Took the Ram back to my hmetown for my 40 year class reunion. About halfway there, I turned off the highway to go by my brother's house and suddenly heard a growling noise. Thought is was the crappy paving job n the county road and noise kind of came and went. Drove another 75 miles to destination, then drove home Sunday. Noise comes and goes. Thought it might be wheel bearings or differential. So I cahnged front wheel beargins last night (cannt rememebr if I changed then when I did brakes last year, but did them just to make sure. Was planning to do rear bearings today.

Put truck on stands and rocked driveshaft. In neutral, had about 1/4" play at rear end. Don't know if that is normal or not. Put in park and had about the same at tailshaft.

Started it up and put in drive. Climbed underneath and noise is definitley coming from tailshaft of transmission. With stethoscope, the rest of transmission sounds fine.

Most likely issue (according to FSM) is the Overrunning clutch failed, or outpust shaft bearing or bushing damaged.

Anyone have any luck just removing the OD unit form one of these without pulling transmission? I am thinking of palying a drinking game while I pull this. The word will be ****!

 

Check out those u-joints before tearing into the big parts. Sometimes a crappy u-joint will growl like mad without clunking around to make itself obvious.

 

U joints are less that a year old. Only about 5000 miles on them. They feel tight. I installed a remote filter the other day and about 75 miles from home I noticed trans temp was climbing to 200. Trans cooler and filter element were cool to the touch. I switched the hoses on filter and the cooler and filter warmed up. Guess I had it plumbed backwards. It was about 30 miles after that when the noise started so I think I ruined the bearing due ti inadequate flow and or heat. Fluid does not smell burned, but I will drop the pan and check and then may attempt to remove OD unit with trans in place. Hardest part may be reinstalling it.

 

i've not done it, but have seen it done. the OD unit came off as an intact piece, containing the broken snap ring bastard, which held the big OD spring in.

 

I went back and reviewed my photos from rebuild. Attempted to order parts from WITTRANS but I guess they were closed already. Plan to order in the morning. Not going to tear it down until the day parts to arrive as I haev 54 Chevy body on one side of garage and wife's car will have to stay outside while it is down. Want to minimize the time I am in doghouse.....

The hardest part will most likely be stabbing it back in on splined intermediate shaft. Hope to have parts in hand Friday. I think I only damaged OD unit. so I will totally rebuild it to be safe.

 

Man that sucks!

 

Having tooling made for pressing OD clutch spring at local machine shop. Took shop drawing to him this afternoon. Should be ready Friday. Nearly lost a finger with home made contraption I used when I rebuilt the tranny. Not taking any chances this time.

 

I'd take that junk back to the rebuilder and make them pay for installing the cooler wrong.

 

Wasn't the cooler....the remote filter. Seems the anti drainback valves in spin on filters works......darn it...

 

I know, JK.