Hello,
I have struggled with my ring and pinion for some time now. I started hearing some rear end noises that prompted to investigate and I found that the yoke to the diff had some play. I replaced my inner and outter pinion bearings and races and carrier bearings and races. The howling noise was worst after I did all this. I installed new U-joints to eliminate any posibility.
I have tried every adjustment on the carrier, set the back lash at 12,000 thousands in increments of 2000 thounds all the way down to 2000 thousands trying every setting on the adjusters. NO LUCK!
The pinion has the same factory shim and was properly installed (new crush sleve, and 45 inch pounds rotating torque). Gear mesh seemed ok, very slightly heavy on the heel on the drive and coast side but all seemed acceptable as far as pattern is concerned. opened that sucker 10 times making adjustment and expirmented with various gear oils and nothing seems to work.
I've learned many things from this but the howling will not go away. "Could the ring and pinion have lost its hardness", I do not know anymore.

Please help, I know someone on here has worked on an AAM before and had better succes than I. Thank you in advance.
HC

 

The only quick thought that comes to mind is could you have gotten a defective "new" bearing ? Did you check them at all before putting them in ? A bad pinion bearing can make a lot of noise..

 

Yes I did check them very carefully.

 

a ring and pinion set, run out of alignment to the point of howling, will take a "set" after a time. This having happened, even when you re-align the gearset properly, it will continue to howl.

This said, the gear set has not lost its temper.

I have had another diff giving the same issues you are describing. Although it was on a 2500 GM. They were constantly losing right side axle seals, and there was a constant howl. They had been through this time and time again, from when the truck had less than 60,000km on it.

I dug into it, and found the spindle was cracked through the inner radius, where it joins the rest of the housing. About 3/4 of the way around the shoulder.

Replaced the housing, and everyone went home happy.

Moral of the story, slight axle misalignment can cause grief too.


Good luck

 

Who sell the cheapest ring and pinion on the market? I can't beleave how much more AAM stuff is than ther axles.

 

Who sells the cheapest ring and pinion? I can't seem to find anything under $400. Thank you.