DODGE RAM FORUM banner

Help and info on my 96 indy

1.7K views 15 replies 5 participants last post by  MF2000  
#1 ·
Well on this wonderful hemi day I just so happened to get sideways and curb hop my indy and broke the axle,brake hub, rim and chipped part of the housin. Thankfully I didnt roll it. my question is, are the diffs from the 98 sst's the same or compoment wise ,gear,and all or what should I really be lookin at. I have already located a enitire diff for a really good price. So any help is greatful.
 
#2 ·
Damn really over 50 of ya look at my thread but cant one of say a damn thing. Im sure it match/fit when I know its a 9 1/4 , open diff, 3.55, but I just wanna be 100%sure that this one outta the 98 sst is gonna bolt right in like I think it will and not effect anything on the truck. Maybe I will get lucky and the other will have posi.lol
 
#4 ·
I figure it will my biggest question is gearing. Its gotta be one of three gears , 3.21, 3.55 or 3.90. Like I said before maybe I'll get lucky and it'll have posi or maybe I am just being hopeful. Overall as long as I didnt bend anything else when I curb hopped it I should just be able to drop the springs, unbolt the driveshaft yank it out put the new one in and away I go.
 
#5 ·
Well picked up the newer rearend outta that 98 sst last night during a tornado, and come to find out it was a supercharged one. Dont know if that really is gonna make a difference bit im startin to think more and more but it bein a posi or at least better traction wise then what I had under mine. Time to tear into it to actually find out. At least I know its a 3.55.
 
#6 ·
So the old rear came out today but the leaf springs are being a pita. I aint pullin the hitch for 2 bolts, I would rather cut them and replace them. Them problem I am runnin into is even with a sledge the wont move. Am I missin something. There aint no bracket to taken off the frame, the shackles that are one the springs from the 98 are noticably taller so I dont wanna mess up mine just incase I need em. I am kinda at a stand still, any ideas?
And thanks armyofone fot being
the only one to at least respond.
 
#10 ·
So the old rear came out today but the leaf springs are being a pita. I aint pullin the hitch for 2 bolts, I would rather cut them and replace them. Them problem I am runnin into is even with a sledge the wont move. Am I missin something. There aint no bracket to taken off the frame, the shackles that are one the springs from the 98 are noticably taller so I dont wanna mess up mine just incase I need em. I am kinda at a stand still, any ideas?
And thanks armyofone fot being
the only one to at least respond.

I had a 95 Ram and the rear end was the same as the one you have. It's been a long time since I worked on it, but it only has two bolts that hold it in place if I remember correctly. One on the front and one on the rear. The U bolt connects the axle to the leaf spring. Once you remove the those, I don't recall anything else holding it. I would recommend you get a repair manual to help you along the way. I used to use mine all the time. Good luck with your swap.
 
#9 ·
+1, you will find that the majority of our members do this. If we have answers we give them, if we don't have an answer we usually don't post. Sorry sometimes the hallowed walls of internet forums don't have the answers we need.
 
#11 ·
So I finally got everything switched out. Guess those shackles are common for siezing to the brackets. I guess that really dont suprise me considering they have the metal sleeve inside them. Once I got the rear out which was no problem I was stuck on the leafsprings for a day or two, I aint gonna lie, but using basic hand tools was a adventure. All I did was used two ratchet straps, 50ft or so of rope, a tree and a good ol cut off wheel. With the springs outta the way, one strap hooked to the shackle connected to the front hanger and pulled it all the way forward, the other held it down, cut into it as far as i could then tied a rope to a tree and pulled it backwards, tied it down and finished cuttin through it. A torch would have worked so much better and faster but didnt have one or know anyone with one. On the drivers side it was a little more fun because the front bolt is just a hair to long to due to the gas tank being in the way. So either drop the tank or cut like 1/8 inch off the end of that bolt to avoid doing all the pryin and beatin that I did.

Now this is where it gets confusing to me, to a point. Keep in mind that rearend and leeafsprings that went back under my truck was outta a 98 sst that was "supposedly supercharged", now when I got the setup the shackles where a good 2-3 inches taller then my orginals, the diff had a adapter plug on it that plugged into the speed sensor, the springs seemed like they weighed a good 20lbs more then mine. I can kinda understand to a point that Dodge may have changed/upgraded wiring, the original owner may have done a suspension mod. but mine dont sit any different, but now can anyone tell me why my ABS and brake light is on. abs light comes on after bout 30 secs of drivinand stays on until I shut it off. I wrecked the back of mine, he wrecked the front of his. I have changed out both plugs, checked fuses, disconnected the battery. I can understand if the park brake needs to be adjusted and that is causing the idiots lights to be on or is it just a matter of takin it to Dodge and having the computer reset?

I know its long winded but I figured 94-01 were all the same. And if anyone has to do something like this maybe it could save them time and money by doing it themselves.
So any advice on these few problems I still have a greatful. thanks
 
#12 ·
Sounds like you are making progress. There is something not connected (I can't think of it) on the top of the rear housing that is likely causing your ABS light issue. If I had my book I could tell you exactly, but I gave it to a friend recently.

It doesn't make sense that the shackles are taller on the donor truck. Was it off a 4x4?
 
#13 ·
Yea I made it. Using only hand tools, a lil 2 ton jack and doing it by myself. It only took a week. :SHOCKED:

And if ya talkin bout that sensor on top of the pumkin (speed sensor) it is plugged in, I have even changed the one that was in the 98 rear with the one that was in my 96 rear and the only difference I noticed was the ABS light would go off once started then come back on after bout 20 secs of drivin and the parkin brake seemed to loosen up a little more. Other then that I aint gotta clue:4-dontknow:?
 
#14 ·
Well I was lucky enough when I stopped by the local Dodge dealer today today the service mang. talked with me and I explained what all happened with my truck, the rear I replaced it with, the ABS and park brake lights being on and luckily enough he just grabbed the scan tool did it for me without any hassle. The only code that came up stored or active was this (78) Brake Foundation:4-dontknow:. He told me that it was a code he personally had never seen or heard of before.
So unless anyone on here can give me some input my interenet search begins.
 
#15 ·
Oh and MF2000 had a buddy say the same thing bout the springs being off a 4x4. They were off a 98 sst but like I said before they wieghted bout a good 20-25lbs more then mine and it would make sense seeming how the shackles appear to be lowering shackles but it did not change the stance of my truck and the 98 sst did sit bout as high a mine(being stock) from what the guy who sold me the rear setup said and pictures showed. So yea I am just glad to have it back on the road, now for these darn codes.