Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) What the #$%^?

[Curious Dave]

Okay... I broke an axle shaft today... It broke the shaft right off at the 8 bolt flange. I pulled the axle shaft out and put the flange back on so as not to lose any oil.

I put the transfer case into 4 high and away I went. I am in a hilly area and I tried not to go over 50. Upon going up a hill the engine acts like something else broke. #@$%! I let off the fuel, coast for a bit, slow down and then I have drive again. This happens 3 times on the way home. I have the NV5600, so I know it is not the trans slipping. The clutch grabs and holds just fine. The front end has the Dynatrac free spin kit installed.

My question is this... ... What is letting go and then grabbing again? Transfer case? Hubs? Nothing makes any noise loud enough for me to hear over the Cummins. Just a sudden loss of drive power, and an engine reving up.

 

[Huff N Puff]

Sounds to me

Okay... I broke an axle shaft today... It broke the shaft right off at the 8 bolt flange. I pulled the axle shaft out and put the flange back on so as not to lose any oil.

I put the transfer case into 4 high and away I went. I am in a hilly area and I tried not to go over 50. Upon going up a hill the engine acts like something else broke. #@$%! I let off the fuel, coast for a bit, slow down and then I have drive again. This happens 3 times on the way home. I have the NV5600, so I know it is not the trans slipping. The clutch grabs and holds just fine. The front end has the Dynatrac free spin kit installed.

My question is this... ... What is letting go and then grabbing again? Transfer case? Hubs? Nothing makes any noise loud enough for me to hear over the Cummins. Just a sudden loss of drive power, and an engine reving up.

Like the transfer case chain is about to let loose.

 

[JApol]

My vote is also the transfer case

 

[Crash&Burn]

Is the rear end a posi?

 

[HBarlow]

I have no idea what a Dynatrac free spin kit is or does but just reading the OP I wonder . . . is the free spin kit designed to allow the front wheels to turn freely without spinning the axle shafts, differential, etc?

If so, wouldn't that allow the front axle to freewheel or disconnect when not applying power?

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Something in the rear diff? You are still applying power to the rear driveline, right? I wouldn't drive it with broken parts in the rear axle without unhooking the rear drive line.



SHG

 

[Curious Dave]

Harvey,

You are correct. The free spin hubs are a conversion done to eliminate the uni-hub assemblies of the front end. Basically it converts everything over to manual locking hubs. I gained 1. 5 mpg going to them.



Crash and Burn,

The rear is a posi. But it is non functional with a missing axle shaft.



Shelby,

The axle shaft broke so I pulled it out and bolted the axle end back on.



I got another axle shaft and tried to put it in. It won't go in all the way or bolt down. The axle tube is bent backwards on the passenger side. I contacted the guy I got it from and he told me that I did "something" to it. So much for the 6 month warranty. I guess it is time to call the BBB and an attorney. All 4 tires are destroyed from a positive toe on the rear end.

Now Blumenthals has the truck. They are either going to find me a housing and build me a good one or I will buy a new one. According to the Dodge parts website they have a new one for a fraction more than what I paid for a used one. I can't believe how scarce these rear ends are.



Huff,

I was thinking it may be the transfer case also. It is most likely going to get a rebuilt one while the diff is being dealt with.



Blumenthals has done well with the engine and the nv5600... I am anticipating the same or better quality work with the new problems.



Side Note: They have a 69 SS Camaro in the shop now. The tech told me they are setting up a hydraulic clutch in it. I didn't realize they did custom jobs as well. That should say something about their work.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

My point was that you still have rotating parts inside the diff unless you pull BOTH axles and the driveline, obvioulsy now it sounds like there was something wrong with the axle, and may have been binding and then letting go when you tried to drive in 4 High.

 

[DCreed]

did the dyna trac do away with the 2pc front axle? if not thats my vote. That runs on vacuum and can be tempermental.

 

[Curious Dave]

Shelby,

The differential is non-functional once an axle is broken or removed. Yes, there are rotating parts... But that is simply a matter of potential parasitic drag. There is no way for the parts to bind.



DCreed,

I did not think about the vacuum pod. I guess that is what is great about TDR. Get some different points of view. I will check into it. I don't think that is it... But I will check it out just the same. The reason I say I don't think that is it... I haven't had any problem in the past. But that is not to say it can't act up unexpectedly. It would be the perfect time for extra confusion though.