[Skipe]

So this will be my Saturday morning project, clutch section sounds like a meat grinder, have something floating around in it, making all kinds of racket.

 

[OX1]

Sorry to hear. Just had one done on our 17 escape, under extended warantee thank god.
They claimed they removed entire rear subframe, not sure if absolutely required.

 

[Skipe]

No, you can do it with out dropping the cradle, biggest pain is the axles, but even then it's not a bad job. This car was hit pretty hard in the rear, always had a funny vibration since I bought it, and I figured it was the rear carrier. Has a vibration similar to a drive shaft with a bad U joint, but it will come n go, also get worse the longer you drive it. I think that's just the fluid heating up and getting thin which causes it to vibrate more. Like I said, it comes n goes, which is funny. If you heard the noise the thing makes up in the air, in gear rolling about 10 MPH, you think something was about to come shooting out of the housing. When ever yo get a hit pitch tink, the whole thing jumps around like it's trying to flip over.

 

[Shawnski]

Sometimes, I’m glad when something that was acting strangely finally breaks because I know I got my moneys worth out of it, and now all the work to replace it is justifiable.

 

[Skipe]

This thing was hit pretty hard, imagine cutting the car through the rear door openings and through the post on either side of the triangle windows, that's a short clip. Only reason we didn't do a long clip was Paul wanted to save the sunroof and our parts car didn't have one. Other wise we would have gone through the A post on either side of the windshield and through the floor at the center of the front doors. Either way is about the same work. I think the RDU was bad from the hit, just took this long for it to finally get really bad. I get the new one in, I'm gonna tear the old apart, I want to know what failed, I think a lot of other people would like to know too.

 

[OX1]

This thing was hit pretty hard, imagine cutting the car through the rear door openings and through the post on either side of the triangle windows, that's a short clip. Only reason we didn't do a long clip was Paul wanted to save the sunroof and our parts car didn't have one. Other wise we would have gone through the A post on either side of the windshield and through the floor at the center of the front doors. Either way is about the same work. I think the RDU was bad from the hit, just took this long for it to finally get really bad. I get the new one in, I'm gonna tear the old apart, I want to know what failed, I think a lot of other people would like to know too.

Not many want to save a car hit that hard, good on ya!!!!

 

[Skipe]

Nope, but then I only paid 10,000 for it with 16,000 miles. I also know how it was fixed, and that it was done right. I've seen some really bad repairs at work, today was a good example. Lady dropped off a Kia that the last guy that worked on it thought it had frame damage because he couldn't align it. I got it aligned, just took more than most people will do to get it right. the rest of the care is a cluster #$%^.

 

[Skipe]

What a mess, ended up with water n gas in it due to someone hooking the vent hose to the drain hose for the gas door pocket. So when ever I over filled it or washed behind the door, the water or gas would run into the unit. Took out the front bearing, only thing keeping the shaft somewhat centered was the seal.

 

[OX1]

Is the rear "cover" actually the main bearing caps? How do you set backlash (never worked on one of them there things yet)....

 

[Skipe]

Yes, rear cover is the main caps. I can get a pic of it later when I get back to the shop.

 

[Skipe]

Here's what the inside of the rear cover looks like

 

[MY27FUSION]

so you are back in business now skipe ?

 

[Skipe]

Oh yeah, car drives like new again. Really not a bad job, had the carrier out in an hour, and all back together in about two. Once I had it apart I just kinda rolled along at a slow pace, LOL.

 

[DarkArkAngel]

Out of curiosity Skipe, what did your RDU sound like before replacement? My car has been making the most peculiar noise for the last few months with no discernable origin. The noise is most noticable with the windows down and driving close to an object like a freeway barrier or building. It sounds like a very quiet wheel of fortune being spun. 🤔 When I had my accident my rear right tire impacted the curb almost perpendicular to the tire. The repair shop did a great job and the rear cradle needed replacement, but apparently the RDU was fine. Perhaps it sustained some damage that wasn't readily apparent to the repair technicians? It should be noted the sound seems to be coming from the left side of the car more than the right, whereas the accident only impacted the right tires of the car.

 

[Skipe]

Ok, you know what it looks like and what part is what I'm gonna assume, and not saying your dumb, LOL. So the front part just behind where the drive shaft bolts up is the clutch, then you have the diff behind that. So what happened to mine was the water n gas took it's toll on the bearings, the front bearing where the drive shaft bolt up come apart, so I had the ball bearings floating around in the front section. the clutch would catch them and they would get jammed up then pop loose. Kinda had a high pitch tinny sound and the whole thing would jump around, on top of all that going on it just sounds like a meat grinder. What I did was have all four off the ground, start it, turn off traction control, put it in drive and get it going about 10 MPH, then I have a old wood broom handle I use for chasing bad wheel bearings, and bearings in general, or noises. Mine was bad enough didn't need it, it was pretty obvious where the racket was coming from. At that point I knew I needed a new one, but not why mine let go. Once I had it out, I tore it apart and found the problem.

 

[Skipe]

Needs to be put in the air all four off the ground, and do what I did, get them rolling along about 10 or so and listen to the wheel bearings. I'd put money on it being one, also check the dust shields on the knuckles, though they make more of a screeching noise, high pitched.

 

[DarkArkAngel]

Needs to be put in the air all four off the ground, and do what I did, get them rolling along about 10 or so and listen to the wheel bearings. I'd put money on it being one, also check the dust shields on the knuckles, though they make more of a screeching noise, high pitched.

Will do, thank you very much.

 

[GreyCat]

My car has been making the most peculiar noise for the last few months with no discernable origin... ...It sounds like a very quiet wheel of fortune being spun.

I had a similar sound coming from my rear drivetrain, for me it sounded like it was coming from around the right back wheel. After ignoring it for far longer than I probably should have, over the course of a few weeks this past spring, it got louder and I could feel a sort of "springing" when turning sharply with my foot on the accelerator. It ended up being an RDU clutch.

 

[DarkArkAngel]

I had a similar sound coming from my rear drivetrain, for me it sounded like it was coming from around the right back wheel. After ignoring it for far longer than I probably should have, over the course of a few weeks this past spring, it got louder and I could feel a sort of "springing" when turning sharply with my foot on the accelerator. It ended up being an RDU clutch.

I'll have to watch out for that, I suspect it may also be my CV axle as I've had the characteristic popping noise so many people have experienced from the front axle. Only when turning left, never when turning right.

If indeed the RDU is dead, I've always wondered if anyone has tried swapping the torque vectoring diff from the MKZ in?

 

[Skipe]

I'd like to know the difference between them, from what I've read you can't swap them out. I thought it was more like a limited slip thing, but others have said its all together different from a standard RDU.