I have a '99 1500 ram that I bought for $3900 with a nice plow. It has about 163k on it. I've done some front end work to it over the last year or so, and I pretty much just use it for plowing my own driveway in the winter. Occasionally I'll make a Lowes or Landscaping run.

The rear end howls. Loud. This past weekend I apprehensively took it on a 160mi all highway trip to deliver a golf cart. Right at 60mph, and up from there, there is a vibration/shudder seems to come from the rear end. Higher frequency than an out of balance wheel. So I just set the cruise at 59 the whole way, and it ran just fine.

First question is how to check for what is worn? I checked the diff lube level before I left, it is fine and looks brand new. Play in the drive shaft? Anything else I can check without tearing everything apart? Some checks that can be done by pulling the diff cover off??

Second question, what is the likely catastrophic failure should I just keep driving this truck? Again, will likely do very little highway driving. I really don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on it. I own my own shop, have plenty of tools, don't mind doing moderate work. I did the ball joints and replaced a front half axle myself last year. But I realize there are probably no good "low buck" solutions here.

Lastly, opinions on just swapping out the whole axle with something from a junkyard? How would I know if a yard part is any good (probably can't). The suspension is VERY rusty, doesn't look like a fun job.


TIA for any help...

JH

 

more than likely the pinion bearing is shot. theyre notorious on the chrysler 9.25.

where abouts are you from?

 

I'm in MA, about 35 mi from Boston.

 

First thing is put it up on jackstands and start shaking and turning stuff. See if you find anything interesting... Next step would be to pull the cover, and see what you find.

Driving it like that can be truly dangerous though... should the rear end decide to grenade, you could very quickly find yourself a passenger with a steering wheel in a 5000 pound missile..... Bad for you, and anyone that has the misfortune of being in your path. (as you won't be able to control direction of travel.....)

 

Take the four bolts off the u joint caps on the rear of the driveshaft, and set the driveshaft aside gently. Grab the pinion yoke on the diff and try to move it with all you got. If it has any play at all, then the pinion bearing is going.

 

As stated, don't drive it that way. On the way to work one day, I felt a slight vibration as I exited the freeway, drove about 3 blocks, stopped at a red light on a side street, and as I went to go, dropped the driveshaft. Pinion nut was nowhere to be found. The ring gear sucked the pinion into the works and pretty much destroyed everything except the case. All this after having only 170 miles on it since I bought the truck. Talk about bad luck.

 

huh......... ive been driving on a bad pinion bearing for almsot 4 years(length ive owned the truck) and i have no idea how long it was bad before i bought it.

going to be driving on it until tax returns. gettign a lsd installed with a master install kit. 300 bucks installed, if i provide my own parts.

 

*thread de-railment*

I thought you were going to swap 60's under your truck, redneck?

 

i have a 70 rear, but would rather have a 60, so for now, im keeping the 9.25, and getting it rebuilt. front 60 is going in as soon as i acquire remaining needed parts.

 

I always thought my experience was caused by a bad pinion bearing, but don't have any way to know for sure. Could have been that the PO had removed it for some unknown reason and put it back on too loose without any locktite. With everything else I've seen on this truck, that wouldn't surprise me.