hello everybody. I am new to trucks and 4x4 but i am 18 and have 4 years of automotive training. but during my 4 years of auto tech in high school i never really did serious work on 4x4 vehicles. well i just traded my old civic for a 99 ram 1500 5.9l. I was driving home the other day when i heard a loud snap and my truck started shaking. got home climbed under and pushed on the drive shaft and the whole transfer case has snapped free on the trans side of the bolts. so my question is what is the smaller section of the trans called that bolts to the t case. its the part of the trans that is attached to the mount. it starts right at the end of the trans fluid pan and meets the transfer case. would it be possible to replace just that section as only the casing of this short section has cracked. any help would be greatly appreciated. im going to try and attach a sample picture of what i believe this piece is.

 

edittt* just looked at online fsm. its the overdrive unit? has anybody ever seen one of these casings crack?

 

I do believe that is the overdrive unit..... and yes, it can be replaced as a separate piece, however, given that it has decided to play grenade, chances are pretty good that it has distributed crap throughout the trans.... and if you don't rebuild it now, you will end up rebuilding it in the not real distant future..... (along with whatever overdrive unit you put on there....

Just to be sure, can you post a pic?

 

crappy pic from my phone can only see one of the cracks its definately the unit from the diagram above. how can these crack? and i honestly cannot afford a rebuild right now thats why i am trying to replace only this unit. im never cheap and i always like to do things right the first time but i need to get it fixed asap for work. a complete rebuild will be done in the next few months. like i said i just got the truck, it looks like the intake plenum needs to be redone also. it has about 147k on it. and the unit did not grenade internally just the case cracked it still runs and drives

 

I would for sure check all the driveshaft u-joints front and rear. Also don't run with 4X4 engaged on a paved road, That would put a lot of strain on the transfer case + the rest of the drivetrain. Only use 4X4 on a slippery surface or you will find the weakest link in the drivetrain. Is that the adapter between the trans and transfer case? If so it can be replaced. I'd look at my 95's t-case but it's raining here in MI.

 

yes it is the adapter between the trans and the transfer case it basically joins the two together. and i definately think it also has some other drive-line problems when i first got it, it shook pretty bad at 40mph and up when i was holding the gas cruising and when i let off completely it stops and was smooth sailing until hitting the gas again. i also think the intake plenum needs to be redone. could the rocking of the motor from the spark knock and backfiring and continuing to drive it like that cause it to snap?
the only time i will be using 4x4 is in a snow storm or offroading

 

When you get in there, pull the tailshaft housing off of the transfer case to check the integrity of the snap ring. Really bad things happen when that snap ring lets go, usually a shattered transfer case... but I could see it happening that it takes the overdrive unit out instead.

Even if it's good when you look, you'll be ahead of the game if you take that opportunity to install a Transfer Case Saver.

 

agreed, this happened to me last november, i was driving, and all of the sudden i heard alot of grinding, had a "hop" to it, and the sound was like it was trying to engage 4x4.

Turned out my snap ring came off, my chain went crooked, and gernaded my transfer case....luckily i drove it about 4 feet when it started grinding because it happened when pulling out of my driveway....

its a very simple swap....but id have everything looked over before you buy only an overdrive unit....you may need more of a replacement then that...