Hey all, I have been having a strange sound from my 04 1500 QC 4x4 4.7 ram since I purchased it used a few months ago. It has 55K so not a ton of miles and never really beat up or pushed too hard so its fundamentally in great shape. But ever since I bought it, I occasionally get a low whine when moving from a stop. Sometimes when its been parked overnight and I back out of my driveway to go to work, but not every time. Sometimes not until I get off the highway after driving maybe 30 mins and everything is warmed up, but not always.

At first, being used and given that mileage mark, I thought the brakes were worn and maybe a caliper was sticking. Got all new front pads, rotors, calipers, and both hoses and flushed the front brakes - still happens. So no I have a few more thoughts but I need some opinions:

A) Rear brakes or rear e-brake shoes - I dont see any clear problems here but its an option.
B)Front wheel hubs / rear wheel bearings - It does come and go like I have experienced on front hubs before with my wifes car, but really no vibrations, even at highway speed

or C) and what I suspect most is my Transfer case and or transmission. ( I doubt the trans because I just did a filter change and it seemed clean and shifts perfectly smooth and no issues here at all) But I did have an 03 QC 4x4 that had a t-case EXPLODE on the highway at around 120K. Not in 4wd, and never ever low on fluid or leaked. And my replacement case did drip from the rear shaft seal even after replacing the seal twice. So given that I know these can be crazy I lean towards it. Plus when in the passenger seat, the noise looks and sounds like its coming from the center of the truck not a wheel.

Any thoughts?? I have no quams with pulling it and rebuilding it if anybody knows who sells a kit or indiv. parts to do so for that model.

 

Changed the fluid yet?
Put ATF+4 in it only. See what that gets ya.

 

I did top off the fluid in the transfer case (maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of a qt) but still here the noise. U-joints are sealed and none-greasable, but I'd expect to hear a "clunk" if that was the issue? any other thoughts? thanks too

 

T-case fluid should be dumped and changed every 30kmi.
There's a drain plug and a fill plug so it's pretty easy.
Only takes a couple qts of ATF+4