2019 RAM 1500 Sport update - 115,000km

[OVERKILL]

Previous threads:

Thread '2019 RAM 1500 Sport update'

Jun 22, 2020

So, it's been over a year since we bought our 2019 RAM 1500 Sport to replace the 2018 EcoDiesel which we loved, but which became regen-central in the winter when my wife was short-tripping it for work.

The truck was purchased on February 11th, 2019 and is now coming up on 30,000Km.

The truck stickered for $68K:

We paid ~$48K + taxes.

Overall, we are extremely happy with the vehicle. It has 3.92's and limited slip, and since we tow the boats with it, this setup has proven...

• OVERKILL
• Replies: 23
• Forum: Vehicles

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Thread '2019 RAM 1500 Sport update - 60,000Km'

Jul 27, 2022

Previous thread can be found here:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/2019-ram-1500-sport-update.328644/

Since then we've had a few minor issues, but nothing major. Truck has just over 60,000km on it now and gets daily driven by my wife. It's our choice for any sort of long trip due to the incredible comfort and ride quality it offers. It is an extremely relaxing vehicle to drive.

- Truck has had the front end replaced twice due to collisions. My wife ran into a Wrangler, not sure if that was in the previous thread or not. I hit a 12-point buck at about 60mph while towing...

• OVERKILL
• Replies: 16
• Forum: Vehicles

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Thread '2019 RAM 1500 Sport update - 75,000km'

May 27, 2023

Previous 60,000km post, approximately a year ago, can be found here:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/2019-ram-1500-sport-update-60-000km.357694/

Things have been pretty uneventful up until this past weekend.

Good:
- No service visits since the previous thread. Two HPL oil changes, both done by me.
- No squeaks or rattles
- Tailgate has been perfect since they adjusted it
- Still extremely impressed with the ride quality and comfort of the vehicle

Bad:
- Brakes are starting to pulse when applied at high speed. Front rotors are rotting from the inside out, TONS of pad...

• OVERKILL
• Replies: 20
• Forum: Vehicles

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Thread 'First major repair on the 2019 RAM'

Jun 14, 2024

Yesterday my wife and son come home and my son informs me that the truck is making a weird whooshing sound and that he thinks it is dripping coolant. Says the temperature gauge was still fine though and there were no warning lights.

I come outside, apparently she only drove it a couple blocks after it started making the noise, as she wasn't far from the house. Slide under the truck, signs of coolant down the front of the engine, it's dripping off the trans cooler lines. Wife wants to drive it up to the dealer, I tell her to hold on, it's not going anywhere until I'm able to determine how...

• OVERKILL
• Replies: 97
• Forum: Mechanical/Maintenance Forum

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Truck just rolled 115,000km (~71,500 miles). Last repair was the water pump (bottom link). Wife had a little bit of an "incident" and buggered up the right-rear wheel and shortly after, we started hearing noise from the rear end. Did not sound like gear whine. Dealer mechanic thought it sounded like a wheel bearing. Waited to see if it went away with the winter tires, it did not.

Truck went up to the dealer today with the expectation that it was likely the wheel bearing. Wife was given a Grand Cherokee 4xe as a loaner.

Just got a call, it's the inner and outer pinion bearings, which is a considerably more expensive repair. Diff was serviced at 50,000km, was going to put @High Performance Lubricants in it the next time around (was planning to change it at ~120,000km), waiting for warmer weather. Glad I waited I guess. The good news is that the dealer is going to split the cost of the repair with me.

Our old Expedition, which of course was about 140HP less than the RAM, had the Ford 9.75" diff in the rear. It had the original bearings in it when we sold it, though it did have to get the right-rear axle seal replaced. I was expecting the Dana rear to be equally robust, but it appears that isn't the case. Her "incident" I could see having an impact on the wheel bearing, but I have a hard time picturing how it would have impacted the pinion bearings?

Now, the truck is NOT babied, wife has a lead foot, we've done a fair bit of towing with it, but still, I wouldn't expect bearings in the axle to pack it in at under 100,000 miles.

Will update again once we get it back.

 

[BrendanC]

i would ask if the tech doing the work felt as if the pinion nut was loose. i’ve never seen pinion bearings go south unless run low on lube.

