Differential

on recall it says to replace pinion nut due to making driveshaft fall off, so check with dealer when you take it in and complain about it. if nut were to come loose it would effect the pinion bearings.

We have been getting a whinning noise in the rear of the truck. It starts at about 35 mph and lessens at 60 mph. It sounds like the whine of a siren. We took it to a mechanic and he suggested it was the pinion bearing though he wasn't sure. Any suggestions?

It could be the pinion bearing or even an axle bearing. Was the differential ever serviced?

I don't believe the differential was ever serviced. I will have to tell the mechanic to check the axle bearing....the truck is at the mechanics today.

I do know there are some sort of pins in the pinion bearing area that were broke. The mechanic fixed them hoping that it would fix the whine noise. It didn't, so he was thinking about replacing the main pinion bearing.

I will let you know what I find out!

Thanks!

Chances are that is the problem. Let me know what you find.

Joe

The pinion bearing was replaced and the truck still makes the same whinning noise. It still starts at about 35 mph, and stops at about 60 mph. It seems that it is only happening when we are pressing on the accelerator....so we are still confused!! The mechanic was almost positive it was the pinion bearing when he removed it as it was all pitted...it wasn't though! Any other suggestions?

Are you sure the noise is coming from the differential and not the transfer case? The transfer case is in about the middle of the truck and I have seen the output bearing go bad on them and make that type of noise.

I have a 2001 dodge ram 1500 4x4. I had a lot of low grinding/winding in the rear of the truck. Thought it may be a pinion bearing so i began taking the differential apart. I couldnt remove the gear assembly to get to the pinion bearing. I then took the pinion bolt out of the gears and unfortunately turned the driveshaft to remove the bolts and the gears fell out. (dumb move i know..i do know better) i have the axels pulled and everything and cannot figure out how to remove the rest. I have all but one bolt removed on the driveshaft but cant remember how to get the driveshaft to stop spinning. Im thinking i bit off more than i can chew...please help a ticked off dodge owner.

I am not sure truthfully. I just know it is behind me when driving. Could be near the middle of the truck. I will call the mechanic and let him know.

I will keep you updated.

Thanks~

You need a case spreader to get the differential out. It consists of four bars pinned together to form a rectangle. Two bars have pins that slide into the two holes in the left and right side of the housing, then the lower bar has a turnbuckle that you turn with a wrench. The unit opens the housing up just enough to pull the differential out.

I have the exact same problem with the exact same truck. All the symptoms are identical

Ah that makes sense. Thanks a lot. Can i get that at an autozone or oriellys to rent?

The best thing I can recommend is this. Take the vehicle to a shop and they will have to put it on a rack, start the engine, put it in gear, and then have them listen to where the noise is coming from. It is hard to tell for sure without being there.

Let me know what you find,

Joe

It's worth asking but it's kind of a specialty tool that the typical do-it-yourselfer wouldn't ask for. If you're on good terms with the local Chrysler dealer, they might borrow you theirs. Some GM trucks use similar axles so they might have the tool too.

Ok thanks. I already checked autozone and they definitely dont have one. Ill go into my local dealer tomorrow and see what i can do.

I had a lot of low grinding/winding in the rear of the truck. Thought it may be a pinion bearing so i began taking the differential apart. I cannot remove the gear assembly to get to the pinion bearing. I already removed the 2 cuffs on the side im not sure what they are called. I tried taking the pinion bolt out from in between the gears and stupidly moved the driveshaft and the small gears fell out. So i then took out the c clamps and pulled both axles. I have all but 1 of the driveshaft bolts removed also. So now i have no choice but to take out the gear assembly but i cannot figure out how. And i cant remember how i git the driveshaft to stop spinning to take out the previous 3 bolts. Im sure Ive bitten off more than i can chew. Please help me!

Hello,

Here are the instructions on how to disassemble the differential on your truck. Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know if you need anything else to get the problem fixed.

1997 Dodge Ram V8 Four Wheel Drive Automatic

I am looking to buy a 97 Dodge Ram 4x4. The guy says the ring and pinion for the rear end needs to be fixed fixed. Could someone tell me about how much im looking at to get it fixed.. I don't wanna over spend fixing something and I could find something else. Any help or advice would be appreciated..

Depending on exactly what is wrong and what is required in the way of parts, you can expect to pay $1000-$1500 for a diff overhaul.

Labor and parts costs vary by location, so this is the high end of the estimate.

Can damage result from overfilling the rear axle assembly on my truck?

no more than likely it will spit oil out the vent on top of axle. just pull the fill plug until it quits draining on a level surface and will be filled okay.

How much to replace the front differential

I would estimate a used replacement with labor to be around 1200.00. Make sure the gear ratio is the same as the original one.

This is a 2500 diesel that has differential gears (3??) that are not the best for towing my heavy 5th wheel trailer. Is it possible to install gears that will help improve towing performance? I think the gears I am referring to are (4??).
Will this cause issues with the auto tranny? Whats the average cost to have the done?

