2002 ram opinion needed

If it's a 360. Figure about 11 miles per gallon...

Ed

The number one problem that all dodge trucks seem to have is poor carrier bearings in the diff. Most of them only last 60-80K miles. Park the truck on level ground. Put the trans in neutral, set the parking brake, then shift to park. Crawl under the truck, grab the drive shaft and try to turn it. If you can measure the movement of the drive shaft, the diff needs a rebuild. Other than that, check the same things as every vehicle with 120K miles on it.

That's not good advice for several reasons. Putting the trans in park may lock up the drive shaft so if there is any slop in the diff you will not find it. It is best to leave the trans in nuetral. Second, any slop in the ujoints will let the drive shaft move even if the diff is fine. Also, worn differential side gears and/ or cross pin on an open diff will also show up as movement in the drive shaft.

Up until 03, Dodge used a front axle tube that was notched near pumpkin on passanger side for a axle disconnector. This weakened the axle and made them prone to sag or bend a bit if you lifted them or installed bigger tires and played hard. (I have seen many 1/2 ton Didge so equipped with bent/warped front axles) You want to check this real good. If truck is stock with stock tires it "should" still be straight.

----------------- TheSnoMan.com

That's the reason for putting it in neutral and setting the parking brake first, then shifting to park. That should put all the weight of the truck on the parking brake, and not the trans. But since he doesn't really know the status of the truck, there's no guarentee that the parking brake actually works as it should. So leaving it in neutral might be a little risky. I wouldn't leav it in neutral unless I could also chock the wheels.

The 1500's changed to the CAD-less front axle in '02. The 2500/3500's followed in '03.

WOW all this time i just thought you guys were picking on him,, but the snowman really is a dumb ass. The 1500 got a brand new independent front end in 2002. The only problem with the new torsion bar front end was it rode kind of soft. In 2006 they redid it with coil over springs and made it a little stiffer and a little stronger. I have a 2002 1500 slt 4x4 sb reg cab its been a great truck i love it, and yes the 360 (5.9L gas ) get 11 city and 16-18 hwy. The 46re is not a bad trany either. Just change the fluid every 10,000 to 15,000 miles and adjust the bands every

good luck

In response to mpberti 's post. I thought everyone should know:

and another one sees the light. =)

In response to .boB 's post. I thought everyone should know:

but if you put it in park then the parking pawl will keep the drive shaft from rotating. chock the wheels and leave it in neutral with the parking brake set.

The parking pawl has a considerable amount of play in it (relativly speaking). That's why the truck rolls a little when you put it in park and don't set the parking brake. If the drive shaft moves enough to bounce off the teeth of the parking pawl, the diff is shot.