hello everyone, pretty fantastic place you all have setup here. I come seeking guidance on figuring out what these pieces are that i found laying below the pinion at the rear end in the middle of replacing a bad pinion bearing. im all done and would love to button her up and get back on the road but i just have to identify these first. ive web searched just about every exploded view of the rear end that i can find and still cant find mine with the 12 bolt pattern so of amyone knows the where abouts of one that would be a great help also. the truck is a 2002 Ram 1500 SLT Long bed quad cab automatic with the 5.9 v8. ill be posting a few dif pics of the mystery items.

thanks, Robert

 

Sorry to be the harbinger of doom but........Unfortinately.....you are the victim of the dreaded "clutch pack retaining clip failure" problem. Commonly but incorrectly called the "C-Clip problem"
You obviously have an LSD fitted to your rear and these clips, sit in pockets holding the clutch packs in your LSD.
They are a VERY and all too often failure, in Dodge 9.25 rear ends.
Do a search for "C clip failure" and pages and pages of txt and pics of the exact thing you have, are posted.
I myself fell foul of this, over 4 years ago.
I junked the stock carrier and fitted a Detroit Tru Trac and did a full rebuild and never looked back.
The typical repair and upgrade, is either to fit a DTT or an Aurburn LSD unit. The DTT uses gears and the Aurburn again a clutch pack, but superior in quality and design compared to the stock Dodge LSD.
You can also pull all the rest of the clips (4 in total) and run like that for thousands of miles until you save for the upgrade as I did or, fit modified new OEM clips from Dodge. But really, the stock unit even with the revised retaining clips, is a POS!!!
Check check and DOUBLE CHECK........that the clips haven't gouged your end caps and you have fine silvery glitter like aluminium particles floating in your old diff fluid. If you have and the gouges are seriously bad, a complete new or secondhand axle is required.
If only light or slight gouging is apparent, rebuild your rear with all new bearings after thoroughly cleaning internally the entire axle, as your bearings and seals will be goosed due to these fine aluminium particles contaminating them.
You do have a damaged rear and further checks must be made to make sure it's safe, so please do not button her back up without further investigations.
Hope this helps and I'm sorry for this bad news.
PS....welcome to the Retaining clip club
Al.

 

The good new is, you came to the right place to help you out with this. The bad news is..... what he said ^^^^^

 

As they said welcome to the retaining clip/c-clip club...

I too just found out about this problem, I have a 2003 ram 1500 with 190,000miles and started to hear a whinning sound, opened my diff and found 1-broken clip. I thought it would be a bearing but also found a groove cut into the main carrier cap and my oil looked like liquid mercury(shiny silver).

I found this forum as I was on a qwest to find out what that clip was also.

After speaking to a Specialty shop in california, the owner of the shop said he works on 2-3 of our trucks a week for this issue and said my pinion bearing most likely went because of all the metal particals mixing around in the oil which he said fouled up all my bearings and seals, He walked me through the steps to determine if my case was still good and thank god it is, because these cases even from a wrecking yard cost anywhere from 900-1500 out of a junker.

He highly recomended the Detroit trutrac as when he upgrades his customers to them they never come back with any issues.

I actually just ordered the differential bearing & seal kit with trutrac carrier, waiting for the delivery.

But JEGS didnt have the Axle bearing & seal kit so now i'm looking for the part number for them so I can order them from someone else (does anyone know what the Timken rear Axle Bearing & Seal part numbers are?)

Originally, I was going to attempt the install myself but have never done a pinion and carrier bearing job and am hesitant to take it on as it sounds complicated with the measuring of backlash and all.

As you have done the bearing on your pinion yourself.... is it difficult to do??

I'm currently looking for a shop to put mine together in NJ.

 

C Clip failure.... many many threads on here about it...... time for a major rebuild/replacement....

 

To the OP. Please be aware that unfortunately, most people refer to this as "c clip" failure.
If you go to a Dodge dealership or anyone else who does not frequent forums like this, you will be talking about an entirely different problem.
C clips retain the axle shafts deep inside the carrier. Clutch pack retaining clips are the correct terms for the problem you have and secure the clutch packs in place.
Do not approach mechanics/technicians using the c clip description as they will not have a clue what your talking about and you'll look stupid.
Plus you will get incorrect parts if you order c clips.
Just some friendly advice.
Al.

 

Sorry, so accustomed to using the term "C Clips" to define them for shorthand...

"Clutch Pack Retaining Clips" is the correct term...

 

first off id like to thank everonyone for your replies. I had no idea that this issue even existed. I was also wondering if anyone might know where I can find some detailed or exploded views of this rear end so I can get this problem solved.

 

Look on here for Weedahoe. He's a moderator and has posted all kinds of links to full manuals. Check his profile and the links are there.
You have the 5.9 but a hemi or 4.7 rear end, as long as yours is a 9.25", will be the same.

Izero......I have a friend who took his truck in for this problem and started to talk with the mech about "C clip" issues and the Tech looked horrified, as he thought the axles were about to fall out and not the LSD failing lol.

Al.

 

lol yes usually when I talk about retaining clips in person I use the words "RETAINING CLIPS"... but shorthand on forums is so much easier... I gotta stop being a lazy typer... haha