Thanks

Hi dick61045. Welcome to the forum. Don't forget, you're going to have to change the gears in the front axle too. I have a much better idea since this isn't a common problem. Look for a diesel shop that specializes in fuel injection systems. We have one in my town that does a modification to the injector pump that increases fuel mileage and boosts horsepower and torque a lot. They are also approved by Chrysler for performing warranty repairs.

You can also install the boxes they call "chips" that modify pump timing and increase power. My friend has two dually diesels with these boxes and either one will just about tear the tires off the wheels.

caradiodoc

I have got a 1999 Dodge Ram 4x4 Sport and I recently installed a 5 inch suspension lift and 35 inch tires, I have been reading a few of forums that say with this setup it puts a lot of stress on the drive train and before I does harm to the transmission I am thinking of swapping out the factory 3:55 gears and replacing them with 4:56 which is what everybody say's you need to run this setup. What will I have to purchase to do this swap?

You're going to have to change the gear ratio in the front differential to match the rear one unless you want the front and rear wheels to turn at different speeds in four-wheel-drive. Engine noise will go way up. Luckily your truck has a solid front axle. With independent suspension, or worse yet, Ford's twin I-beam front end, there is no way to eliminate tire wear with any alignment settings. If your lift kit included a dropped pitman arm to keep the same geometry for the steering linkage, handling should remain somewhat normal.

Yes it came with a pitman arm and the steering is good, what I wants to know is can I install the 4:56 gears by just purchasing the ring & pinion.

Yup, but you have to do both axles and they need to be set up by a specialist to adjust the proper preload and backlash. I did two axles with the service manuals handy. I don't ever want to do another one.

I'm still confused on what you were told about stress. The stress comes from the rubber control arm bushings being in a permanent twist from the suspension being lowered to raise the truck. The gear ratio has noting to do with that. 4.56s will give you quicker acceleration and usually lower fuel mileage but it won't change anything else. I can see where someone might think there would be less pressure on the universal joints but they can take that. The wear is also a factor of how far the needle bearings roll back and forth in the cups each drive shaft revolution. At the design height the cups are meant to turn back and forth a little so the needle bearings never stay in one spot and create dents in the rolling surfaces. Raising the truck increases the drive shaft angle which does not eliminate that rolling back and forth but it makes them roll further which I suppose could make them wear faster.

I think I'd talk with a few more people before you go to such an extreme measure of changing gear ratio without knowing what they're trying to solve. The impression I get is someone is trying to sell you an unneeded service.

All the Dodge forums that I have been reading say's that running 35 inch tires with 3:55 gear ratio will make the transmission work extremely hard with all the down shifting trying to turn the big tires so they are saying using the 4:56 gear ratio will help take strain off the transmission. Will I need to purchase new bearings when changing the 3:55 for 4:56 gears?

how to cange it

too much to explain you will have to purchase a manual from your local store, beginning operation and if you have any questions let me know and I will answer them for you

The bearings should be the same. Sounds like the idea is for the faster-turning drive shaft to offset the need for the wheels to turn slower since the outer circumference will be bigger. You may run into an issue with the speedometer. As I recall, the speed sensor is still run by a plastic gear in the tail housing of the transmission. The service manual should have a chart that crosses the tire size and axle ratio to determine the correct number of teeth on that gear. Some car models have a pulse generator, then the tire size and axle ratio have to programmed in with a scanner. Those have a very limited number of choices and if you modify something enough and the needed choice isn't listed, you're out of luck.

In your case, a higher gear ratio and larger tire circumference might offset each other enough that the speedometer will be close. Look for one of those roadside speed indicators to check your speedometer. I've found them to be pretty accurate.

Im having some trouble with the rear end in my 95 ram 2500. From what i could gather, the rear end i should have is a dana 70 with 3.55 ratio. i ordered a rear end for this truck and it was slightly bigger and the brakes were different. when i switched it all over and put the rear end in, the four wheel drive no longer works, the speedometer is off and the front tires lock up. this means they sent me the incorrect rear end right? im thinking the one they sent me was a dana 80 with 4.10 ratio. is the dana 80 rear end bigger than the dana 70?

You can go to a larger axle physically but you do have to stay with the gear ratio that matches the front so the two drive shafts turn at the same speed. Look for a small metal tag under one of the differential cover bolts. The gear ratio will be stamped on it.

There is also a consideration with the brake size because that was carefully designed in with the size of the front brakes to create a balanced braking system front-to-rear. Look at the shoe width, lining length, and drum diameter first. If those are different the braking forces will be different. If they're the same you also must consider the diameter of the wheel cylinders. That affects how much force is put on the shoes. If you have rear-wheel anti-lock brakes, that will reduce easy rear-wheel lockup, but still, that is the type of thing insurance investigators and lawyers look for when they're trying to shift some of the blame for the crash from the other guy who ran the red light onto you.