Hello everybody,

I just bought a Ram 1500 Hemi and one week into ownership the rear axle seal (driver side) started leaking. No biggie ... or so I thought. Pulled the cover off the diff. and noticed some pretty good amount of "glimmer" in the oil. I went on to pull the axle out and immediately saw the reason for all the shavings. The axle shaft was worn out so bad that the bearing had a good 1/8 of an inch play. I don't think that the groove I found on the axle is stock let alone machined. I went ahead and installed a new bearing as well as a seal. After reinserting the axle I set the c-clip and in order to seat the c-clip I pulled the axle until it came to a stop. And right there the shaft had major play again. SO from experience with some axles I know that one could by these "repair bearings" or "axle saver bearings". However, I could not find anything like it for my 2012. Has anyone seen or even used one on this year? For now I have pulled the bearing out of the axle tube by about one width of the bearing in order to locate the bearing on a good portion of the axle shaft. This places the bearing just behind the seal. I don't know if it will remain in that position though. Has anyone of you guys ran into this. Is my only option a new axle?
Let me know what you guys think or if you have any solutions. Thank you, Steven

 

finding a new part is probably dealer only and lots of mula. Maybe a local machine shop can do something about it. I'm thinking some material can be welded on and then machined down.

 

Pretty much. Although I could get the shaft for about $300. But as I was inspecting the other bearings I found pretty much every one of them shot. So now it's going to a shop anyway. I don't have the experience to set the pinion upon reinstall and I'd rather not screw up on this.
But I will ask a body of mine if he can "rebuild" an axle shaft. Good idea...thank you.

 

any warranty left?

 

No warranty left.
This would have been denied as warranty work anyway. The shop found a bent axle housing and that is the reason why the bearing/axle wore so badly.
Well, it's all fixed now.... $ouch$