My '03 has had the TSB for locking nut, new half shaft and hub assy, several attempts and so far nothing has lasted longer than a week or so. Once the half shaft starts to slide around inside the splined hub, I get a loud snapping noise
changing directions or even sometime slowing down. I know it's related to these parts and there must be a tolerance stack up issues between them.
Anyone know if they redesigned the parts lately ? Right now dealer is out of
ideas and so seems the zone office.
fyi
Jerry

 

Checked the bolts that hold the rear torque arm to the axle housing? Seen those loosen up a lot, causing pop-clicks from the rear end. Torque 'em to 100 ft/lbs.

 

Nothing else found, seems once they replace either the hub or the half shaft, the noise stays away for about a week, then the spline starts to slip again. Some times its a small clunk, but when the nut is torqued down real hard, make a loud snap sound. ..
Thanks

 

jeraa2t,

Can you describe the noise in greater detail. I have an 04 and am trying to diagnose a problem that might be similar to yours. When I change directions in low speeds (from R to D to vice-versa) I get a popping noise when just taking off. I also get a thud noise when the truck downshifts and sometimes when slowing down. Are you getting the same things or am I describing a different problem?

Thanks.

 

The snap noise which sound like a bad cv joint on a ront wheel drive car or if you drove over a walnut is what I get on the rear end.
And you can get it when u go from D to R etc..
I was able to show it by just leaving it in park and rocking the car by hand/body back and forth hard against the parking pawl. There is a tsb for diff
locking nut etc. That doesnt work either. The Expy is in now for them to lookat it again, but basically new half shafts and new hub assy cured the problem for about a week. It's a design problem as far as I can tell. There is too much slop
on the spline.

I am waiting for it back as this is the last shot before warrenty expires. I also lost a sensor in the air bag system.
The rear popping noise is only major issue, everything else ok. Love it otherwise.

The only reason I am after them is I am afraid anything that makes that type of loud noise will eventually fail and I believe there is a chance of loosing the tire/hub off the car if the hub assy fails. But someone can tell me differently if so.

GLuck

 

Ford sent the dealer something called "reformulated" locktite to hold the axles
nut in... hmmm...
We'll give it a few weeks.
Jerry

 

The new locktite been holding up just fine.. after a few weeks. I assume they will update the TSB at some point.