Axle noise….2017 Ram 2500 4x4 3.73 Anti Spin rear axle question.

[Ryan Poulos]

I recently bought a 2017 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 with a 6.4 hemi and 341,000 miles on it. Yes I know Im crazy but the truck is clean. It also had a new Dealer installed motor 80k miles ago, and a Jasper 6 speed auto trans 18k miles ago. Both still under warranty.
The prior owner hauled an aluminum motorcycle trailer coast to coast for shows. So all highway miles.
the one issue the truck has is the rear axle. Rear axle is a 3.73 ‘Anti-Spin’ per window sticker.
When driving normal (no trailer), it seems fine, but you feel a (tug)(hesitation)(pulse) when taking off. The last time I felt this was a 2001 Dually I had and it was the pinion bearings.
I took the truck in and a shop had it 2 days driving around. They agreed it was probably the pinion bearings, or an internal bearing, but did not want to tear it down. They wanted to sell me a complete swap out Jasper axle for $4900 installed. I was like no way. That’s crazy. So I got the truck back.
So my question to anyone out there is should I buy a used one from a salvage and swap out, or dig into this one? Or find a better axle shop around north texas? Im north of Dallas/Plano. I’m pretty mechanical but axles freak me out with things needing to be so accurate or you burn stuff up later.
Any input is welcomed. Thank you.

 

[crash68]

Try to find a low mileage one and swap the whole thing out, any one with the same gearing from a +'14 truck will fit
Check: www.car-part.com

 

[GTyankee]

The carrier assembly needs to be opened up before any decision is made

If you have broken teeth in the pinion or ring gears, you have options

If it is just the axle bearing(s), you have to do less work

If while you were driving, the rear end sounds like you had a metal pipe with another metal pipe inside of it & you turned the 2nd pipe inside of the first pipe, i wish you luck

 

[Ryan Poulos]

Try to find a low mileage one and swap the whole thing out, any one with the same gearing from a +'14 truck will fit
Check: www.car-part.com

Thanks. What should I expect to pay? Is there a non anti spin and anti spin? Whats the difference and will either work?

 

[Ryan Poulos]

The carrier assembly needs to be opened up before any decision is made

If you have broken teeth in the pinion or ring gears, you have options

If it is just the axle bearing(s), you have to do less work

If while you were driving, the rear end sounds like you had a metal pipe with another metal pipe inside of it & you turned the 2nd pipe inside of the first pipe, i wish you luck

My gut says tear it down and inspect like you are saying. It leaks nothing and nothing seems ‘wiggly’ or noisy. Its just taking off from a stop, or slowing down and accelerating low to high quickly. No change turning or going 60-80mph. I did pull my 2007 the other day (see pic) and I felt it big time taking off. Reminded me of my old 2001 dually when I pulled a 3 car trailer and it would shutter under load. That ended up being pinion bearings. Will I need a dial mic or any special tool to take apart or reassemble properly?

 

[Ryan Poulos]

No metal pipe sound. Its really more of a ‘feel’ then a noise.

 

[crash68]

What should I expect to pay? Is there a non anti spin and anti spin? Whats the difference and will either work?

Prices will vary depending on part age/mileage and where it's located.
Either non-anti-spin or anti-spun will work, you'll probably pay a little more for the anti-spun version. If you don't go off-road, deal with snowy/slippery conditions or pull a boat out of a launch ramp the non-anti-spin will probably be fine.

 

[GTyankee]

I wish you luck finding the cause of the issue

 

[Ryan Poulos]

I’m doing two things. One, looking at complete units, and still thinking I may roll the dice on tearing into and repairing.

I found the only American axle like mine with some guys doing a gear swap. Id need a few tools for re-assembly (dial mic and torque o meter), but doesnt look horrible.

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[crazy jerry]

340k is alot of miles and i wouldnt be suprised if the diff bearings are wore out, especially if it only had one or two gear oil changes in the 340k. alot of people neglect the differentials and transfer case with rarely or never changing the oil.
if your mechanicaly smart then pop the cover off and look at everything and make a decision from there. at this point your just guessing if theres a problem or where it could be

 

[R.D.J.]

