2016 CTD 2500 REAR DIFFERENTIAL QUESTION

Truck moves side to side and fore and aft while driving so there is lube getting to the bearings.

Wet bearings do not use grease. The manual is wrong.

LIKE2BUILD wrote:

CharlesinGA wrote:

I installed the aluminum Mopar cover on mine. ....pulled the axles and hubs and drained the fluid trapped in the hubs, cleaned and repacked the bearings in synthetic moly grease and put it all back together.

Never heard of packing outer axle bearings with grease. When servicing hubs I have either dipped the bearings in oil or lighted coated with grease during install, but that was just to be sure there was lube on them until the gear oil got out there. When running normal there should always be gear oil running over the outer bearings.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
" cleaned and repacked the bearings in synthetic moly grease and put it all back together. There was no grease left in the bearings, it had all been washed out."

WOW this is news to me! NEVER heard of packing a full floaters wheel/axle bearings. The gear lube is supposed to libricate the bearings.

Washed out? I say it was never there.

Not sure how the gear oil is expected to reach the hub bearings using stock fill levels. The gear oil level from one half inch below the fill hole, to the point where it can enter the hub area thru the spindle is about two inches of elevation, possibly a little more. That is STATIC. Watch the Banks Power videos and see how the fluid level goes down as the fluid circulates around the ring gear.

https://youtu.be/n4DQ-jzKQRw

https://youtu.be/09JsDorR6tw

https://youtu.be/0PMvVcsU3PE

https://youtu.be/9-yG3D3JBRs

My '03 Heavy Duty owners manual says to repack the rear wheel bearings any time the brake linings are replaced or the rotors are turned/replaced.

In my '03 factory shop manual, in the axle section for the 11.5 AAM axle, installing the hub bearings, it says to "pack the bearings with appropriate grease" prior to installation.

My '03 is the first year Chrysler used the AAM axle, as it is my understanding that Dana axles were used prior to this in the 2500/3500 trucks. I would have to communicate with AAM about this, but I don't think that AAM had any expectation of gear oil reaching the bearings, and certainly not enough to properly lubricate them.

Charles

CharlesinGA wrote:

I installed the aluminum Mopar cover on mine. ....pulled the axles and hubs and drained the fluid trapped in the hubs, cleaned and repacked the bearings in synthetic moly grease and put it all back together.

Never heard of packing outer axle bearings with grease. When servicing hubs I have either dipped the bearings in oil or lighted coated with grease during install, but that was just to be sure there was lube on them until the gear oil got out there. When running normal there should always be gear oil running over the outer bearings.

I had issues where my hub seals were leaking. I finally found a source for unitized oil seals and installed those and haven't had a problem since.

I do some heavy hauling on occassion and wanted better cooling for the axle. I found a good deal on an AAM aluminum finned diff cover and installed that when I put in the unitized seals. I haven't used a temp gun so I can't give a before and after comparison, but I feel a lot better with the extra cooling abilities.

KJ

" cleaned and repacked the bearings in synthetic moly grease and put it all back together. There was no grease left in the bearings, it had all been washed out."

WOW this is news to me! NEVER heard of packing a full floaters wheel/axle bearings. The gear lube is supposed to libricate the bearings.

Washed out? I say it was never there.

REPEAT, fill level a bit low is so you don't spill any and have to call in HazMat.

FishOnOne wrote:
A bit off topic but I once had a Mercury outboard with a noisy lower unit. I tried various lubes to see if I could make it quieter. I have to say that the Severe Gear yielded the best results.

OHmy! Next thing you will be driving a CTD RAM. :E

There are those that think AMZ/OIL is SakeOil but the fact is they started the Synthetic Revelution in the mid 70's and everyone should be thankful for that!

Grit dog wrote:
Yup get 4qts. You'll have a little left over.
Book says fill to fill line, 1/2" down from hole or something like that. I wouldn't worry if you get extra in it.
It's to keep oil from filling the axle tubes part way, but the bottom of the hole looks to be right at bottom of axle tube. Never been an issue filling to the hole on any vehicle yet.

Well you want it in the axle tubes, as all Full Floating axles I have had that is what lubes the wheel bearings. you don't want the tubes too ful, just to get lube to the wheel bearings.

Ron3rd wrote:

CharlesinGA wrote:
Correct (nominal) level is one-quarter inch below the hole, plus or minus one-quarter inch. That means a range from the bottom of the hole to a half inch below it.

Charles

Yeah, I saw that on youtube. One guy made a little L-shaped tool to put in the hole and measure the height. But I also read, "one-quarter inch below the hole, plus or minus one-quarter inch" to mean even with the hole is OK.

Yes, I guess I was just restating it in the way Dodge and AAM did. If you want perfection, go for the quarter inch low.

I installed the aluminum Mopar cover on mine. I had fallen for the more is better hype and installed a Mag Hi Tech cover and raised the fluid level to their recommended level and then later Gayle Banks came out with his series of videos last fall on rear end covers, and I pulled the cover off, installed the Mopar cover, and pulled the axles and hubs and drained the fluid trapped in the hubs, cleaned and repacked the bearings in synthetic moly grease and put it all back together. There was no grease left in the bearings, it had all been washed out. A lot of folks will tell you there is supposed to be fluid in the hub, but that is not how it is designed. The owners manual even says to repack the bearings when the rotors are replaced. A rather odd recommendation vs a simple calendar or mileage recommendation.

I think the fluid is recommended to be changed rather frequently when used for towing or heavy hauling.

Charles

A bit off topic but I once had a Mercury outboard with a noisy lower unit. I tried various lubes to see if I could make it quieter. I have to say that the Severe Gear yielded the best results.

I guarantee they say a bit below so you don’t GOD FORBID spill any.