2001 Ram 1500 Dana 44 Front axle question

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Steve Anon

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Sorry if in wrong location.

So, I replaced my u-joints and hubs on the front end, and when I went to tighten my Hub nuts to the tremendous 180 Ft. lbs, to my dismay, the axle's just kept spinning even though I had it locked into four wheel drive.

Nothing dropped when removing the axles or inserting them, they went in rather smooth and the dust plate on the spindle yoke meets the rear of the Knuckle. Is this like a limited slip or should the axles turn from the wheel end in four wheel drive?

I did put the truck in Drive, and the front hubs spun about as fast as the rear wheels, so I think it is okay there, just did not want to drive it off the stands or burn my rear wheels out in one place.

Is the axle supposed to turn freely? If so, how do I tighten the hub nut?
 

Okiespaniel

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Welcome to RF!

There's a real simple way to do this.

BTW the axles turn because you have an open differential.

Assemble your brakes and everything, mount your tires, and put truck on the ground.

Torque your hub nut to spec, and if needed, slightly more to install cotter pin. Do not loosen to install the pin!

And I'm sorry but I laughed when I read your post. Can I ask how you loosened the nuts?
 

dapepper9

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Other thing is even though the transfer case is in 4x4, if you're working on the passenger side and you didn't start the truck when engaging 4x4 the axle collar won't lock in so you'll still spin.
 
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Steve Anon

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Welcome to RF!

There's a real simple way to do this.

BTW the axles turn because you have an open differential.

Assemble your brakes and everything, mount your tires, and put truck on the ground.

Torque your hub nut to spec, and if needed, slightly more to install cotter pin. Do not loosen to install the pin!

And I'm sorry but I laughed when I read your post. Can I ask how you loosened the nuts?

Thank-you.

Okay, so it is an open differential.

I was wondering if I was going to have to do something like that. Probably will just have someone stand on the brakes when their installed. the small center opening in the factory wheels I don't think would allow for the massive socket to enter, or the pin to be installed.

No, don't be sorry. I was attempting to write with a bit of comical relieve in there, and if you were laughing at me, that's okay too! :) . Well, it was in four wheel when the truck went up. I started on the passenger side using a breaker bar. The Axle or hub/spindle nut would not budge. Finally my wife told me to pack it in when she seen me standing on the breaker bar bouncing and it still would not turn. She got her sons torque wrench here the next morning. The passenger side still almost did not come off. The torque wrench was struggling.
 
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Steve Anon

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Other thing is even though the transfer case is in 4x4, if you're working on the passenger side and you didn't start the truck when engaging 4x4 the axle collar won't lock in so you'll still spin.

Thanks for that, Yeah. The truck was started when I engaged the four wheel drive, waited for the light to turn on. It was locked into place (Or something was preventing the axles to turn).
 
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Steve Anon

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Sounds like it's all figured out then! Glad Okie was able to get ya all squared away
Wont know for sure until tonight when I get home from work, but I think so! :) You did confirm something I suspected as well and appreciated your information.

I have worked on o'plenty vehicles, only one other 4x4 and it was a Tahoe, the behavior was quite different.
 

dapepper9

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Yeah they are for sure. These trucks the axle fork is vacuum actuated, hence having the truck running thing. Most other vehicles have an electric actuator so key on is usually plenty
 
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Steve Anon

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Yeah they are for sure. These trucks the axle fork is vacuum actuated, hence having the truck running thing. Most other vehicles have an electric actuator so key on is usually plenty
That is about the only thing I do not like about Dodge, their reliance on vacuum. Like with the heater controls as well. Vacuum tubes from my experience crack and break easier than wires.
 
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Steve Anon

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Admittedly, I do know enough about this axle/differential. Shouldn't the input pinion gear stop the ring gear from being spun by the cage when the axles are turned if it were locked into four wheel? If not, there would have to be some sort of clutch type device?
 
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Steve Anon

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Okay, I got it. When you spin the axle, it is turning the spider gears without spinning the cage. Because the spiders and axle pinions are spinning without the cage and ring gear spinning, this will force the opposite axle to spin in the opposite direction. That makes sense. Thank-you Okiespaniel and Dapepper9 for your quick responses and feedback. I believe I now have a much better understanding of an open differential. Mainly, it provides equal power to both wheels regardless of the condition of each wheel.
 

dapepper9

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Yeah the spiders will spin the opposite axle even if the pinion is locked when both wheels are off the ground. Open diff will send 100% power to whichever wheel has less traction however. So if you do a burnout or slip in mud/snow as soon as one tire loses traction it receives all the power leading to one wheel peel
 
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Steve Anon

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Oh really? So it is good for going fast, but not so much off road or ice? I was not aware that power would be cut to the traction wheel.
 
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