Are the Ram 1500 rearends really this weak?
I have around 144,000 miles on my 2004 Hemi Ram 1500 Quad Cab. My family and I decided to take a road trip with our 20ft camper from Springfield Missouri to Pensacola Florida for a week....about 1600...
Forum Discussion
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One of the primary correct things to do if a diff (or any other part) is making noise is to stop immediately. Sometimes the pinion nut can be checked and tightened, or a leak can be found, but mostly quite a few bucks can be saved by just stopping early, not seeing how far one can make it. No excuses.
Some years ago a certain young man was using my Craftsman air compressor out in the garage. He came in the house and, after having casually finished making most of a sandwich, mentioned that my compressor was making noise. I said, "Well you shut it off, didn't you?"
"No."
Leaping to action, my foot just made it in the door when the now-hammering compressor blew up. It had apparently lost a rod-cap nut and eventually threw the rod through the crankcase. Early on, it WOULD have been salvageable with a new rod. $300 up in smoke. There was a lecture.
Years ago, the summer after high school grad, I worked in at a 24 hour full-service gas station. We normally worked in shifts of two attendants on duty at a time. I was a good mechanic and the owner preferred to work the dayshift with me. He was a lazy bum that spent all his time behind his desk doing his bookwork and God knows, while I frantically covered everything else alone. Still I liked, and took, a lot of shop work.
The drive-way bell would ring and within the second, he would yell so that I would arrive at the pump before the customer stopped. Inevitably I left a differential plug loose during check-list and forgot to tighten it when I finally got back in the shop. And as my customer glared and hovered, I was embarrassed to be running late on my promised 10 minute oil change/grease. Wes be quick.
The loose plug fell out somewhere in Montana and the diff soon threw all the lube out. $200 up in smoke. I apologized profusely and offered to pay the repair but the owner refused. I never saw him again though. At my recommendation, the boss did hire a 3rd man, a full time day shop mechanic. It wasn't me. Lesson learned.
Wes
...
One of the primary correct things to do if a diff (or any other part) is making noise is to stop immediately. Sometimes the pinion nut can be checked and tightened, or a leak can be found, but mostly quite a few bucks can be saved by just stopping early, not seeing how far one can make it. No excuses.
Some years ago a certain young man was using my Craftsman air compressor out in the garage. He came in the house and, after having casually finished making most of a sandwich, mentioned that my compressor was making noise. I said, "Well you shut it off, didn't you?"
"No."
Leaping to action, my foot just made it in the door when the now-hammering compressor blew up. It had apparently lost a rod-cap nut and eventually threw the rod through the crankcase. Early on, it WOULD have been salvageable with a new rod. $300 up in smoke. There was a lecture.
Years ago, the summer after high school grad, I worked in at a 24 hour full-service gas station. We normally worked in shifts of two attendants on duty at a time. I was a good mechanic and the owner preferred to work the dayshift with me. He was a lazy bum that spent all his time behind his desk doing his bookwork and God knows, while I frantically covered everything else alone. Still I liked, and took, a lot of shop work.
The drive-way bell would ring and within the second, he would yell so that I would arrive at the pump before the customer stopped. Inevitably I left a differential plug loose during check-list and forgot to tighten it when I finally got back in the shop. And as my customer glared and hovered, I was embarrassed to be running late on my promised 10 minute oil change/grease. Wes be quick.
The loose plug fell out somewhere in Montana and the diff soon threw all the lube out. $200 up in smoke. I apologized profusely and offered to pay the repair but the owner refused. I never saw him again though. At my recommendation, the boss did hire a 3rd man, a full time day shop mechanic. It wasn't me. Lesson learned.
Wes
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