***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

****Your Rear Axle Lubricant May Be Low****<br><br>In the last few miles my 03 Ram developed a whine in the rear axle. Today I checked the level. It was 1 1/2&quot; below the fill plug. I took it to the local DC dealer they added 1 1/2 quarts of synthetic lubricant. They also did the fan recall at the same time. All written up as warranty work.<br><br>Tuesday I take my baby in for a test drive to diagnose the noise problem.<br><br>Take time to check your rear axle fluid level. The plug can be removed with a 3/8&quot; square breaker bar. <br><br>&quot;An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure&quot;. :'(

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

A while back I posted to this forum with a note from Dealer Technical Services indicating that the fluid is supposed to BELOW the fill plug by approx. 1&quot;. Filling the axle up to the fill plug is not reccomended. Have your dealer check their info. or have them phone their area technical services hotline for confirmation!! :o :o

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

According to the Owner's Manual the correct level is 1/4&quot; below the bottom of the fill plug. The manual then states that it should always be maintained within 1/4&quot; of the correct level. Mine was one inch below that minimum level, nearly even with the bottom of the axle housing on the outside. Hence the need for 1 1/2 quarts on my 11.5&quot; differential. It was so low that I had to fabricate a dip stick out of a piece of wire to reach the level. In addition the plug had metal filings on the surface over 1/8&quot; thick. (plug is magnetic) Not good for 2000 miles. If the Owner's Manual gives incorrect information there needs to be a recall of them or a supplement with the correct info..

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

Keep us posted Phil. Maybe we can also get the definitive answer on the correct fluid level in the rear gear.<br><br>What is the fan recall?

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

on edit .... as I think about this, when I picked my truck up I did a quick look-see everywhere. I did make a mental note when I noticed the blue paint X across the rear diff plug had been turned approx. eigth of a turn. Didn't have the wherewithall to ask about it at the time. It was tightened that 1/8 of a turn.

Opening it up won't violate any warranty claims, would it? I really don't want to crawl under there tomorrow morning.

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

bulabula, mine had a blue mark on the housing and plug and white mark on the housing. None lined up. Mine seemed rather loose, easy to turn. There is no warranty significance to them, I told service adviser I had checked the level, that's why I brought it in. Besides on Schedule B service fluid is to be changed at intervals to maintain 7-70 Warranty on drive train. Federal law prohibits requiring maintenance by the company, DC, or its dealers.<br><br>There was another thread on the fan recall. Seems some Cummins engines didn't have engine fan at front of engine properly torqued. Some unlucky soul had the luck of the draw to have his fan come flying off when he put the pedal to the metal. Now there is a silent recall on certain Cummins engines. If they find enough engines with fan not properly torqued then you will be notified by mail. For now if you take your 03 Cummins in for service they are to check the torwue on the fan. If you want yours checked, just drive in and tell them you saw the recall on the internet. They will check it free. [laugh] [laugh]

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

I received a notice in the mail two weeks ago from DC to come in for the fan check. They did it today when they did my free first oil change at my dealership.

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

Drain plugs &amp; differentials.?? My manual says the same as Phils' WRT fluid levels - for both frt &amp; rr diffs. <br><br>But in my rear diff, the drain plug is located more than halfway down from the top of the diff. If the fluid level was to be an inch or more lower than the bottom of the plug, and considering that clutch paks and ring gear etc takes up most of the volume inside, there wouldn't be very much fluid in it. As it is, the bottom of the plug is over an inch lower than the outside of the axle tubes.<br><br>The front diff has the drain plug much higher, its on the upper half side.<br><br>Nigel, could you post that TSB again?

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

Bylabula, I agree on the location being low. Since mine was 1 1/2&quot; below the bottom of the plug, there was definately not enough lube to cool components properly in heavy duty towing a 5er. In fact the only lub to axle shaft would and bearings would be receiving very little lubrication except for some carried up from the differential's rotation. <br><br>Some peon in the Mexico was in too big a hurry to sip his Margarita and forgot to finish filling. As a result it is gonna cost DC big to result of his negligence.<br><br>My diagnosis based on the whine behavior is that the rear Drive Pinion Bearing is bad. (Whine related to mph and only under load.) What else may be damaged is only a guess since sufficient lube volume is needed to flush particles to bottom of housing. :'( :'(

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

Phil, not that are trucks are that quiet, but did you notice a gradual noise increase, or did it show up?<br><br>When its over, make darn sure there is NO rear end noise/whine. In my experiences of fooling with rear gears in cars and vans it takes a real pro to set the rear gear up perfectly so it won't whine. I don't mess with that stuff anymore. I drove the shop nuts when I had them install 3.55's in the 'Stang. It seems they lost their hearing when the job was done: &quot;what whine are you talking about? I don't hear a thing. There's ALWAYS a little whine&quot;. Yeah. It helped that I took the shop manager out for a spin BEFORE they began the work, to let him hear how quiet the factory gears were. They went back in and fixed it until I was satisfied. But the bottom line is that it's kinda rare to find re-gear job as quiet as when it came from the factory.<br><br>It'll work out.

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

Hate that, Sierra. Not good. [yuk] I have replaced four pinions down through the years. In every case, the wheel bearings and chaise were also scored. You always hope our babies are bullet proof. You spend that much money and you sure hope so. <br><br>Good luck with it. Keep us posted.<br><br>Bob

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

Bulabula

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

Bulabula, It seemed to be getting louder a hundred or so miles ago. Then suddenly in the last 50 miles under load at 65-70 mph my wife said to me &quot;what's that noise?&quot; Not easy to talk over the whine at that speed. It is there at slower speeds but the pitch is lower and not as noticible. <br><br>I have confidence in this dealer. I'll keep after them until it is fixed right. After all I've got 68,000 miles remaining to get it fixed.<br>My wife also knows the owner of the dealership. When he gets involved everybody jumps. They have a tremendous customer satisfaction in the community.<br><br>Yeh fiver, had a pinion bearing go out on a furd once. took out two other bearings and an axle. It wasd 2000 miles out of warranty, Ouch. <br><br><br> :'( :'(

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

OK the owners manual says to use a synethic rear end lube. But has anyone asked the dealer if the factory installs a synethic. I thought I heard that DC put in reg lube and that the owner was expected to change it to synethic?????? ???

Re:***ALERT/Check Rear Axle Lube Level
 

Factory is synthetic