So I decided to change the oil in my differential, and I found this. Just laying there on top of the magnet.

It looks like this goes somewhere in there.


So I have a few Q's
1: What is it?
2: How did it get out of wherever it's supposed to be?
3: What do I do know?
4: can I still use the truck?

everything looks like its in place, its running fine although i hear a slight tapping noise coming from the rear, don't know if its the differential or something else.
and its an 02 ram 1500

 

Not sure what the ring is, but the little piece of metal is part of the clutch pack retainer. It and its remnants MUST come out. What's left can wreak havoc with the gear set.

 

The round ring (thrust washer) goes beneath the idler gears, between the gear and carrier...and the cross pin goes directly through the centre hole in that thrust washer .
There is no way that can just fall out....unless the carrier grenaded. If that differential was apart recently, Someone didnt put it together right.

 

There's a million and one threads on this issue. Technically they are called "Clutch pack Reataining clips" but for some reason everyone calls the c-clips.These clips are actually w-shaped and c-clips are what holds the axles into the rearend. so, do a search on c-clips and you'll see that everyone has the same issue with them breaking off and ruining things inside. The noise you are hearing could be the slack in the clutch packs from the missing retaining clip which takes slack out of the clips-carrier housing.

 

And...just a little further to my above post. There are supposed to be two of those thrust washers, one under each gear top and bottom. With that washer not in place, there would be more free play in the clutch packs, and even more cause for the retaining clip to fall out.

Unless of course, the washer you have is a spare left in there from previous maintenance or initial assembly.

 

To the OP.

Firstly, You definately have clutch pack retaininbg clip issues.
Get them taken all out and upgraded as Dodge finally made an upgrade to those clips in 06 bI think.

Secondly, there is NO WAY that thrust washer should be laying in the bottom of your diff.
I cant for the life of me figure out, how it's managed to come off the center pin in the diff?
It's got to have been left out on a previous service/rebuild??

Get that rear to a diff expert along with the background info from this site, about the "C clip issues". If he's a diff man, he should know all about these Dodge LSD problems. If he doesn't, GO ELSWHERE!! and find one that does.
Have the rear serviced and replace either the retaining clips with OEM upgrades from Dodge. Or....... do what many of us on here do me included and upgrade to a DTT or Aurburn unit, and forget about the rear and any future probs from it as those units are bomb proof unlike the stock sh***y lsd.
Al.

 

Good advice from someone who's been there & done that...

 

Cheers Hammer......As you say I've been there and done that but have never looked back, apart from breezing by ricers lol, since fitting my DTT.
Al.

 

Thanks guys for the replies. How much do you guys think this is gonna cost me to FIX it? sorry for my noob Question but what does DTT stand for?

 

DTT stands for a Detroit TruTrac. It's a gear driven bias Limited slip differential instead of our clutch pack design stocker.
There's another popular LSd that's also an upgrade, called an Aurburn LSD. This is another very strong LSD, but uses a clutch pack design similar but far better and stronger than our stock LSD system.
I chose the DTT, because of it's gear driven design and the fact you don't have to ever add any friction modifier.
The DTT and Aurburns have differences, in that the Aurburn apparently kicks in a little earlier than a DTT when conditions persist. But a DTT is stronger, due to it's helical bias gear drive design. Plus, the DTT doesnt have clutches to wear out.
Saying that, the Aurburns once fitted, will probably outlast your truck before that ever happens and are about $70-100 cheaper from memory.
Can't help you on a rebuild price, as I live across the pond here in the UK. One of the guys will chime in and give you a US ball park $ figure.
However, you MUST find an experienced Dodge rear end expert for the rebuild and that unfortunately, is usually one of the hardest things to find. Do NOT take it to a shady tree expert or garage, unless they can prove they have done successful repairs and instalations on these Dodge differentials. These diffs are not overly complicated at all, but do take an experienced Dodge guy, to sort them out. We unfortunately hear all too often on this board, horror stories of failed attempts to sort out diff problems by inexperienced to Dodge mechanics, on this forum.
That's where you need to spend your money right there!
Hope this helps?
Al.