No symptoms until it's too late.

Most guys here find the issue when they change the rear axle fluid and discover the funny, little "W" shaped piece of metal.

If you don't ever change the fluid, (or have it changed) the broken clip rotates outward and begins to scrape the axle housing, inside the axle housing where the ring/pinion are.

This creates metal debris that eventually filters its way into the rear brearings and you'll hear the bearings start to make noise. Then, in most likelyhood, you're looking at an entire axle/housing/gear replacement.

My brother didn't do squat with his until it got so bad it had to have the entire rear end replaced. It was covered under his warranty.

My understanding is this is only an issue on the 9.25 corporate rears in the 1500s...... possibly Durangos and Dakotas....

 

Thanks. Think I'll change my fluid and check it for my own piece of mind. I'm an old chevy truck guy, new this dodge thing (sorry it takes some of us longer to come to our senses...lol). for me all it took was a test drive and I was sold tho.

it's a 2004 ram 1500 with 3.92 rear, off road edition, I figure I probably have the 'corporate 9.25 rear' you're talking about.

 

I take it, you've tried the "Recall" option? can you appeal to anyone else?

 

Recalls fall underguidelines, where injury, accident, serious injury or death could occur. There's actually a formula that manufactures use to determine if the recall will be cost effective, or whether it's easier to pay out to people that have claims.

When a car manufacturer determines defects are widespread for a particular model, it sends a technical-service bulletin to its dealers on each defect with diagnostic and repair information. By law, manufacturers are also required to file the bulletins with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

If the NHTSA feels that the issue warrants a recall, they take the steps to RECOMMEND TO THE MFGer THAT IT BE A RECALL.(Comforting, huh....?) It's a slow process at times..... and sometimes, the MFGer doesn't even conform the the Federal Government's recomendations. IE: Mitsubishi in the 80s.....

With the rear posi-clip issue, more then fair notice is given prior to a complete, catastrophic failure, so it's hard to get that under a recall, or at least I'd imagine. I don't know of anyone that's had an accident due to it, or had any safety related issues due to it. In reality,99 times out of 100, the truck's rear will start whining and grinding before any of that will happen and the owner will take it in and have it fixed.

Not to mention, for every 250,000 trucks out there, there's a large percentage of them probably driving around with a broken clip and an unaware owner/operator. I was one of them, until I changed my fluid and found the broken clip end. I had no symptoms or reasons to even know that there was a problem. I don't abuse my truck, so for all I know, that one of 4 clips may have been the only one to break and *could* have remained that way forever, with no other ill effects.

DC's argument could be that even if the clip breaks, the chance of complete, catastrophic failure is minimal, resulting in no injury, accident of chance of death. Not cost effective....

The point is, that for as many rears that DC has replaced or repaired, it's more then just a fleeting failure.

GM didn't actually have a nation-wide recall for the thousands of power steering racks that had "Morning sickness" in the mid-80s. If you complained enough, at that time, (I worked for a GM dealer) we'd replace it under a TSB, but ONLY if the car was still under warranty, or if the customer was a really good customer, and the owner said to do it.

It's a game............ mostly at the car owner's expense, but a game none the less. I'm no expert on this, just voicing my humble opinions and stating what I do know, so take that for what it's worth....

 

Well the truck went in for repairs today and I have her back already! No major damage at all. They replaced the clutch pac,clips, and springs. With the warranty it only cost me $50.00 for a $416.00 repair! I guess I was luckey compared to some. I owe some of the luck to this site and it's members for their info and experiances they so gladly share. Thanks Everyone !!!

 

yeah recall is mainly based on saftey...if there's a problem that poses a saftey concern then they will go through the rigors of issuing a recall....as oldmoparman said, the chances of a c clip failing and causing a catastrophic failure to the point of possibly injuring or killing someone is very minimal....and they figure that for the amount of money it would cost em to issue a recall about it and pay for it, it's not worth it....however, i do see some changes coming in the near future with customer satisfaction and how Chrysler LLC goes about their business in the service department

 

Maybe i'm living in LA LA Land, but i would think that if several people complained of the same problem. Then DC would say,
"Hey we Goofed" lets fix this on our dime. Then customers would say "Hey DC stick by their products" So because they stick by their products, I'm going to remain a loyal customer, and continue to buy their trucks.

 

their not gonna fix it because the company as a whole doesnt see it as a problem (i'm guessing) and even if some people did complain, my guess is the only thing that would make them change their ways of thinking is for people to quit buying their products (which i am NOT endorsing in doing that lol)....they could also feel the problem is a customer related concern, rather then a workmanship concern (i dont know, nor do i really want to get into all that) however, i'm pretty sure this will no longer be an issue on the new 09 Rams but i can't make the guarantee.....

my loyalty to Chrysler will never be in jepordy because I havent had any major problems to make me think about wanting another truck....and like the debate goes, just cause you move to another brand of truck doesnt mean they dont have problems of their own as well....maybe i'm old fashioned, but i always have been and always will be a Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep man

 

my c clips blew up in my face about 3 months ago, pulling a trailer back from atlanta.... i was 1200 miles outside my factory warrenty... bs.... cost me $2700 but cause the c clips tore apart the gearing which threw itself into the axle housing. new rear axle and an auburn 4.10..... i shouldn't have that problem again

 

I am new to trucks, and i have never changed my rear axel fluid. Could someone tell me how to do this because I am coming up on the end of my warrenty and I am trying to get this fixed if something has already happened. Thanks