Long story short, I pulled my rear diff cover and found a broken bolt, was still in place so it didn't fall out and do any further damage. I know next to nothing about differentials


. How do I go about fixing this? Can I just take the other bolt out and retrieve the broken piece and install new bolts? .Also of note, the bottom bolts on each side were loose. It had new gears in it that the previous owner had installed by a shop, probably 15,000 miles ago. I just started to hear a little rumble from the rear diff about 20 miles ago, and decided to take a look.

 

Good on you for being proactive!

That's a bolt for your differential carrier bearing cap. Typically thread locker isn't used but they should be properly torqued.

If you can get the broken piece out replace with a new bolt and re-torque. I'd probably replace all four to be safe, I'm not sure what the previous shop did.

I struggled to find just the bolts online. Call Randy's Ring and Pinion on Monday, they can hook you up.

I'd replace all 4, torque, slap the diff cover on and see how it goes. You can do this in your driveway easily, esp since you already dropped the diff cover.

DO NOT mix up or flip the caps if you remove them. They must stay exactly in the same positions and orientations, assuming the shop that re-geared it didn't already screw that up

 

Keith,
Thanks for the reply and the heads up about Randy's. This is normally my daily so I want to get it back on the road soon. Did the dealer not have the bolts? Was hoping to source locally, but will give Randy's a call if needed.

 

If you have a local pick & pay salvage yard around, go there to grab the bolts out of an existing rear differential in the yard. That will allow you to source them locally and cheaply.

 

No Pick-n-Pull close by, and all the yards here said they would not sell me just the bolts, only a complete rear end. I checked with Fastenal and Threaded Fasteners in town and they have bolts, but not with the wider shoulder near the head, which I assume is needed to keep the cap from moving.

I ordered 4 used bolts from eBay today, he said they were from a Corporate 9.25, but from the tape measure the guy was holding up, they look closer to 2 1/2, what i have is 2 3/8 to the head. May be able to get by with those for now. I called Randy's Ring and Pinion as Keith suggested, but they said they don't have them.

There is a pick-n-pull about and hour and a half away, may try to go there today and check.

 

A pick and pull style place is your best bet for those if they have any 2nd gen Dodge Ram trucks laying around. The pick and pull close to me has their inventory on the web, so I can check to see if a particular vehicle is in the yard, but they will not tell you if a particular part is still on the vehicle without visiting. They also allow you to pull any part you want, as long as you don't bring a torch or grinder (creates sparks and a fire hazard) to remove it and you remove it yourself, unless you want to pay one of their parts pullers to get the part for you.

 

I should have them out back, PM me if ebay doesn't work

 

I decided to make the 3 hour round trip to pick-n-pull in Tallahassee this morning. I was able to grab the 4 bolts, they had about 7 2nd Gens there.

I appreciate all the advice. Its all back together and cover on as of about an hour ago, I will fill it up with oil and test it out tomorrow.

I did see a nice red sport bumper there if anyone is nearby and needs one. I thought about grabbing it, but it was too dam hot out to stay any longer.

Thanks again

 

I topped off the oil this morning and took it for a ride, seems to be all good now, rear end is quiet.

This also appears to have fixed my ABS/Brake light and speedo issue as noted here: ABS/Brake light and Speedo - DodgeForum.com I am guessing that the tone ring or whatever it is called was moving around enough that the speed sensor was not getting a good reading.

Thanks for all he advise/help.

 

Now that is interesting. That's a fix I hadn't considered. Although, I would like to think broken bolts in there are rare.