Hello, everyone im new here. I apologize if there is a thread already on this, if so please direct me to it and ill remove this one. But lets get down to it.
I hopped in my truck drove to work (28 miles) left work and headed just around the corner to VIP to get an inspection scheduled. I hop back in my truck to leave, put er in reverse and she acts like something was placed under the back tires. I hop out check everything ans there was nothing.. I drive forward a small bit, then try giving it a little gas while in reverse. (Btw im facing towards the building so a little bit is nothing more than about a foot.) a guy came over tried helping me push it back in neutral, and still nothing. It would roll then stop. After fighting it for a while i waited for my gpa to come over and help and call a tow truck after it didnt work. driver hooks up the truck and the whole way up the bed the wheels were just locked up and suspension was raised due to wheels jerking back from the drag. We get home and the driver shakes the truck off the bed, during one of the shakes it rolled forward a ton then locked up again. Next day i come outside see if she rolls and what do ya know.. Works just fine, i even drove it up my hill.. I put it up on jackstands and come to find out it did the same thing again were the wheels could rock back and forth like it was in park but i could actually rock it by hand and it would break free... I eventually get the drivers side rear drum off after fighting it for 3 hours, i had to fight it due to the retaining pin/spring that keeps the shoes in place was missing. I got that fixed today after getting the brake hardware kit, i only did the one side and figured since the passenger side was working fine i would just take it down and test drive it. I started it up, put it in reverse.. Nothing! Drive.. Nothing! Ok.. Lets try reverse again.. Still nothing! I put it in park, chocked the wheel and set it back on stands. I could spin the wheels no problem.. So here the long story short. Wheels in air currently, they spin opposite directions like they should being open diff. When other tire is manually held in place, the other tire cannot move.
Park/Neutral/drive -driveshaft doesnt spin when wheels turn. i even tried putting in in neutral and manually spun the driveshaft, turning it clockwise i felt normall resistance like you would if you spun the tire or what not.(wheels didnt spin much) but turning it the other way the driveshaft felt like it was slipping..and i could audibly hear the slight clunking from it slipping.​​ i think it could be the ring gear in the diff.. Not sure, im sorry for super long winded explanations but i hope it helps someone. First time dodge owner so i dont know much about these 2nd gens. Thank you to anyone who has info 😃

 

Pull the cover off the rear diff, and see what you find.

 

just did, rear cover had heavy scoring.. The pin for the spider gears was halfway popped out and the bolt that holds it in broke off. (Still in diff assembly i believe as it wasnt in the bottom of diff and no gears where destoryed) and the pin had a few markings on it. Also was bent slightly, so wont go back in.

 

sounds like time for a new carrier if the spider gear pin is bent.

 

Open carriers are fairly common n cheap to replace in the 9.25, limited slips, on the other hand, not so much

 

You could swap in a complete axle. Then you wouldn't have to set up the gears.

 

Here the thing though, it looks like the pin was bent while being outside of the carrier after the bolt snapped and it dropped out when i parked it. My guess as to why it bent is just the force i tried using to get the truck to move caused some slight bending and marring to both pin, and diff cover. No leaks when i took off the cover so i should be good as long as it doesnt do it again.i checked over the gears and they all seem fone, there was a decent amount of metal particles in the oil, not large pieces mind you.. Just enough to make it look like black paint with slight silver metalic flake.

 

If the pin had slipped while you were driving, the carnage would have been MUCH worse. The carrier would have grenaded, and then the axles would want to go their separate ways. (have seen it happen..... not pretty.) If everything looks to be in decent shape, aside from the pin...... just replace it, clean the rear end out REALLY well, and button it back up. Drive it 500 miles, pull the cover again, and inspect. See what ya think.

 

Also how hard / expensive would it be to swap a limited slip diff inside of there from another dodge? Or just get a OE Limited slip diff? Would i be looking at as simple as taking old open carrier out, placing the limited slip in, bolting it down and im good to go..? (with fluids of course lol) or would i be looking at different axles to go along with it? (im new working on vehicles with full axles.. Not that i dont know how to do basic repairs, just dont know what i can get away with and what i cant.. Yanno?)

 

okay ill do that and report back with some pics, as of right now my family needs a second vehicle so ill worry about the limited slip another time (like when i have the money for it)