CV Axle movement\noise

[Morenar]

Was just working under the truck and decided to take a look at the CV axle and noticed this excessive movement noise. Does this sound\look normal?

Passenger Side

Driver Side

 

[Scram1500]

Mine are like that. I spray penetrantating oil once a month where the stub goes in, hopefully that keeps the rust at bay. I'd like to drill a hole and install a grease zerk instead

 

[kapinallinen2]

Was just working under the truck and decided to take a look at the CV axle and noticed this excessive movement noise. Does this sound\look normal?

Passenger Side

Driver Side

Looks about normal.

 

[kapinallinen2]

Mine are like that. I spray penetrantating oil once a month where the stub goes in, hopefully that keeps the rust at bay. I'd like to drill a hole and install a grease zerk instead

Thought about doing the same with zerk fittings.

 

[Morenar]

Looks about normal.

ok, wasn't sure as I have never gone underneath and moved them around. I made an appt next week to have the service dept take a look at them.

 

[Guyfromthenorth]

This is the one design flaw I've found in these trucks where I can unequivocally say Ram dropped the ball hard. The CV axle is slid onto that passenger side output shaft with no assembly grease, and no boot to seal the joint. The drivers side is done similary but easier to fix. That passenger output shaft also doesn't just slide out like it does on the drivers side for easy replacement. Over time salt\dirt\water all get into that joint and corrode and wear down the splines until you get the play you're seeing. Eventually it will get bad enough to vibrate on the highway, and make a clinkclinkclink noise at lower speeds. The fix at the dealer is a brand new front differential...which will see the same problem again as they didn't remedy the fix at all. You'll probably be ok for now, but expect it will keep degrading until the noise\vibration is bad enough to bother you, or you'll be in 4wd at some point and the splines will strip out and you'll end up essentially in 2wd with some terrible sounds from the cv joint.

If you search on amazon you can find kits that include new bearings and a replacement inner shaft for the passenger side (the kit I found said for 4th gen rams but I confirmed it did in fact fit my 2019 5th gen 1500). More importantly though this kit also comes with a boot to seal the joint AND also only cost about 125$ (Canadian $). The job isn't terrible to do, but you want to replace both that inner output shaft and replace the CV. Don't try to re-use the CV as the worn down splines will damage the new shaft splines. Pack the two with good bearing grease and socket the new CV on with the rubber boot to seal it and you should have a very long term fix in place for under 150$ total and a few hours in the driveway. I've done 2 of these fixes now (my truck and a friends 2016) and posted details on another forum about it. Here's a pic of the new parts in place and the boot that protects it: