Learned a valuble lesson on my diff rebuild tonight, Actually 2 of them. 1st one is just pay to have it done. lol. The 2nd one is when setting the backlash follow the procedure in the factory service manual you can download from here. It makes a differance the way it is done. Since I was laying under the truck and it was easier for me I was using the pinion yoke to turn the ring gear tooth to my indicator and setting "0" then moving the ring gear and checking indicator movement. It was inconsistant and out of spec. followed the service manual procedure and it was in spec and consistant. I am a tool and die maker by trade. If I wasn't able to machine/make all the tools needed to do this job it would be an expensive DIY project. O joy now on to the back rear tomorrow.

 

where does one get this factory service manual to download? Point me in the right directon please...my 97 ram has 210,000 and the rear end is in severe need of rebuilding..thanks

 

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...-gen-rams.html

 

Glad you got it.
I will pay some one to put my LSD in, I did not have fun doing the rear.
I had a hard time figuring out how to set the back-lash..

 

FYI, the torsion bar from a 1st gen Dakota (I think it's 1st, it's the boxy one) is a perfect fit for the side adjusters on the rear axle with a slight grind to the flats on one end of the bar.

 

I'm Waiting on the clutches for my trac-loc. There in the mail. Was gonna set up the rear tonight and realized that my new ring gear is to fat to put the cross pin through. So now I gotta wait for that to set it up.
as far as the backlash goes, just check the 01 service manual you can download on here and follow it to a T.

 

the Dana 44 service manual can be found here >> https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&p...thkey=CNCt3a8O

Slightly different from the corporate 9 1/4

FSM uses the Dana manual for the fronts IIRC

 

cool, thanks!