[Slow4.6]

Ok, so I've had this Mustang (it's my 3rd) for a year now and ever since I got it, it was making sort of metal rubbing sound when I let off the gas and coast. About a month or two ago, I replaced the dif. cover from the lame $40 chrome one that was on there two the MUCH more beefy Drake Racing dif cover from AM. Well when we took the cover off, the shims on the left side of the 'ring' were very loose. So the rubbing was either the axle on the inner side of the shims or the shims rubbing on the cover itself. We pushed the shims back in place but they were still loose..almost like it was missing 1 or 2 shims and put the new cover on.

I've come to the point where I want to get it fixed and just replace the axles with replacement 28spline from AM (more $ friendly). My question is....how much am I looking at paying for the axle install and rebuild? It has 4.10's and they looked perfect with ZERO chips or shavings.

[codycat91]

I bet your gears just were not installed properly. It's probably just gear whine.

Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app

[Slow4.6]

Nope, everything spun/rotated properly when on the lift. It's just those shims that are loose...they were actually sticking out towards the dif cover when it was taken off. After some investigation and talking to a friend who remembers the previous owner on another forum..I found some of his posts. Apparently he had an issue where the driver's side rear wheel (same side as the shims) somehow fell off? So I'm guessing that knocked it out of alignment.

It runs fine and all that, just those shims rubbing on the cover and probably axle when I let off the gas. The gears themselves looked brand new with no chips or anything.

[bulloch27]

Looking fine doesn't qualify as properly installed. If the shims are loose, the gears are not properly installed. The gear lash is adjusted by shims on the pinion as well as on the carrier. The carrier shims should fit tight, if they have room to move you have problems. The carrier needs to be properly shimmed.

[Slow4.6]

I know the shims are the issue, it was blatantly obvious. Fixing it (properly) pretty much will require a total rebuild. I just have no idea how much I'm looking at paying in terms of labor...I'd get the rebuild kit from AM/LateModel as well.

[Shaun03GT]

I get gear whine when I coast or drive in 5th. Your sure its not just that?

[codycat91]

It wasnt only my point that loose shims mean not properly installed. They could be tight and it could spin fine, but if it is even slightly out of the allowances, they could whine. Ask me how I know

If you have any plans of serious power down the road, you might as well build with 31 spline axles. Also, if you need new gears, I have a set of 4.10's for sale. You will at least need the Motive gear install kit from American Muscle. May be all you need if you're lucky. And try to do it yourself or get a buddy to help. You could be looking at $700+ to pay someone to do it

[codycat91]

Originally Posted by Shaun03GT I get gear whine when I coast or drive in 5th. Your sure its not just that?

Is there an echo in here? :eek

When I first had gears installed, it whined bad while coasting. My next set of gears I had installed by ford for free (don't ask me how). Now, I will be installing my 3.55's by myself.

[bandity2k00]

If the shimming is loose then the back lashing isn't correct...too tight or too loose can cause noise...some people have noise on acceleration and some have it on deceleration,...depends on if its too loose or too tight...Mine was on acceleration back in the day on my 95

[bandity2k00]

Just have the carrier re shimmed so you myswell just say you need to have your gears re installed...should run you about 250 since you have the stuff still and its not a whole install

[Slow4.6]

Well when the dif. cover was taken off, the shims were sticking out and just straight up loose. Just to be able to put the new cover on I pushed the shims back in. There was no other visible damage except the 'fading' on the dif cover that was replaced. You could see where the shims rubbed and hear when coasting at like 5mph in traffic, every rotation you hear it rub. As far as I know from looking at it, it should really just need a 'rebuild' in a sense to fix those shims and tighten things up.

I've never done any differential work and simply don't have the knowledge. My friend went to an automotive school and has some knowledge with it. Only 'serious' addition I'm considering is Hitech Stage 2 cams in the long run.

[Slow4.6]

Originally Posted by bandity2k00 Just have the carrier re shimmed so you myswell just say you need to have your gears re installed...should run you about 250 since you have the stuff still and its not a whole install

Okay so just having that 're-shimmed' wouldn't require a total rebuild in a sense? If so, that makes things much better. I know replacing axles (with 28 spline) isn't the hardest of jobs, I just don't know about the rest of it.

[bandity2k00]

Nope its a simple job for someone with gear knowledge...as long as thats all it is and not a carrier bearing failure or anything causing excessive play or anything else...like did it do it since you have had the car or just recent? if its done it all along then ill say that it just wasnt shimmed correctly..

[Slow4.6]

Originally Posted by bandity2k00 Nope its a simple job for someone with gear knowledge...as long as thats all it is and not a carrier bearing failure or anything causing excessive play or anything else...like did it do it since you have had the car or just recent? if its done it all along then ill say that it just wasnt shimmed correctly..

Yeah it's done it since I've had the car. I'll have to call up a few local shops and see what they estimate.


Thanks a ton for the help to you and the others that posted!

[bulloch27]

Call a drivetrain shop and ask them to re-shim the carrier for you. Labor wise if all I had to do was re-shim i'd do $75 plus parts. I'm not saying that you wouldn't have any gear noise but I could properly shim the carrier "close enough" for that price. If you want the whole rear done get your check book ready or learn how to do it yourself.

[Slow4.6]

Hah yeah I figured a full rebuild was expensive. I just didn't know how expensive. From what I've read, swapping axles with newer 28 spline replacements wouldn't be a terribly difficult job. Any idea on the amount of a extra labor at a shop to swap them while also doing the shims...1.5-2 hours or so?

[bandity2k00]

Originally Posted by Slow4.6 Yeah it's done it since I've had the car. I'll have to call up a few local shops and see what they estimate. Thanks a ton for the help to you and the others that posted!

if i wasnt slammed with 3 builds right now id say bring it to MD cause i know some parts of NJ are only a hr and 30mins out..i got my blower in NJ...no room in my shop right now for any other jobs...

[Slow4.6]

Originally Posted by bandity2k00 if i wasnt slammed with 3 builds right now id say bring it to MD cause i know some parts of NJ are only a hr and 30mins out..i got my blower in NJ...no room in my shop right now for any other jobs...

Yeah I'm about 2.5 hours away from Baltimore..not too bad. I appreciate the thought though.

It's been like this since I got it in February of '11 so nearly a year lol. It's not a major issue apparently..since it's run fine the whole time. It's just one of those things I'd like to take care of sooner than later when the problem gets more costly.

[CobraStang161]

Slow, send me a PM. I might be able to do it for you.