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

Is the link for gear info.

 

For ****s and giggles, take a look at your u joints on the drive shaft.

 

I am not seeing any clutch packs in the pix so no lsd to blow up, I would pull the driveshaft and check the cross joints, and also pull the t case rear housing and check the c clip on the output shaft. Check the pinon bearing as well. With the rear of the truck in the air and the tires on, use the tires as a hand holds and check for play side to side, top to bottom, in out it will move a small bit, but nothing more than 1/8". I would leave the cover off well you are going over things. No gasket is needed to put the diff cover back on, just clean both matting surfaces good, a thin coat of silicone sealant is all you need.

 

80/90 gear oil for normal use, 75w140 if you tow/haul. Holds in the neighborhood of four quarts. (a bit less.)

With the rear supported on jackstands, put the trans in neutral, and spin the driveshaft by hand... see if that does anything interesting. If the wheels turn smoothly, and don't make any rude noises, and doesn't feel like you have gravel in the bearings, you can prolly just fill it up with fluid again, and be ok. Definitely replace the plug. Parts store should have 'em.

You have an open differential. (not posi.)

 

Drive shaft/u joints seem ok. I did however put the car in neutral and turn the drive shaft. Nothing seems suspect in the diff/gears. But the drivers side wheel does not want to turn, when the drive shaft is turned. Is this normal? When spinning the drivers side wheel by hand it will turn and the other wheel turn in the opposite direction. But it does feel like maybe the brake or something is rubbing for part of the revolution. Is this normal? Should it spin 100% freely? But no real grinding sounds or whining like when being driven.
(My brakes do not grind or squeal when driving or being applied).
An ideas?

 

Sounds normal for an open differential.

 

thanks Jswain, so overall it just sounds like my diff ran low on fluid due to the rubber plug being ripped. And that is the culprit for the whine then to the grinding?

 

Have you gotten your rear diff put back together yet? At this point it's probably best to replace that ring you were talkin' about and fill it up with the proper fluids mentioned in previous reply's and see what happens. Be sure to clean out the pumpkin (rear diff housing) Could have been a low fluid/heat issue.

 

I'd fill it up with gear oil and see what happens. If it grinds, it grinds. in other words, if its screwed up, its screwed up. You can't break it if its already broken. And luckily, an open diff is perty tough. Not that many parts to go bad. I'd fill it with lube and see what happens, assuming it doesn't grind or bind severely on jacks.