Heading East on the Trans Canada Highway on Thursday to visit friends we experienced a rather unusual problem.  I was towing the 5th Wheel on the level at around 90 kph when the prop. shaft parted company with the rear axle.  Fortunatly I was able to quickly slip the transmission into neutral and coast into a pull off within 50 yards.  The large nut inside the rear yoke that holds the pinion yoke onto the pinion spline had come loose and the shaft had slid off the pinion.

The friends we were enroute to visit came out in their truck to pull the 5th wheel back to their place about an hour away and my good friend Matt set off from Horsefly (3 1/2 hours away) in his Dodge with a flat deck trailer to carry us back home.

I have removed the Diff. cover to find this:-

More to follow as I disassemble the entire unit.

I have now removed the entire back axle which was not as difficult as I expected it to be.  Knowing that replacement parts would be costly, I spent some time on the phone pricing a complete axle from a variety of recycling yards.  This axle is a Dana 70, has a "Power Lok" limited slip, 4.10 gears and drum brakes.  The last model year of this version of the Ram was 2002 and was fitted with disc brakes and the 3500 version had the heavier duty Dana 80 axle. I was hoping to find a 2002 Dana 80 with 3.54 gears, disk brakes and "Trac Lok" which is improved version of the "Power Lok", AND I DID!!!  I pick it up next Monday. It has 115,000 kms. on it and comes complete with new disks, backplates and callipers and a 90 day warranty for less than the cost of new parts for the Dana 70.

Almost done!!

Biiiggg Stoppers!!