Any Ram truck / Dana diff folks?

[Triplegreen500]

So, I have a chronic problem with my 2001 Ram 2500's front axle (D60, I believe). The 4x4 actuator keeps leaking fluid. Like...a LOT. I have it fixed...a couple months later, it's pissing fluid again. Used the truck for a gig last weekend, parked it in the garage, and next day I found puddles under the actuator as well as dripping off the transfer case, even spatter on the freakin' exhaust tip! I'm gonna tackle it myself this time, since I don't have any gigs the next couple weeks it can afford some down-time. Anyone here ever run into this as a chronic issue? I haven't been under the truck yet - plan is to hose it with brakleen, let it dry, then do a couple/5 miles to see where it's coming from. Looks like there's a square base gasket where it mounts to the axle housing, a single o-ring on the selector shaft, a position switch for the 4x4 indicator light, the 2 vacuum fittings to actuate it, and what looks like a single breather fitting. I'm wondering if I have a bad o-ring; if my breather is coming off; if the switch base is leaking; or if there's a genetic problem of these housings cracking...any thoughts?

 

[5.7 hemi]

That CAD (center axle disconnect) can be pain. If you are puking fluid that much, I’d check to see if the breather is clogged, too much fluid (over filled) and check the inside seal on the carrier on the passenger side.

 

[Triplegreen500]

yea, I'll give the whole thing a once-over. Axle seals are good, nothing coming out the housing ends, but a clogged breather is a possibility. 276k miles, and the truck spent a lot of its life in AZ - when I got it, I hosed about 30# of sand out of the frame rails, so I won't be surprised if the breather is plugged.

This'll be fun. No lift, filthy stuff...yay, me.

 

[5.7 hemi]

Creeper will do nicely.

 

[Triplegreen500]

Yea, got one of those. Just getting too old for all this "on my back" crap in the garage. NEXT to it? I'm ok. OVER it? No problem. Under? Harder and harder to stand back up afterwards....lol

 

[Detective D]

If you had it done somewhere, you will want to verify they used an oem part.
My experience with Chrysler stuff and the aftermarket is China will try to modify a part for something else to make it fit and then call it "oem replacement fit."
If you go back to first gen trucks? HAHAHAHA, good luck.

If you decide you want to replace it, find the OEM part number and then you can see your options. With something like a front axle actuator, china may have decided "dana 60 is old, so model year range 1988-2008 should be fine".
You need to get a part with the correct number stamped in it, or at least verify critical dimensions etc.