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Ram 4x4 front axle loose inside housing??

Old Jul 29, 2015 | 09:41 PM
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Default Ram 4x4 front axle loose inside housing??

Hi.
I have a 1999 dodge ram. There is play on the front drivers side when you grab the wheel. It's not the ball joints and I was looking on other forums and they were saying the u joints are out if you have play but the u joints look fine but when you wiggle the wheel you can see the axle slopping around right before it goes into the sleeve of the housing. What could be causing this? I'm new to the 4x4s so any help is appreciated thanks
 
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Old Jul 30, 2015 | 02:21 AM
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if you have checked all else and are sure that they are good, it sounds like you are sayin the slope is where it enters the axle housing but not outside where the spindle is. if this is true then you could have a worn out axle seal. the axle shaft sits inside the seal where the CAD is. if the seal is worn out then it could be allowing it to move some but it wouldnt be a whole lot unless the seal is GONE but you should of seen gear oil leaking past the seal if this was the case.
 
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Old Jul 30, 2015 | 08:22 AM
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Originally Posted by ryan0714
if you have checked all else and are sure that they are good, it sounds like you are sayin the slope is where it enters the axle housing but not outside where the spindle is. if this is true then you could have a worn out axle seal. the axle shaft sits inside the seal where the CAD is. if the seal is worn out then it could be allowing it to move some but it wouldnt be a whole lot unless the seal is GONE but you should of seen gear oil leaking past the seal if this was the case.
Drivers side.

Some little bit of play is normal. How much does it move?
 
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Old Jul 30, 2015 | 09:41 AM
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Sounds like a worn wheel bearing if i'm reading it correctly.
 
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Old Jul 30, 2015 | 08:58 PM
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Originally Posted by HeyYou
Drivers side.
my bad i was thinking about my axle, first gens had it flipped.
 
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Old Aug 3, 2015 | 06:26 PM
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Hi guys sorry about the delay. So is the axle seal what is holding the axle tight in place? And when you grab the wheel at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock you can move and tell there is play and when moving it you can look behind the wheel and notice there's also play where the axle is going into the axle housing. And there is a little rubber seal that is pretty much done for right where the axle is going into the housing but I don't see any fluid
 
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Old Aug 3, 2015 | 08:56 PM
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That's normal. The axle needs to be able to move a bit. The outer seal is just a dust shield, oil seal is further into the tube, and is accessed from the inside...... a stupid design, gotta pull the cover, and drop the carrier to change that seal....... The seal isn't your problem though, need to find out where the slop is, and fix it. Going to be either ball joints, or hub/bearing.
 
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Old Aug 5, 2015 | 07:24 PM
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Originally Posted by HeyYou
That's normal. The axle needs to be able to move a bit. The outer seal is just a dust shield, oil seal is further into the tube, and is accessed from the inside...... a stupid design, gotta pull the cover, and drop the carrier to change that seal....... The seal isn't your problem though, need to find out where the slop is, and fix it. Going to be either ball joints, or hub/bearing.


Do you have to pull the axles out to replace the hub/bearing?
 
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Old Aug 6, 2015 | 09:40 AM
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You don't have to remove the axles. But sometimes the splined shaft gets rusted in there and it can be difficult to get out.

 
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