# Occasional grind **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** explorer, ford\ **Created:** [February 19, 2011, 3:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/occasional-grind/61523 "2011-02-19T03:33:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davideddins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@davideddins](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davideddins)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 3:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/occasional-grind/61523/1 "2011-02-19T03:33:35Z")
My Wife’s Explorer rear diff grinds after long hiway driving. around town it never happens,but on long trips once you start a turn you can hear and feel the grinding coming from the rearend. it is 4wd ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/occasional-grind/61523/2 "2011-02-19T04:53:09Z")
I have had a growling differential go another 40,000 miles. If you want a fix, the cheapest is usually a used rear axle assembly. We used to call them “drum to drum” but with rear disc brakes I guess that is out. ---
**Author:** ![kizwiki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7cd45c/32.png) [@kizwiki](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kizwiki)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 6:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/occasional-grind/61523/3 "2011-02-19T06:38:45Z")
Check the air pressure, size, model and year of each of your wife’s rear tires. They should be identical at least in terms of type, size, and inflation. ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 11:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/occasional-grind/61523/4 "2011-02-19T11:44:53Z")
What year, and how many miles? Try a gear lube change. If that doesn’t help, you probably need to replace the rear axle assembly, like oldtimer11 said.