Just picked up a 2002 1500 SLT standard cab 4x4. The previous 1 owner took amazing care of the looks of the vehicle and had it serviced a lot up until 40,000. after that no record if service, (it now has almost 108,000). Of cource it needs some things repaired like, Air Bag light comes on when I turn the steering wheel and sometimes not, one blown speaker and rear slider. So far that is all I have found other than tires.

My question is that I did not know about the dreaded rear end problems when I got it so I just had the rear diff fluid changed at Instant
Oil and they just suck out the old while flushing with new. They found some very minor shavings in the oil but I dont know if it was ever changed before.

How do I know if it is working properly or if I have the problem. When in 4x4 and turning tight in the grass the rear wheel acts like it is bound up or wants to lock up or some thing. On the open road seems fine other than its a little loud.

How can I find out if its working properly or if its broken?

Thanks

 

NEVER use a place that doesn't remove the differential cover! That's just the lazy, irresponsible "Pep Boys" way of doing it.

No way of knowing if any LSD clips are broken and causing damage to the differential without removing the cover.

Minor shavings would be normal at low mileage as the gears are breaking in, but with over 100k on the clock, there should be NOTHING in the fluid except fluid. If I see small shavings in the fluid, I'm usually right in assuming that there are larger pieces sticking to the magnet (which btw is SUPPOSED to be cleaned off when changing the diff fluid - which can't be done without removing the cover).

The "binding" you feel on wet grass is the LSD working as it's supposed to and is normal but noise from the differential on the open road is not and could be an indication that you've got a broken "C-Clip" floating around in there.

IMO, swell up and pull the differential cover and properly inspect the thing like you're supposed to or take it to a real mechanic who will. Might not be a single thing wrong, but you'll never know until it goes KABOOM if you don't actually inspect the thing.


Oh yeah, and your air bag light is due to a worn out clock spring in the steering column, your cruise control will start munking up too if it hasn't already. About a $40 part at most auto parts stores and a simple job to replace but if you don't have a steering wheel puller you can't change it. Most dealers charge about $300 for the job (parts & labor).

 

i wish i knew as much as you Hammer...lol

 

And yes it will go KABOOM!! Found that out the hard way.

Note: to everyone new to dodge trucks take care of your rearend and it will pull any thing you wont. Neglect your rearend and it could leave you on a set of railroad tracks on a family road trip in Texas.

A guy with lifted 4x4 dodge 2500 had to pull me off the tracks because my pinion broke off into my gears and locked up my rear axle!

Note 2: never use this guy in Killeen Tx to fix your gears my truck broke again before i got to Shreveport La. Sorry for the rant but still pisses me off when i think about it four years latter!

 

I'm just old and have had eight 4x4 pickups in my life (plus six 4x4 Jeep/SUVs), so in a LOT of cases it's just because I've already "been there & done that", LOL...


I will add that although I'm a big Dana axle fan, the AAMs in these trucks are solid as hell, it's the total POS stock, factory LSD that's the culprit 95% of the time someone has a problem...

 

So if the truck doesn't have the stock POS LSD, I shouldn't worry about the clips grenading my rear end?

 

Correct, if you do not have the stock LSD then you do not have the LSD retaining clips that break and cause havoc.

That still doesn't mean that you neglect fluid changes in the axle and do a full inspection at that time...