How much does it cost to replace rear differential gears?
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. $1,500 is just the minimum you can expect to pay for new gears.
How much does it cost to get a differential replaced?
How much does it cost to replace a rear differential entirely? Depending on the make and model of your car, as well as its condition, expect to spend between $1,500 to $4,000.
How do you know if your differential gears are bad?
Here are the most common bad differential symptoms to look out for:
- Your vehicle is quickly going through oil.
- Difficulty steering.
- A loud front differential noise, such as the grinding of gears, clunking, or a “howling” sound.
- Rear differential noises.
- Extensive and inexplicable wear and tear on your tires.
What happens if your differential goes out?
Typically, when the gears wear out — or the bearings fail — the differential will start to howl. You’ll hear something that sounds like a deep whistling sound that goes up and down in pitch as you go faster and slower. Sometimes it’ll go away when you step on the gas.
Is it OK to drive with a bad differential?
Technically, you can drive with a bad differential, but it is not wise. The problem may get worse, to the point where it leaves you stranded somewhere. It can also cause damage to other surrounding components. It is smartest and safest not to drive with a bad differential.
When do you need a different carrier for a differential?
The point at which a different carrier is needed is referred to as a “Carrier Break”. The Gear Ratio at which Carrier Breaks occur varies, depending on the type of differential. For example, if you have a Dana 44 axle with a gear ratio of 3.73 and want to install a 3.92 or numerically higher gear set, you will need a different carrier.
Can a differential carrier be rebuilt with spider gears?
There are lots of bearings, shims, spacers, and races inside your differential carrier, and any of them might be the culprit. It could also be a damaged or worn spider gear. Rather than replace the whole thing, you could use a differential carrier rebuild kit and a new set of spider gears to make it all run like new!
When do rear differential gears need to be replaced?
Another common repair is to have to replace the gears in the rear differential. Over time, the teeth of the gears may wear down badly or chip. When this happens, you will deal with noise and a higher risk of failure, unless you replace them.
How do you change gears on a rearend?
The actual amount of change obtained will vary depending upon the gear ratio and gear size. A loose or high backlash (too much), is corrected by shimming the differential and moving it closer to the pinion gear. A low or tight backlash (not enough), is corrected by moving the differential away from the pinion.