[valiant67]

Sounds a bit like the issue I'm having with my 99 Dakota, sort of a wooo-wooo-wooo from the rear when turning slowly in parking lot maneuvers. I'll assume your Durango also has the 9.25" Chrysler rear axle. These were bulletproof axles but in the late-90s they lost that reputation. I've got a spare axle to swap in mine, but who knows if it will be better or not.

 

[ImperialCrown]

If you haven't done so already, I would treat the drivetrain to a complete fluid change.
The fluid conditions coming out of the unit should be noted, The differential cover may have a chip magnet to clean. If it is a limited-slip 'posi' differential, you will want to add a small bottle of Friction Modifier to the fresh hypoid oil.
Use quality fluids. Mopar has synthetic 75W-140 (for towing) or synthetic 75W-90 (standard duty) hypoid oils. Use ATF+4 in the transmission and transfer case. The covers are reinstalled using orange RTV (there is a special axle RTV, some RTV's will breakdown when exposed to hypoid oil or other types of RTV) and leak.
Pinion bearings turn about 3 times faster than the carrier bearings, so can be easily heard at low (parking lot) speeds. The carrier bearings may start a low growl above ~25 mph. Neither should be affected by turns, that may be the 'posi' clutches or side/spider gears. Least common, but still possible is a scored gear tooth finish can make a howl at certain speeds that will change in pitch with a change in speed.

 

[NeilG]

Sounds a bit like the issue I'm having with my 99 Dakota, sort of a wooo-wooo-wooo from the rear when turning slowly in parking lot maneuvers. I'll assume your Durango also has the 9.25" Chrysler rear axle. These were bulletproof axles but in the late-90s they lost that reputation. I've got a spare axle to swap in mine, but who knows if it will be better or not.

I live near a "pull it yourself" junkyard and I can get the whole rear for about 75 bucks, but like you said who knows if it would be any better....rebuilding one seems a bit daunting but Ive done rebuilds on engines plenty, and transmissions on motorcycles, etc....
I guess if I get to the point where I think its gonna blow up, I could always get one from the junk yard and rebuild THAT one at my leisure and have it ready...the downside would be changing the whole rear end....

 

[NeilG]

If you haven't done so already, I would treat the drivetrain to a complete fluid change.
The fluid conditions coming out of the unit should be noted, The differential cover may have a chip magnet to clean. If it is a limited-slip 'posi' differential, you will want to add a small bottle of Friction Modifier to the fresh hypoid oil.
Use quality fluids. Mopar has synthetic 75W-140 (for towing) or synthetic 75W-90 (standard duty) hypoid oils. Use ATF+4 in the transmission and transfer case. The covers are reinstalled using orange RTV (there is a special axle RTV, some RTV's will breakdown when exposed to hypoid oil or other types of RTV) and leak.
Pinion bearings turn about 3 times faster than the carrier bearings, so can be easily heard at low (parking lot) speeds. The carrier bearings may start a low growl above ~25 mph. Neither should be affected by turns, that may be the 'posi' clutches or side/spider gears. Least common, but still possible is a scored gear tooth finish can make a howl at certain speeds that will change in pitch with a change in speed.

when turning a good bit like in a parking lot, one rear wheel begins to rotate at a different speed then the other...thats when the noise happens....thats got to be the tip off for something.
The pitch wavers at a constant speed, but the range that it wavers in increases with speed if that makes any sense.
Straight line is quiet so i guess thats good....and obviously, im not going to be making a sharp turn at 60 mph....so maybe it will hold up a while.

Thanks for the advice about the fluids....will do that for sure as I have a small bayliner that I will be towing with this truck from time to time. Not to mention I will be driving it down the beach a mile or two about a dozen times a year.