I find that VERY easy to understand.

Is one of your axles bent?? If that is the case, and you need to replace it anyway, seems like a very good excuse for going to the one piece.......

 

that is very possible, but i dont feel like taking it apart again to check. the next time i do that will just be to put the shiny new one peice in, lol. ive already had it out wayy to many times... good news is it will come apart easy when i go to put the new shaft in. First time it was a (insert your choice of explicitive here).

 

Could probably check just by pulling the cad housing..... just rotate the axles (disengaged) from either the driveshaft, or the wheel, and see if either of them cause a wiggle.

Not that it really matters.... If you are going to replace both anyway..... it would just be esoteric knowledge, with no useful purpose, other than to satisfy my curiosity. Somehow, I don't think you think that much of me to indulge me in this manner........

 

haha, its not that. i just dont wanna spend the time with it. wish i had a lift.

 

I've got my replacement bearing/bushing, but due to a broken hand can't replace my parts yet. I know where that smaller bushing goes, but what part of the axle does the larger bearing go onto?

 

Hey 1994Ram1500, a couple things to check. First of all the vacuum on the CAD is junk. I have a '94 and only use it for offroad so I did lock my collar in place. You may not believe it but I removed my CAD box and zip-tied my collar in place, I'm running a Dana 60 up front but it is the same setup. Apperently you haven't made it that far since it is not lining up. Haven't seen it mentioned yet but you will have to rock (or roll) the truck in order for the collar to slide over, be careful if you're under it and use a trustworthy buddies help with the brakes.

The axles locked in place or a solid one piece will wear out your u-joints very quick with not much driving, trust me I know from experience, and it sounds aweful with the front shaft spinning freely. I now trailer my truck to trails as I have welded my rear Dana 70 so I don't worry as much, but highway speed at more than 35 mph will wear more than you want. I have directions to do a cheap cable disconnect I will link to when I get a chance later this week.

Good luck,

 

How did dodge and jeep both keep the noise down during the years that they discontinued the CAD and went with a one peice shaft then? Im not saying i dont believe you in any way, you obviously have personal experience, just curious.

 

I assume this would be a totally different setup. The two piece shaft is not designed to run locked full-time.

 

i'm pretty sure its the same axle they just got away from the 2 peice setup. i know the axles in the newer trucks always turn the diff. i dunno maybe someone else will chime in. Ill probably take one more looksie at the CAD

 

sorry to hear about the hand. i hope you didn't break it working on your truck. i just did this job last weekend...

note- to remove the inner shaft, you must either force it through the seal w/o damaging it (??) or be prepared to replace the oil seal. i replaced the seal and it tried my patience.

remove passenger side brakes/bearing.
remove cad.
slide collar to the drivers side.
remove passenger side outer axle and take it to the workbench.
you will see the small bushing pressed into the end of the shaft.
note the orientation of the collar. rounded side to passenger.
remove collar through cad hole.

now - either remove passenger seal, or force the axle through the seal. the cad end will fit ok, but the diff end doesn't seem to fit...

gently slide inner axle towards passenger side. through the cad opening and past the seal area and out the end. if you want to save the seal, you're on you own. due to the amount of work if it leaked, i removed mine and replaced it later.

peek into the inner cad area and you will see the large bushing or bearing. they are interchangable, with bearing in earlier years, and bushing in later years. since i removed my diff for the drivers side seal, i knocked my bushing out with a 2x2 from drivers side. if you don't remove the diff, you'll need a hook to pull it from the passenger side.

clean axle tubes thoroughly.

i reinstall a bearing using a socket and tapped it with a hammer. it slid in with a few taps.

back to the bench. i knocked out the small bushing with a hammer and screwdriver. it broke apart and came out pieces. clean the hole and tap the new one in with a hammer. now - here was my real problem - inspect the inner axle splines where the collar slides over. clean off all burrs with a flat file, so the collar will slide over with no bind or interference.

install driver side seal.
install diff.
install passenger inner axle, gently through the bearing.
install passenger side seal. BITCH.
install COLLAR.
install passenger side outer axle.
then everything else.

if you have any questions just ask.