80 MPH Flatdeck Towing with Ram on Top

[03MopaRamman]

Yes Its embarrassing! But up there the Fords Guys were staring Wow nice Truck!



Trucks been grounded for a week and a half as i try and sort out what I done to her. Pretty sure I've located the problem but the reason she's on the Tow Truck is i want to make sure the Gears and drivetrain are OK and am going to have that checked out and at the same time install a new front driveshaft as that I think is the Noise Culprit I've been experiencing. Parts bought so far total just under $800 bucks with my Good looks Discount...

I was doing 80 MPH in the PT and you can see how far back I was.



Was i worried, ****-Yeah! Truck was in neutral with the winch chains holding her and the rear chains crunching down the leafsprings via my trailer Hitch.

The Tow Truck can do 140 KPH as tuned and they have another one that tows semi's and it can do 160.

 

[KGBIGCOUNTRY]

Damn Danny hate seein rams on flat beds.

 

[03MopaRamman]

I know man its not a good thing to see that maybe why no one else has commented. Only thing kept me from crying like a Girl was the fact it looked cool up there and cudo's for the Tow Truck driver passing at least 5-6 Rams on the HWY.
I have free 160 K towing as part of my Canadian Auto Association Membership so may as well use it (first time ever) as its good security in the wallet, the member is covered regardless of vehicle when stranded (I could be hitchhiking and I'm covered).

 

[Hemiguy0302]

I know what its like. Got lotsa looks too but the tow truck was much smaller than yours. When they tilted the deck back down with my truck on it, the front wheels of the deck truck just barely came off the ground.

 

[Redtruck-VA]

Yes Its embarrassing! But up there the Fords Guys were staring Wow nice Truck!



Trucks been grounded for a week and a half as i try and sort out what I done to her. Pretty sure I've located the problem but the reason she's on the Tow Truck is i want to make sure the Gears and drivetrain are OK and am going to have that checked out and at the same time install a new front driveshaft as that I think is the Noise Culprit I've been experiencing. Parts bought so far total just under $800 bucks with my Good looks Discount...

I was doing 80 MPH in the PT and you can see how far back I was.



Was i worried, ****-Yeah! Truck was in neutral with the winch chains holding her and the rear chains crunching down the leafsprings via my trailer Hitch.

The Tow Truck can do 140 KPH as tuned and they have another one that tows semi's and it can do 160.

Danny, What have I missed? I wasn't even aware you had a problem. Sounds like you are saying you have broken the front shaft. Good luck..

 

[03MopaRamman]

Greg, forget what post but last week when you called me a F**kn tease is when I kinda hinted I had a problem. It started two weeks ago just after some real cold weather and after a hard 4 wheel launch to show the boys how she could move off the line on those icy roads, it sounded like it was binding/high spot.

First look underneath noticed my right caliper was leaking/sticking (new from Oct with 2400 Miles on it), got that exchanged under guarantee from Napa, Changed it in the cold, no change so I thought it was my 4x4 wheel bearing assy on the same side (I do have 235K Kilometers), so I had to wait 4 days for the part, changed it out at -25 in the driveway and still the same noise, so I figured it must have been the left side vibrating through to the right, changed it up and no change in noise, Checked the rear parking brake shoes under the rotors and all was well there. So i called my gear guy and we agreed he should take a look to ensure nothing has gone wrong with the gears. I never thought to check the movement on the front drive shaft where it goes into the transfer case. Just before the tow truck came I crawled underneath and gave her a check and it moves up and down pretty good where the crimped round metal piece covers the joint that attaches to the u-joint spline assy. As I said never thought to check it earlier as that part of the shaft has a big protective cover over it.

I dropped off a brand new driveshaft to the Gear shop and hopefully thats all she needs now but just to make sure all the gears/auburn is Ok and not making any noise as I want to also keep in good relations with that shop too as I still feel they did a great job.

Those shafts are prone to failure (Duh but not much on the forums bout this) and I also forgot to mention that I went 4x4ing through a pretty deep ditch and had snow up to my doors and had to stop and back-up a couple times before I was able to get back onto the street, it was undeleivable how I was able to go through there (shortcut through my back alley!). I can litterally Not get stuck if i don't get high centered so the 4:56 and auburn mod was a good decision and the duratracs are awesome.

Hoping to get her back Monday!!!

 

[03MopaRamman]

Brett I remember that was when your front bearings went on you!

 

[Redtruck-VA]

Danny,
I never gave it a thought that you where having a problem, I thought you were sitting on a new mod. Personally, I believe the gears are solid. It's the shaft....

