Hello all. I'm new here. My name is Lance. I work at a local speed shop, and have a SVT Cobra Mustang and a 1972 Camaro SS..and I trailer these vehicles with a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab 4x4 Hemi. My father recently took the truck into the dealer for an oil change (has 61k) and they noted that the rear pinion seal was leaking. By the time it was parked and on the hoist, it had a 50 cent piece sized puddle under the rear end. They said it would be wise to replace it now, and with the new seal, labor, and fluids ect it would be just north of 200 bucks. Sure, whatever. So they pull the rear cover, and call my Dad into the shop to "have a look at a problem" and it turns out the retainer clip for the differential had broke, and it actually wore into the rear end housing, and carrier bearing cap. We had them button it back up, brought the truck home, and put it on the lift and took the cover back off and started pulling the rear end apart. It wore so far, that it reached the threads of the carrier bearing cap, and being that the part that it mounts to is casted as part of the housing itself, it seems as though the whole rear end is shot. Has anyone heard of this happening? The dealer said the housing is not availble, so it has to be found used. They said they located one with 30k miles and a 30 day warranty, and would be 2,800 plus labor. We're going to put it in ourselves on our lift, but 2,800 seems kind of steep for a used rear end..maybe I'm just nuts? Anywhoo, I can't post a Wanted Ad in the classifieds because I don't have enough posts..so I was wondering if anyone else has ever had this problem, and if so, any tips on finding a used complete rear axle assembley? It has a 3.92 gear.

No good pictures of the Ram, just one I shot tonight on the lift, but here's a couple decent ones of my Cobra and Camaro!

 

welcome to the site! You my friend have my DREAM CAR 72 CAMARO! WOW that thing is a beauty.. What do you have done to it? And what does she run in the 1/4?

Where in Ohio are you

 

Welcome to the site

CPRCs (clutch Pack Retaining Clips) and their breakage in the Ram LSDs is actually common. They hold the clutch packs together during assembly of the LSD. You can actually replace them if you want or remove the bearing cap and try to pull out what you can. It is common for them to be found at the bottom of the diff housing and/or ground into pieces to the point where the oil looks very silvery.

You can go over this link and look at pic 18 and see how it all works.

http://www.off-roadweb.com/tech/1011...lok/index.html

If you need a Parts Catalog or Service Manual then you can download it from the links in my sig. Come see us over in the #rd Gen Ram section for more help

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen-ram-65/

 

Welcome to the site. Check out the third generation Ram section,
FF

 

Welcome to Dodge Forum!! Enjoy the site!!

Dusty

 

Welp, I don't have to do that, it already did it! lol. It was wearing into the carrier bearing cap and the threads that the carrier cap bolts go into, in the housing..so the housing is pretty much ruined since I have no way to put a bearing cap on now.