Hey guys-

I just replaced both front axle u-joints (I've never seen u-joints as bad as these were) on a new to me '97 Ram 1500. The truck is a 360 Automatic.

After putting everything back together and taking it for a drive I noticed a new sound... almost like a card in a bicycle spoke, but more severe. I turned around and drove it home. After jacking up the front end I realized that the noise was coming from the center axle disconnect. I took the shift fork box (or whatever you call it) off of the axle housing to inspect. If I turn the passenger side wheel there is a loud clicking noise coming from the CAD... I'm not sure if I missed something when I put the axle back in that side... I'm not really sure what exactly it's supposed to look like in there. Where the two axle shafts meet it looks like there is a little movement back and forth. The axle coming out of the differential moves back and forth about 1/2 inch give or take. Left to right, not front to back. If I rotate the hub the collar stays on the outer axle and makes the clicking noise....

I would really like to avoid bringing this truck somewhere to have it fixed so I am hoping this is something that I can handle.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

Make sure the shift fork engages the collar properly. Also, there are some bushings in/around the axles to keep them aligned properly. Did you replace those while the axles were out?

The axles also tend to develop burrs on the splines, which cause slow/no engage/disengagement issues. Might need to pull it apart again, and check that stuff. If you need to pull the inner axle to clean it up, make sure to replace the axle seal as well, the inner axle won't pull thru it, and you will probably destroy it taking it out.

 

Thanks for your help. I went to the dealer today and got a schematic of the axle assys and found out that I was indeed missing a bushing. As soon as the parts guy brought it back to the counter it hit me.... I picked that bushing up off of the garage floor the other night and couldn't figure out where the heck it came from! I assumed it was part of some other project I had going. Nope. Pretty crucial to the reinstallation. I also replaced the gasket on the shift fork housing....

Anyways. That problem is fixed. Now on to the other issues. After taking all of this apart the 4 wheel drive isn't working. Not that I care right now... but I should starting working on it before fall .

I also have a noise coming from the rear end area.... kind of a scraping sound that gets worse when you let off the gas.

My $2000 rust free truck is starting to cost me.

Thanks again.

 

http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/repair/..._engagment.htm