Help WTF is this thing?!

[kb67mopar]

Ok so I decided it was time to spend some deserving time on the Ram doing some maintenance. Decided to change all of the fluids in the diffs and T-case. Upon opening up the rear end (2004 Ram 1500 Hemi, 9 1/4 rear with factory posi) I found this part stuck to the magnet. I have no idea where it is from or if it even belongs in there to begin with. I did not have any symptoms of anything wrong and upon a detailed inspection don't even think it belongs in there.

If you can identify this part PLEASE tell me before I somehow grenade this thing.

PS: the size is about a half inch diameter, cups my pinky finger about right...not very large.

 

[Budnicks]

no idea

 

[krowbar]

Retainer for the clutch pack? Is it spring steel?

 

[Meep-Meep]

This is a hardened half round part that goes between the ears on the clutches and matching groove in the carrier and finding these broken is very common. If you look on the passenger side of the carrier you will likely see another piece sticking out cutting a groove on the bearing cap and case right buy the carrier bearing. What I did on my 02 Durango - right before a road trip - was take a punch and break out the protruding part and remove it piece by piece. This was found during a routine axle fluid change and it was the best I could do to not continue to fill the rear end with metal shavings. All this happened over 100K miles ago and I'm still motoring.

 

[Cranky]

One of the joys of the Trac Lock limited slip unit. I hate them.

 

[kb67mopar]

This is a hardened half round part that goes between the ears on the clutches and matching groove in the carrier and finding these broken is very common. If you look on the passenger side of the carrier you will likely see another piece sticking out cutting a groove on the bearing cap and case right buy the carrier bearing. What I did on my 02 Durango - right before a road trip - was take a punch and break out the protruding part and remove it piece by piece. This was found during a routine axle fluid change and it was the best I could do to not continue to fill the rear end with metal shavings. All this happened over 100K miles ago and I'm still motoring.

Thank you. Yeah this has 110k on it. I didn't see anything protruding anywhere else and ended up just giving it a thorough cleaning with carb cleaner, dried and then refilled with good fresh lube. I figured it couldn't have been a huge problem or I would have noticed something else going wrong in there.

 

[Budnicks]

This is a hardened half round part that goes between the ears on the clutches and matching groove in the carrier and finding these broken is very common. If you look on the passenger side of the carrier you will likely see another piece sticking out cutting a groove on the bearing cap and case right buy the carrier bearing. What I did on my 02 Durango - right before a road trip - was take a punch and break out the protruding part and remove it piece by piece. This was found during a routine axle fluid change and it was the best I could do to not continue to fill the rear end with metal shavings. All this happened over 100K miles ago and I'm still motoring.

I guess I'm lucky never had seen any... YET !!



hopefully a piece doesn't get lodged between the ring & pinion gears, that could get ugly...

 

[Kernel Sanders]

Here is the rebuild kit on Ebad for the 9.25 Trac-lok unit

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/150991681235?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_323wt_1161

 

[kb67mopar]

So what is the general consensus here? Should I rebuild the trac-lok unit or what? I am having a hard time trusting it now that I know this happened and could happen with any of the other 3 clips. Also does anybody know how the hell to rebuild one of these things? I don't really want to dump a grand into this and pay somebody.

 

[wedge69]

Thay are made to be there so the Clutches don't dig into the softer castiron case. It would be best to put them in as it will save your case in the long run !
The also comes from not haveing the proper posi lube in the rear and the clutches stick and chatter. You can pull the axles out and the center pin and get the gears and clutches out to replace these. Its not that bad and only a couple of hours depending on you shop and tools at hand.

 

[Kernel Sanders]

Here is a link to rebuilding the trac-lok... I have this because I will be rebuilding a dana35/8.25 trac-lok and the dana44/9.25 are the same except the size that is. Different rebuild kit too.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/1011or-rebuilding-a-limited-slip-differential-dana-trac-lok/photo-gallery/#1

 

[747mopar]

If your anything like me it will drive you crazy until you do, just suck it up and dig in. Good luck

 

[kb67mopar]

Thay are made to be there so the Clutches don't dig into the softer castiron case. It would be best to put them in as it will save your case in the long run !
The also comes from not haveing the proper posi lube in the rear and the clutches stick and chatter. You can pull the axles out and the center pin and get the gears and clutches out to replace these. Its not that bad and only a couple of hours depending on you shop and tools at hand.

Well I can say it had the proper lube since it had never been open before. Thanks for all the responses guy. I think for now I am going to run it as is and later if it starts to give trouble ill replace it with an auburn or another name brand unit to get away from this style. I'd hate to rebuild a poorly designed unit prone to failure.

- - - Updated - - -

If your anything like me it will drive you crazy until you do, just suck it up and dig in. Good luck

I will say this is true...but for now it will wait. Besides we are considering trading up to a new diesel.

 

[Meep-Meep]

The comment above about those bushings not damaging the iron carrier is correct. But I've been running for over 100K miles after I took a punch and broke the pieces out. My 02 Durango has about 185K on it now and knock on wood, it's doing fine. I expect I'll be rebuilding the rear end at some point and when I do it's getting another type of LS carrier.