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'01 WJ/QD/V8 - How much to rebuild a front diff(Dana 30)?

14K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  Cuijo 
#1 ·
I've got what i think is a bad pinion bearing in the front diff that moans/whines as i coast or when i'm off the gas. I've gotten one estimate of about $800 for new gears and innards as well as labor included. This sounded high until i started digging for parts and i'm sure it's fairly time consuming. What should i be looking at considering i'll have to have a new ring and pinion?
 
#4 ·
Wouldn't a bad CV joint in the shaft cause a noticable vibration? Mine doesn't vibrate, as it just hums/whines particularly bad when you are off of the gas....it is only slightly noticeable when you are on the throttle.

*I guess it could be a bad hub....but to me it seems like that would be consitently noisy.
 
#5 ·
Mine does the same, although not too loud and no vibrations. Last axle fluid change (every 30k mi) everything looked ok, nothing out of the ordinary. I have 115k on the clock. Could be TC or bearings?
 
#6 ·
I had a 2000 with QD/V8 and it had 183k on it but never had problems. It had a very slit transfer case vibration at interstate speeds but it was consistent and normal in my opinion. All the reviews i read on the QD trucks stated some sort of gear noise. I actually wish this was a driveshaft problem because it might be a cheaper fix...but i have a good feeling its a differential rebuild ( it doesn't sound anything like my 2000 model.
 
#7 ·
update to this thread: I gave it over today to a local shop for inspection/repair. To rebuild the front diff with all new bearing etc reusing the same ring&pinion and houseing will be $475 labor included. Cost will go up if a new ring&pinion is required.
 
#8 ·
You might not need a pinion bearing at all. What may have happened is that you lost the preload on the bearing and it needs to be snugged up. There is a TSB that refers to a new style "flanged" pinion nut and a parallel grounded crush washer, because the separate nut & washer on the Dana 30 were known to back off some over time. The same thing happened to me and I did the fix and it has held for last 30k miles. That being said, $450 is not a bad price to replace the bearing.
 
#9 ·
I'm also being told that with a bad diff. pinion bearing it usually requires a new ring and pinion set. Is this accurate? The guy says it's a wait and see scenario.

**thanks for the info on that pinion nut...I'll run that by my mechanic.
 
#10 ·
Turned out to be bearings, no Ring and pinion necessary. So I haven't driven it much, but so far the problem seems to be fixed. Amazing how much noise the pinion was making cause now I hear a squeak from a missing snap rivet in my passenger door. $475 out the door for the rebuild
 
#11 ·
damn, older thread, but I have been hearing a humming too when letting off the gas. I also have a small axel leak on the passengers side, but the noise seems to be coming from the drivers side...I was thinking it was wheel bearings in the hub, or at the end of the axle, but I don't know anything really about axels and their parts. crap!
 
#12 ·
Have same problem, It does a grounding noise while running over 50 km/h drivers side so i changed the bearing cause some mechanic told me it was due...and the noise is still there, i checked the axle shaft and seems ok on that side didn't check the other side,I dont really know the condition of the inside of the diff but i do know that its leaking from pignon and passenger side and oil is metallic. So yeah, need to rebuild but not certain if the vari lok will still work after. Im trying to decide whether i change the hole thing with 1 from the scrap yard r rebuilding it with a new kit..still vari lok its expensive.
 
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