ok so i put in a new custom made front driveshaft in my 01' dakota and when i changed the yolk seal on my transfer case some fluid seeped out. i can't find the filler plug for the tc, but can't i just add to my tranny to fill the tc? cuz i know they are connected. im afraid to drive it without enough oil in the tc. also, have any of you experienced a bind in your steering wheel? (i have 85k miles). its like a click click click bind that you can feel and slightly hear when I turn the wheel slowly parking the truck or turning it around. im thinking it might be a bearing in my steering column because ball joints would not do this . any help or suggestions would be great and btw my truck has an auto tranny. Thanks!!

 

As far as your TC fluid, no, you cannot add more tranny fuid to the tranny. There are two plugs on TC, one to drain, "lower", and one to fill, "upper". Take upper plug out, and fill TC until it overflows. Put plug back in. If you have 85,000 miles on the truck, and do not know if the TC fluid was ever changed, you may want to just change it. There is a picture below showing where the plugs are. As far as your steering column binding and clicking, there are a number of things it could be, but check the intermediate shaft first. It is the shaft that connects the column with the steering rack. It has two little universal joints on it, and the lowers are known to go bad. If it sounds as bad as you describe, you better check it soon. You can spray it with WD-40 or the like, and see if it corrects it temporarily. Pic of the shaft below also.

 

ya i think i will go ahead and change out that transfer case oil, i was no aware it had a drain plug on it. thanks! and im assuming spraying wd-40 on the lower u-joint will tell me if that is the problem? i mean, if the bind gets better from it. i have also been told it could be the steering box that needs to be replaced. i have a chiltons manual on the truck, i can get pics and info from there for the steering box too. what weight gear oil do you recommend putting in my transfer case?

 

The 01 Dakota has rack & pinion steeringaccording to my manual ? The transfer case fluid is ATF +4

 

oh ok so its the same as my tranny fluid. that works. and im pretty sure it is rack and pinion