1998 Dodge Durango Rear End Humming!!

I've seen quite a few posts about this problem, but nothing that really fits whats going on in my durango.

Loud Hum from the rear end. It's constantly there, gets a little better 40+


I have changed all the rear wheel bearings, still not better, differential and axles looked fine when I had everything apart.

Any help would be appreciated!

Jason

I was out to sea in the Navy when my wife had this same problem. What she thought was the rear end soon turned out to be the shift differential. Don't ask me! Anyhow we traded it in for the 01 model. It to gets that humming noise in the rearend. I change the fluid and out the additive recommended by the owners manual (about 10 dollars at the dealer) and it is good for another 30,000 miles before the whining and humming start back up. I have done it twice now.

Looking at other conversations here some had changed their u joints. Check all the highway noise problems and maybe you can get it done all at the same time.

I had the same problem. Changed rear wheels bearing and differential looked fine as well. Put it back together and still humming.
The reason it gets better above 40mph is 2 folds. First, road noise increases the faster you go so it might seem less loud but it really is not. Second, sound travels in all directions (including the one you are going). As you go faster, it needs to catch up to your speed and therefore fades... But it is still there even though it does not seems as loud.
The one ting you cannot see when removing the rear axles for rear bearing exchange purposes is your pinion gear (the part that attaches to your driveshaft). That is what mine was. The bearing races are tricky to remove. make sure you only loosen one side of the differential tightening nuts so that you know exactly where it was before dismanteling. A full set of bearing (2 pinion ring bearings and 2 differential bearings) set me back $200 including preesing 3 of them on the differential housing. Dodge will charge over $700. If it is your pinion gear bearings, the noise will get worse. Good luck.

Had the same problem on a 2001 Durango since it was new. Back to the dealer many times and told.... they all do it turn up the radio and you won't hear it. Replaced gear oil and transmission fluid religiously with short term improvement. At 65,000 miles I noticed play in the drive shaft where it entered the rear end when it was in for tires. $2000 later and a new rear end and the Durango is quiet as a church mouse. Of course now out of warranty.