Hi folks, new to the forum and really appreciate all the good information I have learned already.

I have some questions but first some info about the truck. It is a 94 Ram, 2500, cummins and standard trans. 4X4, 225,000 miles on it. It has some performance upgrades and is brand new to us, only 144 miles since my 17 yr old son turned over his life savings to the PO.

Ok, so on the first day, he was dropping a friend off at home, said friend lives on a rural area with a 1/4 mi long driveway that had not been plowed so my son puts it into 4 low and within a few feet - grenades the T-case. I come out to see the issue. The front drive shaft "cone" broke off the case and the drive shaft smacked the case hard enough to break a chunk out of it I can put my hand into. Not good at all. So I put it into 2wd and take her home. Once there I take a look, the case is cracked all the way to the rear of the case... yes I know, must have been a serious smack right?


So now here is the question. Finding a t-case in a junk yard from a similar truck we have found to be difficult at best. the tag is labled NV241 DLD but son insists it is a HD truck.

1. What other trucks can I look for to find a replacement case.
2. What years?
3. Does it have to be a manual or will an auto t-case work?
4. What should I look for when I do find a replacement?
5. Obviously this does not happen often, as I have not found a single instance anywhere online or talking to others who are far more knowledgeble so what might have caused it?

Thanks again for the great website and all your help.

 

Just go by what the tag says on the old t-case. Search around local junkyards and go from there. Ive been through 3 so far. As for what caused it. Could have been a number of things. No fluid, bad u-joints. Not really sure why he would have used 4lo. Better off using 4hi. His speed in 4lo could have caused the failure also. Good luck with the search and hopefully you find one and get it all fixed up.

 

A used NV241 should be pretty common to find. I never used 4-Lo in my 2001 Cummins except when pulling a vehicle severely stuck in mud.

 

Ok, so we live in Denver CO, pouplation of about 30bazillion to many and no shortage of gen 2 dodge trucks... Do you think we can find a t-case in a local junk yard? Oh heck no. But I did find one about 150 miles north of here so guess where I am off to this evening (dont want to chance the guy selling it before the weekend). Wish us luck, my son wants to install it tonight - might be a bit to cold for me to be lying in the driveway in the dark till midnight...

I will report back when we get er done. Any advice on the R&R, things to look out for?

Thanks