I agree. Of course, nobody is open today and only about half the salvage yards around here have websites. I found a rebuilt rear end for $1400, which is honestly probably more than the truck is worth, but it might be worth it to me. I also found one pulled and ready for pickup for $300.00. The problem with that one is that the ratio is unknown, but that should be easy enough to figure out. The potentially larger problem is that it is out of a 2001 Dakota. I can only assume that there isn't a difference, but there might be. I wouldn't have a problem with swapping it out and while I'm at it putting new brakes on it, but I need to know if it's going to fit first. Can anyone confirm that it will be the same? I know Dodge made the engine swaps starting in the 2001 model year.

 

Rear axles are the same 97-03. Just various ratios (3.23, 3.55, 3.92) and the 00+ might have a different driveshaft coupler on it (Companion Flange vs Yoke). You can knock the pinion nut off and swap couplers, just make sure to red loctitie the snot out of the nut when you put it back on.

 

Thank you. I went to the salvage yard today and the differential that I found online is a 3.55 so that's good. Unfortunately, it's still on the truck and won't be ready to pick up till sometime Wednesday, so I might have to wait until Saturday unless I can talk my wife into getting it for me. One question the salvage man asked was what size drums do I have, 9 or 11". I couldn't answer that because I didn't know two sizes were available. I now know mine has 9" but not sure on the axle I bought because I haven't seen it yet. Am I assuming correctly that the 8.25 has 9" and the 9.25 has 11" and I don't have anything to worry about? The only reason I ask is that I will probably throw new shoes, hardware. and wheel cylinders on while I'm at it and would like to get everything ahead of time instead of screwing around chasing part while I could be putting my truck together.

 

You can swap out the hardware fairly easy. If the new axle has 11" drums you will just need to get an 11" brake kit with drums. The backing plate should be left on the axle as it just bolts into it. Also if you don't reuse the old drums make sure the new ones aren't warped. I got three in a row from three different parts stores all warped out of the box. the parts store should be able to test this with a micrometer.

 

When I did the wrench turnin' thing for a living, I would shave a few thousandths off of new drums/rotors, just to make sure they were true. I don't like doing the job twice.

 

I am getting noise out of my rear end (in my truck, haha) and checked that it's full of oil, all good but still noise. I wonder if previous owner ran it low, then filled it then sold I to me, I bought the truck cheap not running and got it going so couldn't test drive it...trans shifts nice but pretty loud humming at any speed over 20

 

sure it's not just worn tires? Or axle bearings?

 

Yeah, see if you can isolate where the noise is coming from. Could be anything from a bad bearing, to a failing trans.

 

Tires are good and I switched them at one point to make sure it wasn't them. I am not sure about rear axle bearings. Do you check that but just jacking it up and seeing if there's play in the wheel/spinning it etc?

 

it's so hard to tell exactly where the noise is coming from, I'll have to do some closer looking at it. Thanks