 

[gfh77665]

I love my 2019 RAM Classic. Its been nearly perfect.

 

[OVERKILL]

i would ask if the tech doing the work felt as if the pinion nut was loose. i’ve never seen pinion bearings go south unless run low on lube.

Good question, will ask.

 

[OVERKILL]

I love my 2019 RAM Classic. Its been nearly perfect.

We love the truck, this isn't a huge issue or anything, just a bit disappointing at this mileage.

 

[KrisZ]

You just never know how a small hit can “travel” thorough various components and affect the weakest one.

I remember hitting a pretty big pothole with my Mazda years ago with the passenger side front wheel. Didn’t do any noticeable damage to the wheel or anything else. Few years later I was chasing a clunk that was happening when changing directions. Changed strut mounts, outer tie rods, inner tie rod rods, nothing helped with the clunk.

It turned out the steering rack was bad and I’m pretty sure that hitting that big pothole contributed greatly to its early demise.

In your case, the failure is just more immediate, but the hit, likely aligned nicely with directing the force towards the pinion bearings.

 

[OVERKILL]

Truck is back, Warranty (truck is out of warranty, both in mileage and in age) covered half of it. It's great my dealer always goes to bat for us. Noise is now gone of course. I'll post the description of the issue from the invoice when I'm home.

 

[02SE]

Both pinion bearings bad? Does she do Neutral drops will racing for pinks?

 

[The Critic]

Glad to hear that your dealer went to bat for you.

Since you live in a snowy climate I hope yours doesn't develop the infamous front differential issue as well.

 

[OVERKILL]

Both pinion bearings bad? Does she do Neutral drops will racing for pinks?

I mean, her and my son could be, lol

 

[OVERKILL]

Description from tech:
Cause: "Rear axle front pinion bearing brinnelled"
Comments: "Replaced front and rear pinion bearings, side carrier bearings and axle bearings for debris."

 

[OVERKILL]

Went in and test drove an electric Charger Daytona today and the SM brought me out the bearings:

 

[KrisZ]

They’re definitely shot.

 

[Randol]

Glad they took care of you. Not sure I'd call that Brinelling, more like spalling to me, but I don't analyze bearings for a living. There are some on here with much more experience at that than me. There are a lot of good resources out there on roller bearing failure modes and potential causes.

 

[The Critic]

Glad they took care of you. Not sure I'd call that Brinelling, more like spalling to me, but I don't analyze bearings for a living. There are some on here with much more experience at that than me. There are a lot of good resources out there on roller bearing failure modes and potential causes.

This would be a good question for @Kestas

 

[Kestas]

It could be from brinelling. Check to see if spall spacing matches the roller spacing. Spalling can start from a previous brinelling event. The load pattern looks good, so I doubt it's from overloading. I see no evidence of seal failure that would let water in to compromise the lubricant.

 

[OVERKILL]

It could be from brinelling. Check to see if spall spacing matches the roller spacing. Spalling can start from a previous brinelling event. The load pattern looks good, so I doubt it's from overloading. I see no evidence of seal failure that would let water in to compromise the lubricant.

Do you have any theories as to what would cause this? Apparently it's not common.

I had a chuckle when I was talking to the SM, who graciously saved these to show me, and I mentioned that the fluid had been changed at 50,000km and he replied that they like to change it at every 50K, impressing of course that it was a bit over that by about 10,000km when the noise developed, so I laughed and replied that I don't think 10,000km was what killed the bearings and he laughed and agreed. So of course had we change the fluid at 100,000km and the bearings packed it in 10,000km later, how does that look to the customer right?

Figure I'll change it at 150,000km with fluid from @High Performance Lubricants, but going to do the Jeep first, as it's coming up on needing its first change.

 

[UncleDave]

Do you regularly tow, or leave it in 4 hi?

 

[OVERKILL]

Do you regularly tow, or leave it in 4 hi?

Regularly? No. We tow with it periodically. It's never in 4HI unless it's the winter and there's a lot of snow or we were pulling the boat out of the lake.

 

[02SE]

FWIW, I like to get the initial fill out after a few thousand miles on a new vehicle, or new gear set. That's when the most wear primarily occurs on new gears.