I have a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 CTD with the AAM 11.5 3.73 gear ratio rear end. I was changing out the oil when I notice that one of the side gears appears to have worn a hole through the housing which houses the side and pinion gears. There was quite a bit of metal on the filler plug magnet and I beleive that it is because of the side gear wearing on the differential housing. Has anybody else had this problem? My truck has only 15,000 miles on it. I am thinking about reinstalling the cover and dumping the old oil back in and taking it to the dealer. I have pictures if anybody wishes to see them.

 

Send a picture over to spoonert@***.net. Dosn't sound right, however I have seen them with holes to help oil the gears.... Not common, but not unheard of. If you get a picture to me in the next few minutes I'll give it a look

 

I thought that might be the case but teh gear does not have any clearance from the housing and teh edges of the housing where the gear appears to be rubbing against are paper thin and can be peeled back. If this were a hole for oil I would think the thickness of the wall for the housing would be thicker. I have sent you a picture. Thanks for the help.

 

i think the holes you are talking about or supposed to be there i just had a bearing go out on my carrier and dissambled the carrier and i think i have seen the holes you are talking about they are there to let oil pass thur the carrier but if you have shavings in there you have got a problem most likley a bearing

 

I took a piece of paper and was able to fit it between the gear and the housing (feeler gauges are at work). I am not very familiar with differentials was wondering if this distance can change during a loaded situation such as towing or is it is always fixed.

 

Are you 100% that's an open rear?? It looks like it's a posi, or limited slip, and that's one of the sides that houses 2 of the gears... Doe's the other parts of the diff look that way? i.e. if you jack up the rear and urn the diff. do all the sides look like that? It almost looks like that's just a posi. I haven't looked at the pictures of mine yet but it might supposed to be that way. If anything call up dodge and ask, they may be able to tell you what it should look like.

 

Read your above post, sorry you didn't say which dif it was, I assumed open. It looks as if you have the posi rear. Not 100% sure what the track tech looks like. If it is a open rear and it looks like that, then yes that would be a very bad sign. I think you have a posi and I'm pretty sure that's ok.

 

It is a limited slip and as far as turning the diffental housing I will try that tomorrow and check to see if it is like that on the other sides.

 

There was a similar thread on here recently, and I believe it was decided that the holes were in fact normal, and had been machined like that at the factory. Also, it is normal to have some fine particles on the magnet, and there's no cause for alarm unless you find big chunks on there.

 

I jacked up the truck this morning and had my wife put it in gear and move the differential (I could not move it by rotating the tires). There are three flats like the one in my pictures that show the side gear through the differential housing. The other two were a lot smoother and consistint in shape of the holes which leads me to believe that this is a normal condition and the holes are supposed to be there. I will take a picture to the Dodge dealer to verify this next week. The metal particles were small and kind of looked like sludge with metal in it. So no major chuncks or even slivers. While rotating the differential I could look at the side gears and could not see any wear on them from rubbing.
I appreciated the help, but wanted to make sure I don't end up stuck along the road with my RV because I was stupid.

 

I appreciated the help, but wanted to make sure I don't end up stuck along the road with my RV because I was stupid.

That's the greatest thing about this site. People ask questions wanting to make sure, instead of not asking because somebody might think there's something wrong with them, or the truck. I've had my truck on the side of the road so many times with a fuel injection problem, my 98 dodge v-10, till one of the message boards said to try chainging the fuel relay. Wa-la, 20,000 miles and not one problem (except it wasn't a cummins). It's amazing at what some of the stuff can cause. Unlike the un-quality dealer for the ATV asked if I turned my gas on 'nope forgot that totaly" but some people do. Glad all is well.