Community Forums

BobRay · 05-10-2011, 09:32 PM

I almost got this taken care of on my 2006. The regional Workhorse rep agreed that they would fix it and I saw the email from Workhorse describing my exact symptoms.

A few days later, the local service manager called and said that someone higher up had nixed the fix. I called Workhorse and they told me that the warranty doesn't cover noise. I'm out of warranty now, so even though I started complaining about it at 4,000 miles, I'm probably SOL.

It's getting gradually louder, but I've applied a lot of undercoating and it's almost bearable. It quiets down at exactly 60 MPH and again at 70, so I do a lot of driving at those speeds. It's worst at 35.

I can't say I'd recommend a Workhorse chassis to anyone.

Oemtech · 05-10-2011, 09:54 PM

If i were me I would go back after them as it was documented prior to end of warranty.

BobRay · 05-10-2011, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oemtech

If i were me I would go back after them as it was documented prior to end of warranty.

Thanks. I'm not sure where I would start with that. I travel so much that small claims is pretty much out and the rear ends do make a fair amount of noise normally (it says so in the owner's manual), so I'm not sure how I'd prove that mine is abnormal. It's also much quieter when I'm not pulling the toad or am going downhill, so it doesn't sound that loud to them.

They also claimed that the rear-end fluid was low the last time they checked it and could blame that on me, so it's a pretty tough case.

DriVer · 05-11-2011, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobRay

They also claimed that the rear-end fluid was low the last time they checked it and could blame that on me, so it's a pretty tough case.

Shot in the dark here but have you considered replacing the fluid? Not at all sure if it would attenuate the noise if there's a weird wear pattern but it might help. It's an expensive try out since the fluid is synthetic but it's less expensive than pulling the gears.

If you got someone that works on these things at heavy duty truck shop, they would be able to remove the gears and inspect the teeth for abnormal wear patterns. These gear sets are quite common on Class 6 vehicles.

If you still want to pursue the warranty route get your documentation together and continue the effort.

DancinCampers · 05-11-2011, 08:32 AM

When I had the rearend rebuilt on my previous 3/4 ton conversion van due to an accident, it began making a noise. Finally a Chevy dealer in St George traced it down to a faulty install of the pinion bearing crush sleeve. After they replaced it properly did not have any more noise.

BobRay · 05-11-2011, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriVer

Shot in the dark here but have you considered replacing the fluid? Not at all sure if it would attenuate the noise if there's a weird wear pattern but it might help. It's an expensive try out since the fluid is synthetic but it's less expensive than pulling the gears.

If you got someone that works on these things at heavy duty truck shop, they would be able to remove the gears and inspect the teeth for abnormal wear patterns. These gear sets are quite common on Class 6 vehicles.

If you still want to pursue the warranty route get your documentation together and continue the effort.

The fluid has been changed more than once and the gears and teeth have been inspected and found normal.

DriVer · 05-11-2011, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobRay

The fluid has been changed more than once and the gears and teeth have been inspected and found normal.

OK, Here's another reach ... how is the alignment of the driveshaft? Has it ever been removed? -=and=- if they did, was is restored back to its original position?

Can you take a look see at the driveshaft to confirm that no balance weights flew off?

Yet another reach .... did someone fill the driveshaft full of grease through the spline fitting? It was reported here that vibrations have been setup
by over greasing. Don't ask me to find that OP.

Gears don't lie if they look right, a master tech can immediately tell if something's up by looking at the pattern.

Would be interesting to run that thing on a water brake dyno to see if the condition could be replicated.

edgray · 05-11-2011, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobRay

The fluid has been changed more than once and the gears and teeth have been inspected and found normal.

BobRay: thank you for your honesty in the reply above. If that is true, then I'm puzzled about what you expect them to do...... and why you posted above about not recommending Workhorse to anyone.

But then again, I'm a "if it ain't broke" kind of guy, and some here will tell you I'm cheap too!

Best wishes, Ed

BobRay · 05-11-2011, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriVer

OK, Here's another reach ... how is the alignment of the driveshaft? Has it ever been removed? -=and=- if they did, was is restored back to its original position?

Can you take a look see at the driveshaft to confirm that no balance weights flew off?

Yet another reach .... did someone fill the driveshaft full of grease through the spline fitting? It was reported here that vibrations have been setup
by over greasing. Don't ask me to find that OP.

Gears don't lie if they look right, a master tech can immediately tell if something's up by looking at the pattern.

Would be interesting to run that thing on a water brake dyno to see if the condition could be replicated.

The drive shaft was removed and balanced and it was quiet for a while after that. The weights are all there (and the noise increase has been gradual, so a thrown weight probably wouldn't explain it).

The grease thing is interesting. Early on, the rear seal went out because the splines were not greased enough, the splines got corroded, and the joint seized. They replaced the whole drive shaft (because Workhorse wouldn't sell just the rear yoke) under warranty. Since then, the area has been heavily greased. I'm not sure how grease could get into the shaft from there or how you'd correct things if it did.

One of the mysteries, to me, is why the noise is so much louder in the driver's seat than in the passenger set. When I'm in the passenger seat, I almost never hear it.

DriVer · 05-11-2011, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobRay

One of the mysteries, to me, is why the noise is so much louder in the driver's seat than in the passenger set. When I'm in the passenger seat, I almost never hear it.

If your rig is like mine, I am sitting in front of a short wall. My pax side is wide open. Chalk that up to acoustics.

BobRay · 05-11-2011, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edgray

BobRay: thank you for your honesty in the reply above. If that is true, then I'm puzzled about what you expect them to do...... and why you posted above about not recommending Workhorse to anyone.

But then again, I'm a "if it ain't broke" kind of guy, and some here will tell you I'm cheap too!

Best wishes, Ed

It's because the rear-end is gradually making more and more noise. Workhorse has (or had) a policy of replacing noisy rear ends with exactly my symptoms (I've seen their email to dealers on the policy). The repair shop verified that mine had the symptoms, WH promised to replace mine, then decided not to.

BobRay · 05-11-2011, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriVer

If your rig is like mine, I am sitting in front of a short wall. My pax side is wide open. Chalk that up to acoustics.

Same here, but since the noise is coming from the rear end, you'd think the wall would actually *block* some of it.

DriVer · 05-11-2011, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobRay

Same here, but since the noise is coming from the rear end, you'd think the wall would actually *block* some of it.

The sound is bouncing off the windshield and the wall with your ears in the middle of all of that. Thats' what I think is happening. I get the same sensations sometimes. MY DW will say that she hears something on her side when I'll be dipped in cheeze whiz I can't hear a thing.

Mekanic · 05-11-2011, 02:38 PM

funny how they won't cover the noise but you know if you let it make noise long enough a gear or bearing will fail. it just a simple cause and effect. the noise is the effect. it is your warning that the gears and orbearing are NOT siuated in the correct alignment.
I also find it odd that I read in just this thread 3 or 4 people with the same type of symtoms and they were all on 05-07 models. I do NOT think this is a coincidence.
The is a problem. if you raised the issuof the noise during the warrenty period then there is a problem that needs fixed. the nois will not go away over time.
When hypoid gears are set up properly, and kept lubed properly, they WILL out last every other mechanical part of the vehicle. nearly anyone who know how to set up a set of axle gears correctly will tell you this.
TELL them you know they will worn cover parts and assembly problems, therefore they will fine one of these in the rear ends that are making noise.