Hi!
I have a 99 1500 sport with the 5.9 magnum. When I drive, it feels like the rear end moves a little to side from side, especially when I turn. When the truck is parked and I jiggle it with my hands I hear a clunking noise coming from the rear axle. Tried to jack it up and I can move the rear wheels a bit in and out on the axle, but I can also move the wheel a little bit up and down. Is this normal? What could it be? Is it possible to thigthen the rear bearings? Its got a chrysler 9 1/4 axle

 

there is no adjustment for the outer bearings; a little play is normal. If there's deep scarring on your axleshaft race or you go through a lot of seals, the bearings could be toast, but to get a new inner race you'd have to replace the axle shafts themselves....they sell kits i believe that let you slide a new race over the old, but from what i've heard they're not that great. as for the in/out movement, again, a bit of movement is alright, have to take up the slack between the c-clip on the other axle and the diff pin. couldl open it up and make sure there's no excessive wear in the diff pin. a clunk is more likely to be something else, i would think...broken spring, etc? has the truck been in an accident?

 

I dont know if the trucks been in an accident, I just bought it this winter. Is it possible to see if the springs broken with my eye, or do I have to take it apart? Havent heard anny scarring noises, nor does it leak oil through the seals. I'll change the rear end fluid soon, so I'll check the diff pin then.
It sounds to me like its the brake drums thats making the clunking noise, but Im not sure..

 

mine does that too.. just a little play in the axles.. its normal. so you feel your back end slide around? maybe you should slow down around those turns them

 

Ck the U- bolts holding the springs and remove the cover the rear end and ck ck for metal inside. 9 1/4 rear ends with pos track are always breaking the clips that hold the clutches on the rear carrier.

 

Im not driving thaat fast around those turns, haha, well, I'll check my oil and springs tonigth, Dont have a pos track though, its an open diff (wich sucks, one tire is spinning if I look to hard on the pedal)
But is it really normal with up and down play? I've noticed in and out play on the chevys I had before, but never up and down..

 

Opened my diff today, an I didnt fint anything unusual. Everything looks fine. Altough I notice theres a sprocket on the outside of the big wheel inside there (not sure about the name, I know its driven by the pinion) It looks almost like the sprocket on my chevy with an factory locker. But my dodge doesnt have any locker. Whats this sprocket for?
Didnt se any play in u bolts or springs either, anymore ideas?