2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Axle Shaft Bolts keep shearing off

[C. Harlan]

Hey y'all... I have had this problem numerous times, and cannot figure out why it keeps occurring. . I can hear them rattling around in my center cap, and I have replaced them several times... What causes this? It's kind of umbarrassing, driving at low speeds and hearing something rattling around. . Help me out guys!



-Chris-

 

[bmoeller]

Too much power, I guess. :-laf



Not really sure. Is the LSD rear-end working properly?



May need to use studs, in place of the bolts.

 

[Nate]

Your putting red loctite on them right?

 

[Scrappy]

Is it shearing or stretching them, is it always the same ones and not all of them? If it is you might have a bent axle. I would try another axle in the place of the one that is shearing the bolts or try swapping the axles side to side (can this be done?) to see if the problem moves too.

 

[Nate]

I believe one shaft is like 1" or so longer than the other, so I don't think you could swap them.

 

[supersonic]

Check and see it it was assembled correctly! Alot of shops just put silicone on the hub and impact or rachet the drive plate bolts too tight. They need to be assembled with the correct gasket and torqued to spec. If they have been tightened with an impact you will need to replace them all or they will continue to break, dodge seems to know this is a problem as the bolts are stupid expensive. do not use regular grade 8 bolts. The regular axle bolts have a different shoulder and are a bit harder, I believe some might be an oddball thread pitch also.

 

[Dave M]

I had Axle bolts Shearing off too!

Mine did not just shear without any reason like yours. I tried to remove them to replace the leaky axle shaft seal and they sheared off whether loosing or tightening them and on both sides. It cost me $65 to get replacements from the dealer. I would look for a better bolt. The dealer bolts had an orange colored loctite on them. I had to heat the broken ones with a torch to melt the loctite and then replaced them. I haven't tried removing them since then..... I'm afraid to try.



Here is my post on what happened to me...



http://69.61.23.10/forums/showthread.php?t=89581



Good luck



Dave

 

[TBurow]

worn/bad rear axle bearings cause the bolts to stretch every time the wheel is turned, it gets worse with weight on it. i see a lot of theese, new wheel bearings always fix it(inner and outer) used to run a fleet of tow trucks and saw this regularly because tow trucks are always overloaded.