Hello all this is my first post here and I need some help for a friend. Now bare with me, as I am a Jeeper (ok ok, enough laughing) but I know more about basic mechanics then my friend does so hes asked for my help.

My friend has an 02 ram 1500 with tow package. He has been the only owner.

This week he broke his rear end. (Sorry for the cell phone images)


From what I can tell without pulling apart his rear axle, he broke the pinion gear shaft and probably blew the seal as well. Now he didn't drive it after it broke and immediately called the tow truck.

Right now we are looking at just swapping out the axle for a another used one or repairing this one if he hasn't done any damage to the axle housing.

So the question...

He says that he thinks that its a Dana 44 with 4.10 gears...

From looking around here I see that its probably a Chrysler 9.25 rear with 3.92 gears.

I went crawling around under it looking for any ID tags on the shafts or Diff but found none. Looks the the wonderful salt from up here in MI have removed any sign of them. So if those of you with more Dodge knowledge would please assist me in IDing this rear I would be in your debt.



And did the 1500 ever come with 4.10 gears from the dealership?

Thanks so much for your help.

 

the 2002s had the 3:55 and 3:92 on their gears, the 1994 through 2001 off roads had 4:10s on them. It isnt a dana 40, thats what the front axle on the 94 to 01 with 4wd had, but the rears on the 1500 were always the chrysler 9.25. Thats about the exact same thing that happened with my 2nd gen dodge, its about 500 for a used axle, and near to 1000 to fix it, but the fix is more reliable.

 

Have him install an aftermarket locker back there. You'll never have that problem again. Stock LSD prob broke a retaining clip as usual. I'm going to install a trutrac hopefully in the near future.

Ohh, but yep. 9.25" diff.

 

No, hes right, its the pinion, Its the exact thing that happened to my truck that forced me to get this new one, although I am quite happy with the decision to get a new truck!! And he might not even have the lsd in there, my old differential didnt have the lsd

 

ohh. i waas thinkin the metal chunks are what caused it. That could be a good thing as long as the bearing channels aren't ground all up???

 

Look inside his glovebox; there is a sticker there that says what type of diff. it is as well as the gear ratio. And as others said, go ahead and upgrade when you guys replace that rear end.

 

I agree, make a repair a mod!

 

Thank you all for your posts. It really will help in getting him all fixed up.

But I think that some of this issue might be in that he doesn't know the year. He did say that it had an off road package...

By this statement, it could be an 01 with the offroad and have the 4.10 gears...

Either way I will be calling him shortly and telling him to look int he glove box for the id tag.

As for upgrading, he really doesn't have the money to fix it right now so more to upgrade is out. Now if he gets the used axle under his Ram, then i just might see about taking the broken on as payment for the swap and see about fabbing it up under the rear of my XJ .

Thanks again, I will let you know how it goes.

 

2001s were the old body style, so it would have to be an '02 or up.

 

Thank you all for your help. Ended up getting the rear out for under the truck and taking to a local race care mechanic to be rebuilt. Its all back together now and working great!