Has anyone had there AAM 11.5 axle go bad. I know that they are not like the danas inside. I think my 03 11.5 might be going bad. How can I tell if it is on its way out? With the stock tires on it, it will spin both tires every time, but when I put the drag tires on it I don't think it is locking up all the time.

The other day the ground was wet and I had the stock tires on it but only 1 back tire would spin.

Thanks for any help to come.

 

Do you have an open diff or did your truck come with the factory limited slip diff?

Look at the data sheet in the glovebox...it will state if there is a traction aid installed from the factory.

 

the one in my sons 04 only works in reverse. on a 12 percent grade one wheel in grass the other on pavement in reverse it spins both wheels will not spin both going forward in the same spot. doesnt make sense to this old man with 40 years of tech work.

 

Mine is a limited slip. It just seems to be acting funny at times.

 

A limited slip rear is just that - limited slip. That doesn't mean no slip. Get one wheel on ice or wet grass, and it will spin. But you'll still get some torqe to the other wheel so you can move foreward. With an open diff, one wheel will spin, and the other gets no torque at all. You just sit there.

As the clutches wear, that torque differential gradually decreases.

Since you use slicks, I suspect you spend a lot of time on the track. That puts a lot of strain on the clutch packs. You might consider a worm gear like Detroit TruTrak. It's perfect for a street vehicle that gets used on the track. Not so good for ice or rock crawling.

 

Sorry guys. The AAM is not like previous trackloc or powerloc. It does not have clutches. It is more like a Detroit locker in that it locks by forcing two spiral cut gears to push themselves apart and bind in the diff housing. The oil gets very nasty and you wear the housing given enough fun in spinning experiences. If suspect problem, change fluid with proper Mopar fluid and reevulate. If not resolved a diff assy required to fix. JMHO

 

When the posi blew in my 03 it was perma locked and made all kinds of noises in reverse, pulled the cover off and there was a nuch of metal chunks in the bottom of the diff.

my dad his on his third posi on his 04 dually service truck.

 

I thought that change was fairly recent, like 08 or 09.

 

Just to clarify, you are just talking about the differential itself, and not the actual rear end assembly, correct? I am asking, as I see no way in blowing up the actual rear end itself unless you were in an accident or something.

 

Not recent, unless the 3rd gens are considered recent. My 05' still churps when making right hand turns from a stop. And it really wear's out the duals.

 

All the 11.5's have the helical gear type set up in the rear ends. There's no clutches in our rear ends. Chevy's have the clutches still, in their 11.5 AAM rear ends. I think that leads to the confusion. I hear people say that the Dodge and Chevy rear ends are the "same". Well they aren't. The same manufacturer, but the guts are different.

 

Ahhhh, I see. Well then, I stand corrected. That's a good thing to know.

I'm not real familier with a helical gear diff. Is it anything like a worm gear? Like Detroit TruTrak?

 

It's basically the same thing as a TrueTrac or helical Torsen.

 

ok i still dont understand why the one in my sons 04 will work great in reverse and it is useless going forward where one really needs it. i think there is a statement out there from dodge if the truck goes forward and reverse there is nothing wrong with unit. his truck only has 30k plus miles on it. both of my old trucks will spin both wheels no matter where you put the them one is clutch type the other is the old cone type that no one seems to like. hope i am not hyjacking this thread if so mods feel free to delete post

 

Does ANYONE make a good, proper locker for that rear axle yet? Preferably a selectable one?