I would find a competent axle/driveline shop and have it diagnosed, and repaired.

There is absolutely no reason, why if it were simply side bearings or pinion bearings, that the whole axle assembly be replaced. Thats absurd.

These differentials and axles are completely rebuildable with new bearings/seals.

 

[GsRAM]

I would find a competent axle/driveline shop and have it diagnosed, and repaired.

There is absolutely no reason, why if it were simply side bearings or pinion bearings, that the whole axle assembly be replaced. Thats absurd.

These differentials and axles are completely rebuildable with new bearings/seals.

Possibly, unless he found a good deal on the complete axle and he can do the work himself paying a shop (parts plus labor) to rebuild his current axle. Mechanical labor rates these days are just plain crazy ($150 plus/hr at some shops) I try to do as much of the work as I can myself.

 

[R.D.J.]

Possibly, unless he found a good deal on the complete axle and he can do the work himself paying a shop (parts plus labor) to rebuild his current axle. Mechanical labor rates these days are just plain crazy ($150 plus/hr at some shops) I try to do as much of the work as I can myself.

I understand, and its easy for me to say because I own a shop and do these repairs.

The way I see it, id rather pay that 150/hour for a couple of hours to re bearing and set up the diff, than waste many hours changing the assembly (a used one with a big question mark on it) and have to pay a few hundred dollars for it anyhow. But, to each their own.

 

[crazy jerry]

a used axle (with questionable maintenance history mind you) will likely cost more than rebuilding the old one with all new parts. the only time a used axle makes sense is if yours was bent or something like that

 

[JohnCA]

I would call Transtar in Dallas and ask for the names of a couple local transmission shops who do lots of axle work. I use to work for the Canadian subsidiary and most sales people will tell you what shops they would trust, and most tranny shops do complete driveline repairs.
Transmission shops drive vehicles every day with drivetrain problems, they should be able to narrow it down with a test drive.

 

[snoty]

I have a 2016 1500 with an "Anti-Spin Differential Rear Axle" and 66k miles. A couple weeks ago I noticed a howling noise and through my internet research, self-diagnosed it was the pinion bearing. That is out of my scope of work that I'd perform on my truck so I took it to the dealership. They confirmed it was the pinion bearing and wanted to charge me $2,800. They said they tried to push it through under warranty but couldn't and were able to lower the price to $2,300. I put a little more pressure on them saying that it was just out of the 60k warranty but under the 5 years and they got it warrantied.

It seems like a lot of money to get in there and replace the pinion bearing but with your high mileage, a rebuild might be worth it.

 

[22hemi13]

Holy heck that’s a lot. I’d take to a reputable diff shop and have them do it.

 

[Travelin Ram]

I would find a competent axle/driveline shop and have it diagnosed, and repaired.

There is absolutely no reason, why if it were simply side bearings or pinion bearings, that the whole axle assembly be replaced. Thats absurd.

These differentials and axles are completely rebuildable with new bearings/seals.

+1, and you surely do not want to do business with a shop that had the truck 2 days and diagnosed it by merely driving it. That’s just laziness. It would take them only minutes to remove the cover and do an actual inspection, where it would be readily apparent the condition of all the bearings as well as the gears.

Find a competent shop and if they have to open it up, have all the bearings including axles replaced.

I don’t buy the diagnosis merely on what I’ve read so far. An impulse on pulling away could be axle wrap, a sticking slip yoke, or an issue with the Jasper trans, a bad engine or trans mount…

 

[Ryan Poulos]

I decided to swap it out for a clean Axle with 95k miles for $900. Even has a 1yr warranty. That said what’s the best gear grease to run in it? Do I need an additives? Its the Anti-Spin 3.73 axle just like I have now.

 

[Ryan Poulos]

I would find a competent axle/driveline shop and have it diagnosed, and repaired.

There is absolutely no reason, why if it were simply side bearings or pinion bearings, that the whole axle assembly be replaced. Thats absurd.

These differentials and axles are completely rebuildable with new bearings/seals.

I hear you. Trust me I called everyone. I found on guy that said he’d do it an hour away, but only if I brought the axle out. And he said ring and pinion gears were months out to get. Backordered all over.