Flinbrain.... Thanks for the info. I'll have it checked out right away, checking for metal in the oil. Mine only made a slight noise once that I have noticed, kinda like the sound you hear when you back over a bayliner ............ just a little crunch & grind. No noise since then.

Niuhi .... Mine is a 96' 2500. Not as heavy as yours, but heavier than a 1500.

Roger:cool:

Dodge rears
 

I'm on my third (and last for a while) Dodge.

95 5.2 dakota, carrier brgs at about 36K under warranty, did not feel bad, towed a lot with it and it was an 8.25 rear axle- traded at 40k

98 durango, 5.2, towed with that too, never any trouble, 9.5" rear like the 1/2 ton pickups, traded at 40k, no trouble

2001 2500 with hopped up cummins and 11.5" Dana 80, tow often (Pure tow rig now, bought a grocery getter), 55k, runs strong, many trips grossing 20k.

The 9.5" generally has a good rep, you can get a "bad" bearing in any axle.

If you can handle the noise and smell, diesel's the only way to tow- get your $upgrade money back on resale.

my brother had one go out on his 1500 4x4 at 45k mech at dealer said they have been seeing this problem with a lot of 1500 series 4x4s.

I've got a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee(Chrysler Product) and the rear differential was just replaced after 38,000 miles!!! It was making that loud humming noise like I had a set of Super Swampers all the way around, so I brought it to the dealer.

The front brakes were replaced at 20,000 miles, rear brakes replaced at 38,000 miles and the rear diff at 38,000. I WILL NEVER buy another Chrylser product...not olny because they SUCK, but the dealer that I have been using SUCKS too. My last routine service(38,000 miles) cost me 1200 bucks!!!

Don't ever bring your vehicle to Bayside Jeep in Bayside Queens, NY!

Had pinion bearing failure at 79K on a 1996 Ram 1500. It looked like one roller bearing had a small piece break free and score the remaining roller bearings. sounded bad but never completely failed.

I got a 1500 4+4 ex-cab 1998 with 40,000

i love it no problem`s here


mike

Buddy of mine dropped his rear on a '98 1500, but it did have 90k on it. Won't catch me dead in Chrysler product.

Had one. 95 Ram 1500 4x4, 5.9l v8. Rear end was toast at about 80k miles. Needed a complete rebuild. Trans went south at 70k, had it fixed then the torque converter actually exploded and left us stranded for 5 hours with the boat in tow. Took me about 5 yrs to figure out a good combination of pads and rotors that would stop well and last.

Other than that we loved the truck. But towing 5500lbs all summer took it's toll. Now we have a 2000 F-350 V-10 and will probably never buy another Dodge truck.:mad:

Eric

Pinion bearing or backlash?
 

I have a '92 Dakota with the 9 inch rear end, and it has been making the humming noise for several years now. The noise only happens with light throttle - goes away when it coasts or under heavy load. Also gets louder on a right-hand turn. Right now it has 152000 miles on it. I pulled the axles and carrier out last year and inspected everything because I thought it was an axle or carrier bearing. Everything looked OK, not a lot of metal in the lube. Now I'm suspicious that there is excessive backlash between the ring and pinion. Might pull the carrier out this fall and try to re-shim. I replaced all u-joints and driveshaft carrier bearing last year, along with transmission mount.

I had problems with the limited slip clutches popping until I ran the Mopar HD lube. No problems since then, all this after replacing lube several times (with posi additives) because of this problem.

Transmission has occasionally made a loud buzzing sound in reverse since I bought it in '96. Windshield wipers started making a grinding sound like the "wa-wa" guitar in an old Cream song for the last five years, but they still work. I keep waiting for this thing to crap out and fall apart, but it just keeps going! I guess I can't complain - haven't been stranded yet, and it's been through hell and back several times. Even did some "ditch jumping" in it with the boat in tow! :eek:

I'll probably just drive it till it drops, then get something newer. If it makes noise, just turn up the radio! :D

Flyinbrian, thanks for the tip. I had that knock for many miles. I am at 180,000 with a 96 1500 ext cab. One tranny at 115,000. No rear end (3.92). This truck has towed 10,000lbs 7 hours a dozen times. Air bags on the rear help a lot. No other problems. I have driven them all and I have never kept a truck this long. The best I have ever had.:D