Hello everyone,

I have a rear end that my truck has decided to go **** up. 3/4 spider gears are broken apart and in need of pinion seal and bearings... im thinking find a new axle to install in this beast to get her going again. Any suggestions?

Its a:
2001 Dodge Ram 1500 SPORT 5.2L 4WD Manual Transmission.
9.25 rear end with I think 3.55 ratio?(I believe but cant find any markings on gear ratios)

Any direct bolt in dana's ? or ideas on what I should do?

Thanks
Ryan

 

I guess to clarify, having trouble locating an axle for this truck in the area (Corvallis, OR). Going to do some more calling around tomorrow.. hoping someone else has found axles that work for this application and know what works and is worth it, and what doesn't. thanks again!

 

well i mean you could throw literally anything under it really, a dana 60, 70 whatever you like. just make sure the gears are the same as the front. just have to swap the original wheel speed sensor over to the new axle. and also the driveshaft hook up may be different. i think yours has a flange where a 60 or 70 prob has the strap type. so you may have to modify the driveshaft or get the other one with the axle.

 

Soo dana 60 or 70 would be great, I do like the sounds of a tougher rear end.

With modifying the driveshaft, are you talking about the pinion end? My transfer case is a NP231D w/ a 272 ratio. (if that matters). soo theoretically, shocks would bolt right up, leaf springs would attach around any axle (may need different u bolts?) and brake lines would be compatible? then wholl--uhh new axle in truck running like a champ ready to toe?

I work at a tire shop so i dont care if I have to get new 8 lug wheels, eventually i may want to beef up the front end too since it is a straight axle and I keep having my axle shaft u joints wear out, and ball joints like every 1-2 years. but thats in the future... main conern.. get an axle in my daily driver so I can get back and forth to work.

 

If you put a Dana under the rear you will have to move the spring perches on the diff to match what the old one was. Not a big deal if you weld or know of one, you will have to shorten the DS and change the weld in yoke to match the dana 60 or get a new pinion yoke to match the current u-joint size.

 

Roger, merc225hp. Sounds like a little more involved than I was hoping to do. Is just about any axle going to require this much work if I switch from the 9.25? I realize its not THAT much work, but I dont have a ton of time in particular. so getting the driveline shortened, and finding someone to weld the perches on may take more time than I really wanted to initially.. If I cant find a 9.25 axle it may be my only option... but if there is an easier route to go that may work out better for my time/money restraints.

 

If you can get the Ds from the donor truck that will make your life much easier, I should have put that in my other post. Just about any other diff will need to have the spring perches moved, the perches are cheap $12 for a set from Ma Mopar. Also not all diff's come with the speed sensor in it so best bet is to find a Dodge 60-70. I did my swap in a afternoon but I had everything ready to go diff wise and DS wise. I looks like you have a short box so look for a rear DS that is 58" weld to weld.

Edit: The last part of the BOM number on the 60-70 will be -1 or -2. -1=3.55 -2=4.10

With this all said you can just get the spider and side gears to rebuild your current carrier if its not beat to heck.

Here are some pix that will help you I think. 12.75 is the center of the new perchs.

 

This is very helpful. If I can find a reasonably priced set of 60/70 combo that might be ideal (w/ DS). Anyone know of the quality of a NP231D? Will I run into any other issues somewhere else by beefing up the axles?

 

None whatsoever xcase wise for the swap. The 231D is average for a xcase, the only reason I went up to the 241D was it made my install of the indexing ring much easier and I got it dirt cheap. The 241D is a better stronger xcase just make sure you get one from a stick truck not an auto tranny truck they don't interchange.

Xcase specs

http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/tranfer_case.htm

 

Well as the search continues I just disconnected the rear driveline and am running it in 4wd. Might not have the funds to do a 60/70 conversion but I needed to wait a few weeks money wise before I could do much of anything. Thanks so much for the help. I'll probably have more questions when I narrow down what axles I'm doing so I'll bring up this thread again. Thank you.