Ok I need help! Please bear with me because i do not know much about cars. I have a 2004 ram 1500 4x4. I was driving and Igeard a horrible noise i pulled over and checked under my truck looked around and didn't see anything that was out of place so i started going again. About 2 mins later I heard a horrible clunk and lost control of my truck. The drive shaft was hanging off my truck. I had a friend come out and pull the shaft out and was going to pull me but my rear end is seized up. I had to call a tow truck to have it towed the 2 miles to where I was going. I have read that i will need a whole new rear end or that it is something simple as replacing a pinion? I really need help on what is going here im going to pull the cover in a littlw bit but I honestly have no idea of what im looking at.

 

Hard to tell the extent of the damage without pulling the cover.

 

So what exactly am i looking for once i pull the cover. I am over 60 miles from home with no tools right now. Working on getting aaa to tow home but it will be 3 days before i can get my truck home to even pull the cover and look.

 

Unfortunately it will be obvious. My guess is a bearing came apart a jammed the ring gear. Without seeing it in person I would say your looking at a rebuild. As long a the case is not damage they can use yours. Sorry I don't have better news.

 

heres a small list of things that could be damaged..


) driveshaft (obviously)
)tail shaft
)teeth from ring and pinion
)cracked rear end carrier


will need a full inspection, my guess is you busted the ring and pinion cause its now locked up you said..if your not wanting to put a ton of money into the rearend, your best bet would find one from a wrecking yard and have it installed..