I have a 07 Ram 4x4 quad cab hemi I have noticed that when when the roads are wet and I turn a corner I sometimes get some rear tire chatter, if the tires spin going in a straight line I don't really feel any chatter. I put a more aggressive tire on the truck this past summer wondering if that is what is causing the chatter. I had both diffs serviced as per Dodge's maintenance schedule and still have a couple months of warranty left. Basically want to know what the symptoms of a diff going bad are?

 

try adding posi lube to your rear end..

 

Before adding, check the level. But it does sound like it needs oil/anti slip additive

 

Thanks for the reply's I am going to take it in and get it serviced again because it is still under warranty till the end of Dec. The truck has 88000 kms on it this will be the 3rd time I have had the diffs serviced, does anyone know if they remove the cover to drain and inspect or do they just suck out the old and pump in the new (will be getting serviced at a Dodge dealer)

 

INSIST they take the cover off the pumpkin and inspect. Ratcheting around turns is almost always an indication that there is no/not enough/warn out LSD additive...

 

Might also be a clip inside the diff that is broken/worn, so insist that they do a complete inspection on the diff, and bring in your old receipts/copies of the work orders from the previous few times it was serviced.

Come prepared to have to demand that they perform a complete inspection, but be polite and courteous initially. Just come in an say something along the lines of; "hey I've been having repeated trouble with my truck's rear-end, here are the previous service reports, I'm a little concerned that this keeps coming back, can you please have the mechanic pull the differential cover off and give the rear end a thorough inspection?"

9 times out of 10, if they are a good service department they will give you a very positive answer.

You'll likely get a better response & result if you call ahead and ask for the service manager, and then have him schedule your visit instead of just doing a walk-in, as then they will have set aside a mechanic and his time for you.

 

Thanks again for the replys, I just talked to the dealer I told him I have read about alot of Ram differentials that have been grenading because of clutch pack retaining clips falling out, he tells me that in 06 they changed the design (my truck is a 07) and they have not seen any problems since. They suck out and fill he also suggested like you guys have that the diff simply needs new fluid and slip modifier. Don't know which way to proceed they bonly problem I am experiencing is the wheel chatter when my tires spin turning on a wet road.

 

Sounds like wheel-hop... how are your tires?

 

Tires were new last spring I had goodyear 20" that came from the factory I put on a more aggresive tire on Cooper AT3

 

well that could be causing some of the issue... you might be getting on and off traction when it's wet b/c of the tires, which is causing some wheel hop... wheel hop is usually much more common on a FWD car...

To be honest, I'd have to actually experience your truck doing that in order to properly diagnose it, b/c it is hard to say what it is exactly.

But definitely have them look at those clips and the rest of the gears, b/c they can break, and if it is under warranty it should be covered.