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2001 Durango RT Front Dif. Issues

4.1K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  golfmike304  
#1 ·
I just found this forum tonight and I wish I had found it sooner.

First off, love Dodges, especially my Durango. I shared an '07 Charger with my exgf, but we broke up. I got the dog, she got the payments. I think I made out in the deal.

Anyway, I recently had the front passenger CV axle replaced on my Durango (see title of thread for specific year and model). The mechanic who did the job also said he was hearing a clicking when the vehicle is moving. I chalked it up to, "there's a lot of shit wrong on this truck" and went along my business. But the seed has been planted. I think I am hearing it, and I don't want to be driving down the road one day and have my front diff blow up.

I am a n00b when it comes to differentials and axles, so I did some research on the interwebs. I came up with three possible circumstances:

1. The gears inside the diff are shifting a bit because a pin is worn or going to break soon

2. The front driveshaft is loose and the u-joints need replacing.

3. Something about the inner CV joints on the axle being bad.

So with this knowledge, I took it for a spin in the school parking lot (2 blocks away).

Straight. Easy Throttle. AWD.
- No ticking, but i thought there was some after the tranny shifted from 1st.
- I sometimes hear it when cold, but I don't hear it after warmed up

Cornering, Easy Throttle, AWD
- Slight ticking noise, but nothing alarming. Nothing that made me thing that irreparable harm was being done to my baby.

Straight. Easy Throttle. 4H.
- No ticking.

Cornering. Easy Throttle. 4H.
- loud ticking coming from the front of the vehicle. Usually at lower speed and feeling like it was hanging up. I know about 4h on dry pavement and how bad it is. I just never heard it tick like that before. Same with 4L.

Sorry for the long post, but I have no clue what's up. The mechanic planted the seed of fear and every damned noise I hear I think the diff is going to blow up. I appreciate any help you great people can give.
 
#4 ·
Depends on your skills and collection of tools =)

If you have air tools, it makes it easier. That axle nut would be a bitch if you don't have a good impact. I never tried without one, but I know I have had to sit on it a minute with my impact.

I have not taken mine completely out, only the side to replace the hubs, so I have no idea what is involved with taking the shaft out of the diff, but I can't imagine it is to hard.

I could have everything out of the way in 20 minutes with the right tools and then just pop it out of the diff, however it comes out. I never even looked at it because I know they were not coming out.
 
#5 ·
Well, you do have to remove the knuckle completely to get the thing out...I don't think it's that hard but you do have to either support the lower control arm somehow or unload the torsion bar.

Once the knuckle is out of the way, you just pull/knock it straight out of the diff. If the stub shaft comes with it, put it back in the diff first.