dodge ram axle

[mechanic021]

I have a 1997 1500 dodge ram 4x4 with the dana 44 front axle. I tore the front end down yesterday and put new axle u joints in. Put the wheel bearings back in and torqued everything exactly to spec but now around 45 to 60 miles per hour i have a terrible vibration in the front end. Its enough to make the steering wheel shake. Does anyone know what might be the culprit. If it helps at all I have had the front end apart before when replacing the wheel bearings but never had the vibration till now. I didnt take the spindles off just the rotors , calipers, and the wheel bearings then slid the axes shafts out.

 

[Rick]

What were the specs for the torque on the locknuts?

 

[mechanic021]

175 ft pounds, But did notice something odd, It says to torQue the lock nuts down then feel free to tighten the nut more to get the cotter pin holes to line up with the nut. Doesnt this over torque alittle?

 

[Rick]

That's because you're never supposed to back off to get the holes aligned. Always go slightly more. You don't want to lose the preload against the bearing.

I'm not familar with the Dodge axle nut assembly. I assume it has two nuts, one that goes next to the bearing and one that locks it in place. The inner nut shoudn't be nearly that tight, the outer should. Sound right?

 

[mechanic021]

the way mine is set up is you have your wheel bearing that the axle shaft is splined into and at the end of the axle shaft it is threaded. There is a washer and then the lock nut which is castled for the cotter pin.

 

[Rick]

I was hoping someone else would chime in here. I'm not at all familiar with that setup.

 

[mechanic021]

hey no problem I think I found most of my problem I doubled checked the torque on my lug nuts and they had actually loosened up alittle so I retorqed them now its back to normal.