I have the 2007 Ram with the HEMI and have the same problem in 4wd. I haven't actually gotten under the truck to prove it to myself yet, but the source of the problem is how the transfer case is mounted. I have been told that the front of the T-case is attached to the motor in one spot. Since the HEMI prduces so much power and torque, it will shake when you get on it. So, when the front axle is engaged in 4wd, it is pretty much connected to the motor and will shake along with it, which will shake the whole truck because both the motor and T-case are mounted to the truck in different places. Pain in the a$$!! Supposedly there is supposed to be a TSB coming, but I have been waiting for at least a year now.

When Chrysler was talking about the viscous disc and the truck not being made to drive in 4wd on pavement or hard packed surfaces, they were right. They are just saying what most people with 4wd already know, don't drive in 4wd on dry surfaces. Because there is no viscous disc. Full or part time all wheel drive vehicles will have this disc because they have to be able to drive on dry pavement. It sounds like whoever you talked to at Chrysler just didn't know what you meant.

As for fixing the T-case mounting problem. The only thing I have found to make the problem any better is to keep the engine running as smooth as possible. I found that running mobile1 fully synthetic really helped keep engine running smooth and at least reduced the shaking problem. I have called a local 4wd shop to see if they could fab a new bracket for it, but they said to just wait and see if Chrysler will come up with a solution. He said that no one will want to be responsible for the bracket failing, t-case rotating and having the back end of the transission crack. He suggested maybe using pieces of 2x4 as shims to try to support the t-case on cross-members to reduce the load on the connection to the motor, but in my opinion, that would probably only make the problem worse. Now the T-case is rigid to the frame and shakes the truck even worse. Anyway, the skaking in 4wd isn't really hurting anything except maybe your motor mounts.

 

My 08 has the same shudder. Only in 4WD hi. I just noticed it about two or three weeks ago. I'm going to make an appointent with the dealer next week. I'll let yall know what they find, if anything.

 

hmmm thats really odd...i can drive mine on pavement in 4-HI and it only shimmys when i turn hard, but every 4x4 ive ever owned does that...i can actually spin my tires at WOT in 4-hi on pavement and no shudders...BUT i have a 2500

 

Hope I'm not digging this up from too far in the past, but I'm very curious about this subject.

My 2008 w/ the 4.7L hasn't shown any wobble or shudder in 4Hi all winter long, with the exception of the wheels turned @ full lock (which is expected). We've had a pretty hard winter here in Michigan, and I've put on about 8,000 miles in the white stuff, going back & forth between Detroit and the Upper Peninsula, a lot of which was in 4Hi.

Has anybody made a mention or notice of whether this is a Hemi-only issue, or extends to 4.7L as well?

 

Sorry, I was wrong. I finally got under the truck and looked. The fron differential is actually connected to the motor mount on the under side of the truck. Next step is to figure out the proper way to mount the front differential and modify the bracket.

 

This has been expressed by another member several times. It is a common issue with the rams and more so with leveled ones. Apparently the inner CV is only capable of sustaining a 15degree angle(from what has been stated as i have no real prrof of this)which the stock suspension is close to the max. I would have to assume that is the problem with yours as well since most guys only have the issue when they level them. This tells me that is has everything to do with u-joint angle and nothing with the transfer case.

No dealer wants to waste several hours of diagnosing something when they really haven't a clue. reason is because Warranty work doesn't pay crap and the time they spend diagnosing the warranty related claim, they are on their own time and it costs them money, so of course they will give you any explanation they can come up with to get you on your way!

 

I see. That makes sense. The only time I have a problem is when I am on the gas, so it just seems that the engine is shaking the diff, which I thought was shaking a combination of other things that ended up somehow shaking the whole truck. Do you know the proper way to mount the differential on an independent front suspension truck?

 

I'm pretty sure you would need an alignment if you altered and mounting locations by raising or lowering the fron tdiff as that would change many things. Sounds to me like you'd be knee deep in BS. But again, I'm not a mechanical Engineer.

 

Well thanks for your help. I will post again if i ever figure anything out.