The differential is essential for regulating the amount of power between the right and left wheels of a car. When it goes bad, you have to replace it ASAP. The replacement cost of a Ford F150 front differential varies according to its year.
The cost can be as follows:
| S.L | Year | Approx Cost | Labor Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01. | 2004-2007 | $2100 | $350 – $800 |
| 02. | 2009-2019 | $1600 | $350 – $800 |
| 03. | 2012 | $1700 | $350 – $800 |
This cost also varies depending on whether the whole front differential needs to be replaced or not. Sometimes only some components need to be changed, in that case, the cost goes down quite a bit. Other times, partial replacement is necessary, which is also less costly than replacing an entire front differential.
Ford F150 Front Differential Replacement Cost – in details
Before replacing a front differential of a Ford F150, one must know what a differential is and how it works. The differential of a vehicle acts as a power distributor between the tires of said vehicle. This results in the speed of the tires being regulated during a turn. For instance, when a vehicle turns, its inner tires must cover shorter distances than its outer ones.
But the time both these tires have been the same. So, to keep the balance, the outer wheel has to rotate at a faster speed than the inner one. This speed is controlled by the differentials by regulating the power supplied to the wheels. So, why do you need to replace a differential?
Since a differential’s main job is to regulate the amount of power to the left wheels and the right, when it malfunctions, the car becomes imbalanced. Now, you don’t want to drive an imbalanced car. So, you should replace a differential as soon as you notice something is wrong.
Now, as for the replacement cost of a front differential of a Ford F150, it is not constant. The cost is different for different F150 years. The more recent years, that is from 2009 to 2019, their front differentials are cheaper to replace than the earlier models of 2004 to 2007. But this is not the only cost that one has to bear. There is the cost of labor as well.
Like the replacement cost, the cost of labor of replacing a Ford F150 front differential is not constant either. It is different for different workshops. But in general, it costs 400 dollars on average to replace a front differential.
Different Ford F150s use different front differentials. Let’s start with the most recent and the cheapest ones. The ones from 2009 to 2019 use a Reman front differential. These are cheaper to replace, costing around 1195 dollars. This cost excludes the labor cost.
Up next is the 2012 F150, which has a Zumbrota front differential installed in it. This differential is costlier than Reman ones but cheaper than its earlier models. To replace a Zumbrota front differential of an F150, you have to part with 1281 US dollars, excluding workshop fees.
Finally, the costliest front differential is the 8.8 inches installed on 2004 to 2007 Ford F150s. Without even including the fee you have to pay to the workers; you need to pay 1700 USD to replace one. Which is, admittedly, very expensive, especially when you compare it to the other two mentioned above.
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What Indicates That A Front Differential Is Malfunctioning?
It is good to know the replacement cost of a front differential in case it goes haywire. But how can you be sure that you need to replace your F150 front differential? After all, you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars and see that it was for nothing. The indicators of a malfunctioning F150 front differential are:
1. The Driving Doesn’t Feel Smooth
The primary sign of a deteriorating differential is a rough driving experience. The car will vibrate unnaturally or will sometimes shudder. This happens especially when the car turns a corner. When this happens, you have to act fast and replace the front differential quickly.
2. The Car Makes Strange Noises
Strange noises are never a good sign, no matter where it is coming from. When it comes out of a car, it is even worse. Sometimes the gears and the bearings of a differential will make unnatural noises, which means the differential is expired. When you hear such noises, make sure to replace the differential as soon as possible.
3. Leakage Of Fluids
Another sign that your F150’s front differential is faulty is the leakage of transmission fluids. When fluids leak out of the transmission, it causes the gears to grind. This will result in the aforementioned noise-related issues.
Perform regular checks to see whether your car is leaking fluids, and replace the differential accordingly.
4. The Car Refusing To Move
As I said earlier, the function of differentials is to regulate the power of the wheels of the car. When a differential expires, it will not provide power to the car’s wheels. As a result, the car won’t be able to move at all. The only way to make the car mobile is to replace the front differential.
5. Worn Out Tires
The differential ensures that the wheels get adequate power to rotate at the speed they are supposed to. That means the outer tires’ rotation speed will be more than that of the inner ones. But when a differential starts to malfunction, it can’t regulate the power supplied to the wheels. As a result, both wheels get the same amount of power.
This is extremely detrimental to the health of the tires. Since the inner tire gets more power than it needs, it rotates faster when turning a corner. Due to being faster, it also wears down at a greater speed than before. If you notice your tires are wearing down faster, maybe it is time to change your car’s differential.
6. Less Than Ideal Handling
A faulty differential can’t regulate the power to the wheels properly. As a result, the wheels don’t move as they were supposed to. As the wheels are what keep the car balanced, this causes the car to be unstable, especially during cornering. This makes the handling of the car a nightmare.
SYMPTOMS OF BAD DIFFERENTIAL, EASY >> Check out the video below:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is It Worth Fixing A Differential?
Fixing a differential is an expensive process. Sometimes replacing a differential may cost more than the price of the car. But sometimes it is worth it, especially if the car is comparatively new and you want to drive it longer.
2. How Much Does It Cost To Replace An Axle On A Ford F150?
Replacing an axle is a cheaper process than replacing a front differential on a Ford F150. The axles themselves cost between 374 to 398 US dollars. The labor cost of replacing the Ford F150 axle is 144 to 182 dollars. This brings the total cost from 518 to 580 USD.
Final Words
Differentials are important in keeping the car stable by regulating power to the wheels. So, when the differential goes bad, it has to be replaced. The Ford F150 front differential replacement cost varies according to its years, the recent ones being the cheapest. Usually, it costs anywhere between 1700 to 2100 USD, including labor cost, to replace the front differential of an F150.
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