I had a noise coming the back passenger side, it wasn't loud but if your a automotive guy you would catch. I found it did when I pushed on the bumper. I just got some grease at walmart and put some around where the sway bar and the leaf springs connect to the truck and the noise went away. It could be something simple like that, but then I'm not sure what kind or how loud your noise is.

 

could be a u joint or dodge had a bad habbit of setting the rearends loose.

 

Well, it's not just the squeeking, it's the jolting into place when I put the truck in gear that has me thinking it's the u joint. I can hear a creak (best way to describe it) as it jolts into gear.

This is my first RWD vehicle, so sometimes I feel at a loss when problem diagnosing/solving.

 

if you go for u-joints, make sure they aren't pressed in.i don't know about the dakotas because i've never had to put one in,but my boss's ykon had to have the joints pressed in.

 

yea i got the same problem... i gto slammed into gear.... i checked out on u joints.... their fine.. just push on them up and down and side to side without turning the driveshaft, if there is slight or no movement.. your good but if you feel it smack around time for u joints. what i found was when i put it in gear, it slams right?... well with the rear end lifted off the ground anf the truck in neutral, turn the drive shaft with your hands. i have an alarming delay thats loacated either in the transfer case or the output of the transmission. i asked my diesel tech teacher and he said its not a cause of concern.. my tip, dont be laying on teh gas alot, let off and hit the gas constantly like ( gas, off, gas, off, gas) you feel the drive shaft out run the transmission. scary

 

mine did that last year. I checked the u-joints and they had abit of play in them. but I was too busy at the time to replace them. so after about a month last I finally took them out and they were so bad they had worn through to the drive shaft.[:@] it wasnt that bad but you could see a small spot on where it was grinding on the drive shaft. so I put my new ones back on and it's been good ever since. make sure the truck is level when your checking the driveshaft for play. cause if theres tension on it then it wont beable to move, if there is play in it.
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Ford Falcon Cobra