[Rpaulg87]

I have an older 08-SRT. These differentials are from Mercedes and def are NOT supposed to howl. I took it to the dealership I normally go to...which has been a stupid mistake the entire time I've owned this car as they are complete idiots and half the time...wait all the time, I get the car back it has to go right back in.

Anyway, last rear-differential (first one exploded) but the second one started maybe a super loud howl after about 13-15k on it ONLY at 39-46 mph, right at 43mph was the loudest. Now I notice the one they JUST put in is doing it. They claimed to replace the drive-shaft\rear diff, but I'm really trying to cut-ties and get to a better dealership. What else could cause a howl from the rear if not the drive-shaft or rear differential? I did notice there was a little fluid coming from the fill hole (prob they just didn't wipe it down) but the last diff was leaking out of the axle seal they replaced twice, and failed both times (which is why I needed a new diff). On top of that them being the cause of half-shaft replacement failure and a slew of other things that kept my car in the shop for almost 28 days as they fried the ignition system doing a lifter replacement.

Ok, basically, assuming they DID install a new diff\drive-shaft, what else could be howling? As I said it's ONLY at 39-46mph, 42-43mph is the sweet spot, it dissapears past 46, and below 39, and is most loudest in between, below that no noise. When I press the pedal it also goes away, so any "load" aka when I push the pedal, it stops, then comes right back when I let off even with a light tap.

I'm just confused, I paid for the warranty but I for the love of all that is holy don't want to take it back there again. Do new diffs\drive shafts come with an x amount of natural part warranty?

Thanks in advance, everything feels smooth at sept for the howl which I know is never a good sound, I just find it weird it is only doing it at specific speeds, like the last one they "replaced".

I should also note this SRT-8 only has 51k on it.

 

[danny l]

Someone missed the mark building these rear ends! I have a 2014 R/T 6 speed with 392 gears and it started howling with less than 200 miles on it. Mine was doing it between 40-45 its now up to 40-50 mph while coasting. I have read that some people had the rear end replaced and it fixed the problem and some it didnt fix it, so I'm not sure whats the right answer for this. I now have 1k miles on mine(month and half old) and will be taking it in soon because it has gotten louder and see what they say.

 

[whitechallyrt]

Just a long shot here guys, but on my 83 Mazda RX-7 the same stuff happened. Put a new one in, same problem. Oops, forgot diff additive. After that, good to go. Changed diff oil on my 99 Z28 when I had it, same thing, oops, didn't learn from my Mazda. Added diff additive for limited slip diff, all good. Is it possible? Ooooops, you know where I am going with that. Just a guess.

 

[WXman]

My '14 was built three months ago and it has howled since day one. Mine is worst when I'm at cruising speed and let off the pedal. Usually this indicates that the backlash wasn't set up properly. But who knows....

 

[sick'r bee]

Check the parts replaced on your paper work, may be a bad carrier bearing on the driveshaft if it hasn't been replaced since I have no idea if its part of the replaced drive shaft, have had them go out/howl on long bed Chevy Trucks.

 

[Rpaulg87]

Check the parts replaced on your paper work, may be a bad carrier bearing on the driveshaft if it hasn't been replaced since I have no idea if its part of the replaced drive shaft, have had them go out/howl on long bed Chevy Trucks.

Is this dangerous at all? I mean it never happens under-load and I'm trying to hold out for another 2k miles for til my oil change. Just howls @ 40-45. I don't think I remember them saying they replaced any carrier bearing on the drive shaft though...just the drive shaft\rear differential.

 

[Hal H]

I'd suspect that's the differential - I've not heard of 215mm "Mettingen" differentials howling, but you've had a bad run of them.

And they can howl under load or coasting and with yours doing this at a certain range (carrier bearing would cause vibration more than anything else), that sounds like a classic differential gear howl symptom.

 

[Rpaulg87]

I'd suspect that's the differential - I've not heard of 215mm "Mettingen" differentials howling, but you've had a bad run of them.

And they can howl under load or coasting and with yours doing this at a certain range (carrier bearing would cause vibration more than anything else), that sounds like a classic differential gear howl symptom.

So the brand new rear-diff you think is making it? -sigh- it's really odd that they replace it and the new one is doing the same as the worn prior one. Do you think it is dangerous at all or am I good til next oil-change when I get it looked at again? It's just a very annoying howl at those speeds, no vibration or anything rough. Thanks in advance

 

[Hal H]

It won't be dangerous to drive - just noisy.

If you notice the howl gets louder or over a broader range of speeds, then somethings happening.

 

['Mad Max']

just picked up a '12 R/T (hemi/6), and the diff is howling. Does it under load and for sure decel/coasting - can hear it all the way down to just before dead stop. Sure sems like either bearing(s) or r&p. Will be taking it in for warranty work asaply. Will post back with results.

 

[Monster]

See I'm not the only one.

