We here is low down on this. Bertha ( expedition's nickname ), has 174,000 on it. She doesn't get driven much except for winter and snowmobile trips. Well the rear has been getting very noisey lately, getting to the point when you turn from a dead stop, it shutters, moans and groans. Wife and I, yes my wife goes to the boneyard with me, went to Harry's U Pull it and got complete axle for $90. Getting the axle out at the boneyard with not being allowed jacks was a treat itself. Last weekend I pulled the old one out, have a very understanding wife since it was our anniversary. Pull diff cover and the oil looked like very thick mud, pulled axles out, needed the backing plates, and tried to remove the diff, beat on it, it's frozen in place, so I'm guessing the bearing and races are toast as well as the clutches for the posi unit. Only issues I had putting the new rear in is the the bolts for the new trailing arms where bigger and had to buy a $15 drill bit, ugh. Actually over all, it when very well, and was very lucky I had decent weather to do this since I did this along side of our home, the only flat spot I have. Gear oil looks good in the new rear, but will be changing that out too. Have any of you run Royal Purple, think about putting that in since it requires 75W140 Syn Oil. We have thought about replacing Bertha, but wife and I talk and she knows how much I want a newer SHO, plus a truck would probably sit like Bertha does now, I've only put 30,000 miles on her in the 7 yrs Ive owned it. Yes I was very carefully doing this, used 2 cinder blocks under each frame rail, jack and stands and 2 cinder blocks for removal and install. Wife was happy, I didn't "blow up" any during the whole thing.
