Weird noise and diagnosis.

Not complex. Take it easy for the first 100-200 miles. Change fluid. Good to go. There is no filter system so as the new gears are wearing in you'll get tiny metal shavings in the diff. You don't want those in there for the next 30,000 miles. Some people also talk about he initial heating up of the gears on the first drive helps "set" the metal or something and you should only drive for a little bit then let the diff cool all the way before really driving on it....I don't know how much of that I believe.

Failure can be linked to many many variables. The only way to know is to tear down the axle and isolate the part that failed. Probably just a 'Friday' part was used during manufacturing. I honestly don't know if Chrysler still hand builds their axles or not. I do know the noise you described in your first post though. My old Jeep Cherokee did this when the backlash wasn't set correctly. Did it make noise when accel, coasting, or all the time?

It was mostly heard when coasting. It quieted down upon acceleration, which leads me to believe it was something with slack. Only happened above 35mph or so.
 
It was mostly heard when coasting. It quieted down upon acceleration, which leads me to believe it was something with slack. Only happened above 35mph or so.

I'd venture to guess a chipped ring gear tooth or something of that nature. Who knows though :crazyeyes:

500 miles works too! Just change it sooner than later. (cheap insurance)
 
I'd venture to guess a chipped ring gear tooth or something of that nature. Who knows though :crazyeyes:

500 miles works too! Just change it sooner than later. (cheap insurance)

You think if I drove it to Moab from NJ and changed it there I would have issues (2100 miles) or I should change it somewhere along the way? I won't have a drain pan with me so changing it along the way would suck, and I REALLY don't want to pay $100 to get it changed.
 
Are you getting new axle shafts too? Sounds similar to my noise and its a bent axle flange. If they use your old shafts in the new housing, you will still have the noise.
 
I'd venture to guess a chipped ring gear tooth or something of that nature. Who knows though :crazyeyes:

500 miles works too! Just change it sooner than later. (cheap insurance)

If the whole assembly is new, from the factory, there should be no break in period required. It will be just like you drove a new Jeep off the lot. I think they recommend first fluid change at 30,000 miles in the manual. More often If you drive in more severe conditions.
 
You think if I drove it to Moab from NJ and changed it there I would have issues (2100 miles) or I should change it somewhere along the way? I won't have a drain pan with me so changing it along the way would suck, and I REALLY don't want to pay $100 to get it changed.

Should be fine as long as you're not pulling a trailer. Either way your JK's drain plug is magnetic and will caputre most of the initial material. Just make sure you change it when you get there. Then wheel the crap out of it for me! :brows:


If the whole assembly is new, from the factory, there should be no break in period required. It will be just like you drove a new Jeep off the lot. I think they recommend first fluid change at 30,000 miles in the manual. More often If you drive in more severe conditions.

My personal pref is to ALWAYS change my fluids a few hundred miles after buying any used/new car. (I'm on vehicle #13 :icon_crazy: ) Like I said, it's a one-time incredibly cheap source of insurance. It is just personal preference.
 
If the whole assembly is new, from the factory, there should be no break in period required. It will be just like you drove a new Jeep off the lot. I think they recommend first fluid change at 30,000 miles in the manual. More often If you drive in more severe conditions.

Yup. No need to change it if they are giving you a brand new axle. The 500 mile comment I made was for gear replacements. Don't change it when you get to Moab.
 
My personal pref is to ALWAYS change my fluids a few hundred miles after buying any used/new car. (I'm on vehicle #13 :icon_crazy: ) Like I said, it's a one-time incredibly cheap source of insurance. It is just personal preference.

If this is your preference that's great but, I don't know anybody who has changed there diff fluid on a brand new vehicle at 500 miles.
 
You think if I drove it to Moab from NJ and changed it there I would have issues (2100 miles) or I should change it somewhere along the way? I won't have a drain pan with me so changing it along the way would suck, and I REALLY don't want to pay $100 to get it changed.

If the whole assembly is new, from the factory, there should be no break in period required. It will be just like you drove a new Jeep off the lot. I think they recommend first fluid change at 30,000 miles in the manual. More often If you drive in more severe conditions.

as moochie said no need to change it.
 
Are you getting new axle shafts too? Sounds similar to my noise and its a bent axle flange. If they use your old shafts in the new housing, you will still have the noise.

Based on the link I posted earlier, it seems that the assembly comes with it all. If the noise is still there, the dealer will feel like a tard and ill make them replace the shafts too.
 
Actually, can anyone confirm that the link I posted earlier includes everything including axle shafts? If not ill call the dealer and let them know that they may be replacing the wrong part. I won't say anything if they replace everything but if the problem will still be there because it might be a bent shaft (hard to believe, the hardest wheeling I've done is nothing more than fire roads and a little bit of mud) but if it doesn't include the shafts they will ruin my timetable for my trip.
 
Actually, can anyone confirm that the link I posted earlier includes everything including axle shafts? If not ill call the dealer and let them know that they may be replacing the wrong part. I won't say anything if they replace everything but if the problem will still be there because it might be a bent shaft (hard to believe, the hardest wheeling I've done is nothing more than fire roads and a little bit of mud) but if it doesn't include the shafts they will ruin my timetable for my trip.

According to that website it does come with new axle shafts (pictured as #17 w/ seal and bearing parts as #s 18,20,21,22)
Description: AXLE ASSY for your 2012 JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA with a 3.6L V6 - GAS 4WD, 3.21 RATIO, W/O ANTI SPIN DIFF
 
According to that website it does come with new axle shafts (pictured as #17 w/ seal and bearing parts as #s 18,20,21,22)
Description: AXLE ASSY for your 2012 JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA with a 3.6L V6 - GAS 4WD, 3.21 RATIO, W/O ANTI SPIN DIFF

Thats what Im thinking as well, that it's literally, the whole damn axle minus the rotors and wheels.
 
Jeep is at the dealer right now getting the new axle installed. Something tells me it's not the rear diff but we'll see. I'll be very happy if the problem is actually solved and am crossing my fingers that they don't solve 1 problem and create 2 new ones.
 
:rolleyes2:

Dropped the Jeep off at 8:30am for a complete axle replacement. Get a call at 2:30 (they are open until 7) saying "it's a bigger job than we thought, we're gonna need it until tomorrow late afternoon at least." Two days to replace an axle assembly? Really?
 
:rolleyes2:

Dropped the Jeep off at 8:30am for a complete axle replacement. Get a call at 2:30 (they are open until 7) saying "it's a bigger job than we thought, we're gonna need it until tomorrow late afternoon at least." Two days to replace an axle assembly? Really?

This is the dealer service? I always get a big boost in confidence when the professional's who are supposed to know things tell me such things..so wonder what the issue?? unless they just had too much other work and had not started on yours yet...
 
This is the dealer service? I always get a big boost in confidence when the professional's who are supposed to know things tell me such things..so wonder what the issue?? unless they just had too much other work and had not started on yours yet...

Just got a call, it's done. Will pick it up in the morning. As to your post...trust me, I don't want anyone touching my cars, including dealers. They seldom know what they are doing. If it was an option, I would have gladly taken the axle home and installed it myself. I have my fingers crossed that the tech from earlier in the week at least got the geography right, that the noise was coming from the diff. Im leaving for Moab on Thursday, so I don't want issues. It would suck if they replaced the entire axle and the problem was simply at the driveshaft joint. :D At least I got a new axle out of it.
 
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