I just noticed that when I have the front axle engaged and make a sharp turn- left or right- I get a binding in the front end. This seemed abnormal to me, had the dealer look at it and was told it was normal. He also tried to tell me there is an LSD in the front! I made them let me drive a new truck off the lot, it did the same thing. This is my first Dodge but have always driven 4x4's and never had this issue when on a slipery surface. Is this normal?

 

Absolutely normal! Fact is, on dry pavement you really do have a LSD... And that's the reason you feel the cramping. On a slippery surface one of the wheels would slip and you wouldn't notice.

 

What you've got is completely normal. I wouldn't suggest you intentionally run like that either. IMHO it's just not good for the rig.

Tom

 

The RAM AAM front axles do not have limited slip. The "binding" you're referring to is due to the differences in turning radius between the inside wheel & outside wheel....the inside wheel turns at a lower rate than the outside wheel, thus the "binding" between the wheels.
Greg

 

I understand the different turning rates of the front wheels, but on glare ice I didn't expect to feel this "binding". Its not something I have experienced on any of the many other trucks I have owned.

 

Same here. I expect it to happen on dry pavement, but not on a slippery surface. Maybe the heavy weight over the front axle makes it difficult for one of the wheels to slip, therefore causing the binding. It makes it very difficult to maneuver around on slippery surfaces in 4wd.

 

4x4 binding exists in every real 4x4 made. Regardless of brand or surface you drive on. And works just as maynord3 explained it. You must be comparing to AWD which sends a lower percentage to the front wheels.

 

I have owned the following 4wd vehicles. 84 F-150, 91 Toyota PU, 76 CJ7, 75 CJ5, 88 F-250, 96 Ram 2500, 00 Dakota, and my current truck. I remember all of these vehicles binding on dry surfaces, but never on slick, snowy or icy surfaces. Once there was a loss of enough friction to allow one of the tires to sort of slip/skid, the binding would dissapear. This is the only truck I have ever owned that no matter the slickness, you still get binding.

I have never had this truck in mud or sand to comment on that, just wintery precip.

 

i also notice alot more "wrap up" in the front drive than with other 4wd's i"ve owned. i chalk it up to the weight of the cummins. if i'm not moving in the snow in 2wd , the front axle really yanks the truck forward when i put it in 4wd. must be alot of weight up there.

 

Two factors that make it worse then what you have had before. More weight on the front axle do to the Cummins. Also the longer the wheel base the worse it is, ext cab long box is as bad as it gets.

The tires also make a differnce, the grippier the worse it is. If you don't want bind stand on the go pedal and gettem spinning

 

I thought i had limited sliip up front,

I want to call dodge and order up some power wagon parts

 

It's not caused by the difference in speed of the two front wheels, it's caused by the difference in speed between the front and rear drivelines. While turning, the front of the truck goes around a larger circle than the rear of the truck. So the front wheels average speed must be slightly higher than the rear wheels average speed to complete the turn. There is no differential between the front and rear drivelines on our trucks so at least one of the wheels must slip. This is the binding and lurching we feel. And if your surprised it does it on slippery surfaces it's only because the surface has more traction than you thought.

Wetspirit

 

Beings i read that the powerwagon was built on the 2500 platform, would that idea be too far off to be feisable?

 

Explain "REAL 4x4"?

Every Chev I've owned or driven has never done the Jerk/pull/binding/hop on slippery surfaces like my Dodge and all our new Dodge work truck do.

Does it have to do with a solid front axle?

 

DSL,

The jerking will happen whenever there is enough traction. You are probably just getting better bite than you think. And the Cummins is so heavy it just plants the front end. Maybe the trucks were driving before had "full time 4WD" with a center differential.

Wetspirit