 

[03MopaRamman]

Its taken me a while to realize but you are most probably Right! I was pissed at myself that I couldn't solve it and that I was stumped and should have just asked you guys but was too pigheaded and its been Brutally Cold out there last two weeks you wouldn't beleive.

My next mods and jobs are exactly as per my signature and hope to get that shifter going ASAP as I want to Data-Log sooo Bad!

Thanks, Later.

 

[Redtruck-VA]

A bad shaft should give you a rythmic vibration and sound.

 

[Trupiano]

Man, that's sad to see Danny. But hell, it looks pretty good up there! Hope you get the problem sorted out quick!

 

[03MopaRamman]

Was a Nightmare Ordeal but the Truck is back Today, although I replaced 1400 in parts to diagnose the problem over a 3 week period i did not realize that the two rear outside bearings where never replaced during the 3K spent on Diff Job back in January, So long story short (Don't Assume anything as it makes an ass out of everyone)the driverside rear bearing (Culprit) failed and destroyed one axle and almost the Diff housing Assy where the Race sits in about 5 miles driving as i crippled home. The Gear Guys at the Shop where she was flatbedded too worked on the Truck over two days and where also stumped as it took 10 Hours total and in the end the diff was set up again with new carrier and pinion bearings to eleviate the chance of any shavings being hid in there as the bearing fell apart when the shaft was pulled and shavings everywhere. The Owner was pretty helpful and in the end didn't charge me for those bearing parts nor fluid nor Friction Modifier and only 4 hours labour to cover off the employee swe. So add 685 to above 1400 + 3K in January.

Although a 1 in a million bad luck if you do your gears and have high mileage (especially) insist on changing out those outside rear bearings that don't come in the master kit. I have a photo that showed 5 bearings but now know it was the front kit, not rear in that photo.

Lesson two, never buy rebuilt 1/2 shafts, I've been through 3 in the last year. Now I am Running 2 x new OEM ones along with new 4x4 front hub bearings and brand new front driveshaft as well and I can tell you there is no more excess play up front as well.

Thanks for those who were interested and for the support.

Bump.

P.S. I'm Broke till the end of the Month!...LOL...and BTW I still love my Ram and appreciate it more than ever.
Danny

 

[Redtruck-VA]

Danny, unbelievable..... who would have thought a rear bearing after just doing the rear axle. But yes, I also didn't change axle bearings. I did the seals, but not the bearings. Do you think it had anything to do with it being so cold? Anyway good you got the old giirl back together. I have to say that truck has a lot of new parts hanging on her.
Well done....

 

[03MopaRamman]

Danny, unbelievable..... who would have thought a rear bearing after just doing the rear axle. But yes, I also didn't change axle bearings. I did the seals, but not the bearings. Do you think it had anything to do with it being so cold? Anyway good you got the old giirl back together. I have to say that truck has a lot of new parts hanging on her.
Well done....

The Cold..definately, thats when **** breaks or just after when it thaws.
At -35 wind chill the tires roll like the flintstones. I had her plugged in all day but was leaving work and assing around from the security gate to the HWY turn off when the noise first appeared. Definately need to take it easy when cold and allow all the fluids to warm up before hammering it. Just today a fellow worker with a mint 2nd Gen drove 25 miles from town and his truck did not shift into overdrive, pulled the relay and it worked. When its cold it takes up to 5 miles of driving before my tranny will warm up enough for it to allow that top gear to function. sorry long post but its been a stressfull time and I am bagged from work as well and to top it off had to take out the magnum yesterday. Its back in the garage and its supposed to warm up a little to -19 tommorow.

 

[Oefootball_70]

What the heck? My post keep getting deleted.


That is crazy man, glad you got it all figured out.

 

[03MopaRamman]

Yeah a 1/2 hour ago I got booted out and it said the server was down or something, I was lost!

She's Back! Yes.

 

[Redtruck-VA]

With the temperatures that cold, I synthetic oil in everything a must.

Edit: yeah, I was getting data error...

 

[03MopaRamman]

If you can for sure, Shes old so I do Semi-Synthetic Quaker state 4x4, and actually if it is cold for weeks on end your oil will end up smelling of fuel and oil pressure will drop and you will have to change it out in as little as 3 weeks with too many cold starts, I've seen it happen a couple of times. They also have a winter 5w30 full synthetic that is pretty popular and now comes in the popular 5w20.

Just Talkin now, but beleive me am real happy to have my Truck Back!

 

[Redtruck-VA]

Danny, that I am sure of. Hell, I'm excited to get back to Virginia to work on Red.

 

[Hemiguy0302]

Brett I remember that was when your front bearings went on you!

They went just instantly too. So ******* scary. Glad to hear your baby is healthy again