After a whole bunch of miles and the rear end getting louder and louder on my girlfriends 93 dakota 4wd V6 5 speed, and her not telling me any noise was there, it finally went. the rear differental was over 1qt low after adding fluid and driving it about 20 miles the pumpkin was hot enough to melt snow and vaporize it in about 5 seconds of putting it on the cover. I'm guessing due to the lack of lubrication all the bearings are now shot as is the center section. I'm asuming the entire rear is toast.
Now the truck is 400+ miles away at a friends, and we coulden't do the spin test (mark drive shaft and tire and rotate tire and count the revs on the drive shaft). is there another way I can have an unskilled person who's not nearby find the axle ratio marked on the truck? Has anyone had any luck with the dealer by giving them the VIN? there was no labeling on the diffrental housing other than 4384213 looked like a casting number. We also had the window sticker still in the car but nowhere did it identify the axle ratio on the form (told me the steering raito though sigh...)

Anyone between Milwaukee Wisconsin and Eagle River Wisconsin (location of truck) have an axle?
Thanks again.
-nate

 

if you have the vin number handy,you can call a dealer parts dept and they can run the vin thru the chrysler computer and give you the axle ratio,hint............its most likely 3.55,most were,i have a used good one in kansas if you need it

 

cool. dealer told me all kinds of stuff from the last 8 digits of the vin.
it's an 8.25" 3.55 ratio
Anyone closer to milwaukee or wisconsin have one?
Rhad, what would you want for the rear end, and would you be intrested in shipping it, maybe via greyhound?
Thanks again for those viewing, -Nate

 

id take $200 for it,shipping by greyhound dont sound doable to me,its gotta be to big and bulky for them,im pretty sure it would have to go by truck