[1scoot]

My 97 5.7L k1500 with 42k miles developed a clicking at low speeds and a loud whining at high speeds. It is definitely coming from the drivetrain either transfer case or most likely rear end. I pulled the rear end cover and found it was a quart low on lube and the ring gear had some noticeable wear on the inner edges of the teeth. The pinion gear does not show any wear that I can see. There was some play between the ring and pinion gear. The fluid that came out was very muddy, but I didn't see any large metal pieces. After putting it back together with fresh fluid there was no improvement.

Is replacing the ring and pinion gear a large, difficult job for this rear end? I have never replaced one before, but have seen it done on other vehicles. I believe I have all the tools inlcuding a magnetic dial caliper. Is this a job worth doing myself? I am on a tight budget. Can a used ring and pinion gear set from a salvage yard be used? What else would I need for this job...bearings, seals, rebuilt kit, etc? Is there a web site with a write-up for this job that will help?

Also, how do I determine which rear-end I have? The pinion is stamped 11-41.

Thanks for the input.