Shutter at high load, low speed - Montana Owners Club

Montana_2428 · 03-23-2005, 10:28 AM

Ok you truck tech's. I have a new 04 Dodge with H.O. diesel, have about 4500 miles. When pulling my 2955RL out of the driveway I am meet with a rather steep upgrade. The Dodge "shutters" in the rear pulling the load from stop upto about 10MPH. I believe it is the rear differential shuttering, may be some clutches slipping in there?
I know that the diff fluid should be changed, about every 15K miles.
Is it normal for the fluid to break-down quickly during a "break-in" period? Anyone else had a similar situation? Seems to tow fine and quiet during all other operation.

Thanks..........

Don and Michele

2007dura · 03-23-2005, 12:05 PM

Might want to try the Turbo Diesel Registry site if you haven't already. They really know there Dodge's there. Have a good forum to help out.

jerryb · 03-23-2005, 01:33 PM

I would think it might be the transmission, there is nothing in the dif. to do that unless something was realy loose and it wound up. Maybe your wheels a slipping try it in 4x4.

Countryfolks · 03-23-2005, 03:03 PM

My truck does it also, but very slight. Asked my dealers shop manager about it. He said it may be caused by a slight mis-alignment of the driveshaft that can be fixed by bringing the truck and trailor in so they can measure the angle of the drive shaft to the trans with a load on the truck. It is fixed by adjusting/shimming someplace in the drive line.

Skip

NJ Hillbilly · 03-23-2005, 04:17 PM

GM had a similar problem in '01, they replaced single piece driveshafts with 2 piece ones. A mis-aligned carrier bearing mount can also give this issue. These problems only present themselves at low speed with a load. Starting off with a load stresses things the most, once the weight gets moving the strain is less.

John

Countryfolks · 03-23-2005, 05:49 PM

Carrier bearing, that's the term he used. Thanks John

Skip

Bob Pasternak · 03-23-2005, 11:27 PM

Don & Michele: Another possibility for the shudder could be the torque converter. I don't know about Fords & Chevy/GM's but there is a cluth inside the TC on Dodges. You may need to get a heavier converter. Just a thought.

Montana_2428 · 03-24-2005, 08:30 AM

Great replies and information, thanks to all. Skip and Mary, you may have hit the mark! I do have the 'locking differential' and pretty sure that the shutter is in the rear. I say this as the acceleration is "smooth", would be jerky if transmission or torque converter is having an issue. I've only felt this with the 5th attached and only pulling the hill getting out of my residence. I will drop the truck off this Saturday for them to inspect. I will mention Skip and Mary's comments and see if they have run into this before.

Again, thanks to all.

Regards

Don and Michele

Montana_2785 · 03-24-2005, 11:15 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by thehays

Great replies and information, thanks to all. Skip and Mary, you may have hit the mark! I do have the 'locking differential' and pretty sure that the shutter is in the rear. [...]

The "locking diff" would only be a factor if you are pulling hard while turning. If you are going straight, then it will NOT contribute since both sides of the diff. are turning at the same speed.

Eric

Broome101 · 03-24-2005, 01:14 PM

The problem that i have heard is it is in the rear end, the clutches are slipping. There is a additive that you can put into rear housing that will solve the problem. I think i you go to the dealer explain to him what's up they will give you correct additive. Also got o web site dieselstop.com, see post in there as well.

c5racer · 03-24-2005, 05:58 PM

You don't need any additive in the rear axle, it doesn't have a clutch pack in it. It is all mechanical, made by America Axle. The shudder is caused by the driveline angle. Your dealer should be able to fix it.

Bob Pasternak · 03-24-2005, 10:34 PM

The hays: The truck that I have now I bought used two years ago with 17500 miles on it. After we had put about 5000 more on it, it developed a shudder but it would only shudder in a relatively tight turn with power applied. We took it to the dealer and the mechanic that took the differential cover off said it had been off before and whomever put it back on neglected to put the clutch compound in. He said the factory uses one color for a gasket seal around the cover and shops use a different color and that gasket on mine wasn't factory. It has not shuddered since and it has 50,000 miles on it. There IS a clutch pack in a "limited slip" differential.

Thunderman · 03-25-2005, 04:01 AM

Bob Pasternak,
Can you explain clutch compound....is this something in all trucks or just the dodge? Thanks!

Bob Pasternak · 03-25-2005, 05:30 AM

Thunderman: I am not sure what the stuff is, I just know he used a squirt bottle to put it in. He put several ounces in then filled the differential with oil. When I was younger Hudson automobiles had a "wet clutch" in them and the liquid that went in them was like a ground up cork in a mineral oil base. What ever it was, it stopped the shudder on my truck. I kind of imagine all truck "limited slip" differentials have something comparable.

tweir · 03-25-2005, 05:49 AM

The "stuff" they put in the limited slip & full locking rear ends helps the clutches "grab" vs. grab/release; grab/release---look at it this way: the limited slip & full locking rear ends work just the OPPOSITE of your ABS brake system. The "New Generation" rear ends specify SAE 85W140 API/GL-5. The additional additive as specified by some manufacturers is similar to Sta-Lube's "Equa-Torgue". If you want the OEM specification for a particular make/model, send me an e-mail & I'll look it up for you.

Thunderman · 03-25-2005, 08:59 AM

Thanks Bob and Thomas J,
Glad to learn something new...new to me anyway.

Thomas J,
I will send you an e-mail. Thanks

c5racer · 03-25-2005, 05:25 PM

The 2002 and older Dodges had a Dana rear end, they had a clutch pack in them. The 2003 and up Dodges have AAM rear ends and don't have a cluth pack. You don't need an additive.

Montana_2428 · 03-28-2005, 08:54 AM

I guess I started it, now for closure! I took the Dodge in on Saturday. They checked it out and said there is no mechanical problem. They suggested that it could be drive-line-angle. At this time I let them know that I measured the amount of bed-drop when the 5th in in tow, it's about 2 1/2 inches as measured at the axle mid-line. Them mentioned that a service bulletin was issued and they checked the angles called for on the bulletin. My drive line angles were properly set-up.

So, now I know what is going on and in my case I know what to expect.

BTW, Dodge factory says not to add any additive to the differential. The service rep says they still do as it is a good practice. I haven't added any additive and will probably not do so.

Thanks again for all the help.

Don and Michele

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