was the rear axle just rebuilt? And what is too hot to touch? most rear axles run hot after highway driving. something like 200 degrees if memory is right

 

As far as I can tell it has not been touched and the tubes near the axle bearings are cool to the touch,it does have a excessive clunk and when I let off the gas it seems like something is holding it back until I reach a certain speed and can feel it let go. I did pull the cover and nothing at that time seemed out of place but the ring gear lokked to be a funny color.

 

how many miles on it

 

175,000 miles and I am picking up another rear end tomorrow and might tear this one apart to see what is wrong,I put a bunch of miles on a few 8.8s and never had one do this but I do not know how it was driven before I got it. Worn axles was the only problems I had with them before this one.

 

if it really worries you, you can put a cooler on it, the svo/svt mustang cobra irs's had one, you can put one together yourself for ~$1000 .

I know a few guys in the lightning world do this and it fixed for the most part the limited slip clutch life issue they were having.

 

unless you shoot it with a temp gun you have no idea how hot it actually is. Touching with your hand is a bad indication.

 

exhaust blowing on it?

 

how about changing the gear oil

 

It has a full exhaust and was discussing it with someone that knows about rear ends and was told the crush sleeve is damaged making me think someone had it apart to replace the pinion seal and it did not go back togather right.

 

if they replaced the pinion seal and over tightened the pinion nut then the pinion bearings have too much preload on them causing them to run too hot. It can wipe out the bearings rather quickly.

 

Put a used rear end in and its still acting like the old one but no burning smell,going to look for a 9 inch to put in it over the winter. The 8.8 in my 95 F150 is doing the same so must be common when getting high miles on them.