It's been a rough week so far and I think my rear is going to give me more pain.....

I have a 98 Ram SST with a 5.9 and a one legger rear. Last week I was doing a favor for a freind and noticed what I thought was tire noise while I was driving...After some looking here and there I jacked up the rear and ran the it in drive at idle speed and found the noise coming from eaither the drive shaft or the rear.... I droped the drive shaft to check the U-Joint....No problems...I turned the pinon gear and that was when I started opening the beer... The pinon will turn and bind at times....I know nothing about Dodge rears, I purchased this truck off of a freind who did all the maintenance. The truck sits most of the time and only is used to move work related stuff.... Does anyone have any ideas on what I need to have fixed and any ball park prices or suggestions on where to get it fixed or can I do this in the driveway with jack stands? Where can I find what rear I have and the gear ratio?

 

Have you removed the cover and taken a look at the condition of the grease and how much junk is laying in the bottom? Could be a wheel bearing too actually.

 

No, but i did spin each axle and there was no binding....

 

Well you really should open it up and inspect it before you jump to conclusions. Is the seal leaking at the yoke, and when you had the drive shaft off did you see if there was any play in the pinion bearing? (as in up or down and or sideways)?

 

Call the dodge dealership and have them run a report on your VIN # they can tell you what tranny you have, gear ratio, ....etc...

 

From what his original post indicates, he already knows he's got a 9 1/4 corporate rear axle. Which surprises me since it's an sst. Then again, nothing would be a surprise as far as a Chrysler goes.

 

How would that suprise you?

 

Wouldn't one assume it atleast has an lsd! And that's all I was doing was assuming.

 

I thought it suprised you that he had a 9.25 Chrysler axle.

 

Uhh! I also said it doesn't surprise me. LOL