Rearend (D80) is starting to make some noise. Found the fluid level a bit low and what appears to be part of a carrier shim that had eaten its way out but was still around the center near the bearing cap. Looks like it's been there a while. There was very little metal on the plug magnet. Is this something that needs addressed immediately?

 

Did you check the backlash? I can't see a shim just coming out, unless the race was spinning on the carrier, which indicates a bigger problem.

 

Well if its making noise and you see what appears to be a shim the time for a tear down is right now. If a shim is in fact what you see dont drive it or else the bill will grow from maybe a bearing job to possibly a complete axle assembley. The only times I have ever seen shims is when the bearings are completely toast.

 

There was little or no metal in oil if I read correctlly? However a shim is distressed between carrier and a bearing. shims are mounted inside on this dif assy. At best has lost carrier preload and probablly the bearing is loose on carrier. You could pull the carrier cap and inspect futher. Carrier shuld not just pop out with this inspect unless bad.

 

There were some very small shavings in the center of the plug, but nothing worse than any rear end I've changed the fluid in. I believe this is a piece of a shim that has been squeezed out from between the bearing and pig due to excessive torsion (aka chronic heavy right foot). If I pull the bearing cap will I be able to tell if the race has spun?

 

You'd be able to tell if the race in the cap has spun. Dana puts the shims between the carrier and the bearing cone, so for a shim to come out, the bearing would have to be loose on the carrier. I know when I tried to pull a bearing off a D44 carrier, it was stuck on there something fierce. I think a D80 would be similar.

 

Thanks. I have another complete rear end on its way. Not gonna take the chance of tearing into this one only to find bigger problems.