Big J

Its been a few months since I took my truck into some moderate off roading, and as soon as i got out i knew something was wrong. I checked it out, and the front drivers-side tire was quite a bit out, at least a couple of degrees, and the passenger side is out by half as much. I took it to the allignment shop and they said i needed new ball joints, u joints, centre link. so i replaced it all myself. There is clearly no change just from doing that.

Is it possible that the housing is bent? I imagine that it might be bent live a V , just on the drivers side of the front diff. causing the drivers side to be out by alot, and the passenger side by a little.

If thats the case, can i bend it back? Maybe with a sledge?

How much is a new (or used) one?

redeyedracer

by "moderate offroading" do you mean hualin down a dirt road, or goin slow down a rutted, rock trail. Either way did the front end bottom out hard??? look at your bump stops, do they appear to be damaged or missing??
Anyway it does sound like it is bent, and this is a pretty commen problem with these trucks (specially stock) due to the heavy weight, soft springs and minimal up-travel. Sounds like ur gonna need a pretty big hammer!!!

CallmeD

Isn't your frt axle a Dana 60???

I have wheeled very hard on dana 44's and never bent one. I would think it would take a hell of a blow to bend a 60.

shoot, i've bounced mine in the woops out in the dunes 2wice and haven't bent my front axle....trust me I was worried that I did though. hmmmm

but something def. doesn't sound right.

bob4x4

The American Axle is not that hard to tweak.It is common if you bottom out.
Most of us who play off road much have trussed the front housing.



Bob

redeyedracer

I actually think that the danas in the front of the dodges are weaker than the average D60 due to the CAC system (or maybe the CAC was on the early AAM axles) at any rate, I know for a fact it is a commen in the 2nd and 3rd gen dodge CTD 4x4's because I have personally seen two and heard of many more. Carli's hydro bumpstops look like they would help alot!!!!

CallmeD

well crap. I know I won't be bouncin my front end ANYMORE!!!!!

Big J

I would say slowly down a rugged rock path was a more accurate description for what i was doing. maybe not so slowly. Lets just say i had to get out of there in a hurry. The shocks were definatly blown after. They might have been partly shot before. Bump stops are all fine.

It is the 9.25 AAM front axle.

So can i do it? Take a big sledge and wail on the thing for a while? I dont have an oxyacetlene torch to heat it into place. Or save my time and go and get a new one? BTW how much do they cost at a wrecker.

Oh, BOB4X4. that axle looks SICK. I would be interested in some info and pics on that truss.