Have a 2010 challenger rt classic 6 speed manual. Once spring hits and I get the car out of storage right back to the dealer ship it goes. This will be my forth rear end with in a year. After they replaced it for the second time I put the complete hop not kit on it. It took away almost all the wheel hop but I did damage another rear end. The dealer ship didn't say anything about the hop not kit just replaced the rear end. I have asked about the drive shaft and half axles they said they check out fine. This car doesn't go to the track but I do drive it hard when I want to have some fun in it. Think I will have them replace and then install a one piece aluminum driveshaft and see if it does anything. I'm out of ideas and done fighting with the dealership every time I pull the car in.

 

[Capo]

The whine is probably due to misalignment of the gears (technically called lash). On the '11 they put shims in and that solves the problem. This was covered by a TSB for '11 models for sure. Not sure about other years but is a common problem. Left unchecked will destroy the gears in the rear. Replaced mine at about 6,000 mi and set shims right and no problem for the last 35,000 miles. Good luck.

 

[lemire014us]

Have you got the TSB number for the '11's ?


Thanks

 

[Rpaulg87]

The whine is probably due to misalignment of the gears (technically called lash). On the '11 they put shims in and that solves the problem. This was covered by a TSB for '11 models for sure. Not sure about other years but is a common problem. Left unchecked will destroy the gears in the rear. Replaced mine at about 6,000 mi and set shims right and no problem for the last 35,000 miles. Good luck.

Okay..hopefully everyone here understands I do NOT have the same differential as 09+ models, 08 has the Mercedes 215mm differential, which is NOT supposed to whine unlike those noisy getrags. :bandit:

 

['Mad Max']

...whelp - had ours in, they're going to order and later install the dampener. I'm skeptical - not a big fan of 'turning the stereo up to get rid of a squeak'....but I guess it's a first step. If it's still there after the install...I'll hear it. More to follow...

- Sam

 

[randycat99]

Were there any hard launches or instances of wheel-hop prior to the diff starting to howl, or did the howl just appear out of the blue with the freshly installed diff?

 

['Mad Max']

well, had the car in to have the dampner installed, and yah the whine is 'dampened'...but not cured - it's still there. PLUS, now it feels like the tires have a flat spot on at least one of them - a very very light thump-thump-thump-thump-thump every time the tire comes around. Can't really feel it unless I'm on really smooth pavement, but now that I've discovered it I'm sure I'll notice it constantly.

Any possibility the new 'thumping' is caused by the awesome dampner they just installed? I'm trying to figure out what the thing does and/or what it looks like etc etc...

I get so pissed off when I take my stuff in to have a service tech work on it, and it comes back not only not fixed, but worse. Goes back in Monday am for more opportunities to get jacked up...

While I'll start searching for it, if someone could post a link to the 2011 'ring and pinion' TSB I'd sure appreciate it.

Thanks peeps,
- Sam

 

[Hal H]

well, had the car in to have the dampner installed, and yah the whine is 'dampened'...but not cured - it's still there. PLUS, now it feels like the tires have a flat spot on at least one of them - a very very light thump-thump-thump-thump-thump every time the tire comes around. Can't really feel it unless I'm on really smooth pavement, but now that I've discovered it I'm sure I'll notice it constantly.

Any possibility the new 'thumping' is caused by the awesome dampner they just installed? I'm trying to figure out what the thing does and/or what it looks like etc etc...
- Sam

The dampers are two weights that is bolted onto the cradle. It looks like they hang off the cradle and quell the noise from being transmitted through the cradle...

It shouldn't have any effect on the tires...I wonder if a ply on the tire has seperated or a flat spot from hard braking??
One of my friends has flat spotted his rear tires due to his habit of hard braking on his AMG 'Benz...I can hear it when riding in his car.

Here's the text of the TSB for whining diffs and the damper kit:
http://www.sequentialtaillights.com/dodge/SB_PDF/TSB_LC_0300112.pdf

link to image of part:
http://www.challengertalk.com/forums/attachments/f89/51455d1342040894-rear-axle-whine-tsb-imag0590.jpg

link to pdf of instructions:
http://www.challengertalk.com/forums/attachments/f89/51456d1342041079-rear-axle-whine-tsb-imag0591.jpg

 

['Mad Max']

Thanks for the links. I was actually referring to an earlier comment about a TSB related to the ring and pinion in the 2011 models....but maybe the dampener kit 'is' the solution to that TSB?

The 'thumping' is new - I do not recall it being there before the kit was installed. I used the 'tire' anology because that's what it 'feels' like - I've no idea if it is tires or a CV clamp loose or.... - I really don't want to think that the service techs gave the car a royal raging test drive after the kit was installed, and flat-spotted the tires, but I suppose it's possible. I'm not even sure the rear could be locked up long enough to flat-spot a tire. It goes back in Monday am for a re-evaluation. Hopefully they'll actually inspect the internals of the rear diff. I know they did not open it up - they just installed the dampener kit and called it good, which it wasn't.

It's like putting a pillow over the phone - yah it is 'less', but that doesn't cure the core problem, which I am now convinced is internal to the diff.

 

[Hal H]

it might be a good idea to make sure the rear coupler bolts were tightened properly.

These cars use a flex-disc (no u-joints) and there's bolts that go from drive shaft to coupler and coupler to differential yoke.