Correlation between “diff howl” and air dam removal?

Just curious if anyone experiencing increased noise from undercarriage or “diff howl” has also removed the air dam from the front end? Wonder if that has a direct affect on the air flow and increased noise?

Has anyone reinstalled the dam and noticed decreased noise?

Thinking about trying this to see if it makes any difference.

 

When I think of diff howl - it's a mechanical noise internal to the diff that would present itself if the vehicle was in the air, not moving, but the wheels were rotating.
Wind noise is something completely different, obviously.

I guess my point is that diff howl, in my opinion, is not and can not be caused by wind. If you are getting wind noise, you are not necessarily getting diff howl, and vice versa (although the two could exist at the same time, simultaneously).

 

Understood and agree, wind noise and mechanical noise are different and not caused by the other.
Just wondering if some/most/all noise coming from under truck while moving increases with air dam removal?
Also wonder if owners automatically associate any noise at speed with diff howl. Maybe it’s air flow noise after air dam taken off?
Like you said, putting truck in air with wheels turning would prove diff howl noise.

 

Yeah you definitely make a good point.

 

fwiw, i have a trd sport with an air dam and what i believe is diff noise.

 

Trd offroad, no air dam, no diff howl.

 

Alright, doesn’t seem to be any correlation. Thanks.

 

Way too early for me to really think about this! If there is any correlation at all, I would think a mechanical noise like a rear differential howl would be more noticeable with the air dam on and less noticeable with the air dam removed.

Is that the correlation you are trying to get at, a simple masking of a mechanical sound by a louder air sound?

 

Basically Buck. You just worded it differently. Presence of air dam may mask other noises by reducing air flow noise.

Guess I’m just wondering how much air dam affects any or all noise coming from under truck while moving. And, do some of us confuse air flow noise with actual diff howl?

As deaps stated earlier, the best way to find out is to put truck in air and get wheels turning. That will prove a diff howl vs air noise.

 

The rear diff noise some have is... The noise is caused by resonance, meaning the gear mesh and the bearing and the axle and housing and the springs, at a certain speed, will make a noise. I had it on my 17 TRD sport with airdam. I don't have it on my 21 TRD off road. Wind noise has nothing to do with it.

 

I understand wind has nothing to do with actual diff howl. I am not confused by the difference in wind flow at higher speeds vs the sound of mechanically caused resonance.

My main point/question is paragraph 2 of my last post.

 

Or maybe I am confused!?!?

 

I have very slight diff howl in my MT truck, I can say for a fact it is direct correlated to rpm and engine load, not airflow

 

Wish I had a lift, or access to one and put this post to bed!

 

Interesting hypothesis. May I add another? There is certainly a strong correlation between loud music and diff howl. I only hear my diff when the volume is low or off.

 

Amen!!!

 

There’s a hole in each lower control arm that can howl. Tape it up and see.

 

You are fast on the meme creations Buck!

 

Thanks, but I stole it. I'm just damn good at googling for stuff.