularly take the vehicle off-roading.