Yukon Gear 03 and Up 11.5in Dodge Rear Wheel Bearing/Seal Kit

A Ram 2500 or 3500 that hums from one rear wheel at highway speed, leaves a ring of gear oil on the inside of a rear tire, or has brake shoes soaked on one side needs its rear hub bearings and wheel seal looked at. The Yukon Gear & Axle AK C11.5 is the wheel-end kit for the Chrysler-application 11.5 in. rear axle under 2003-2013 Dodge and Ram heavy-duty pickups. Each kit holds an inner bearing and race, an outer bearing and race, and the axle wheel seal, and it services one side of the truck.

What the wheel bearing and seal kit does on a Ram 11.5 in. axle

The 11.5 in. rear under these trucks is a full-floating axle. The hub turns on a pair of tapered roller bearings that ride on a spindle fixed to the axle tube, so the truck's weight and everything in the bed and on the hitch sits on those two bearings, not on the axle shaft. The shaft just bolts to the outside of the hub and delivers torque. Gear oil from the center section runs out the tube and lubricates the hub bearings, and the wheel seal at the inboard side of the hub is the only thing keeping that oil away from the brakes. Replacing both bearings, both races and the seal together restores the hub to a known-good set rather than mixing new and worn parts.

Symptoms of worn rear hub bearings or a failed wheel seal

• A growl or hum from one rear corner that rises with road speed and gets louder with a trailer or a loaded bed
• Noise that changes when you lean the truck through a long sweeping curve and shift weight from one hub to the other
• Gear oil on the inner wheel, the backing plate or the brake parts on one side
• A rear brake that pulls or fades after oil reaches the shoes or pads
• Play you can feel when you rock a raised rear tire top to bottom
• One hub noticeably hotter than the other after a drive

How to confirm it before you order

Raise the rear axle until both tires clear the ground and support it on stands. Rock each tire at the twelve and six o'clock positions; a clunk or visible movement at the hub means end play. Spin each wheel by hand and listen for roughness, and compare sides. Then pull the axle shaft and look inside the hub: a wet, dirty seal area or brown, gritty bearing grease confirms it. If both hubs are tight and quiet but the noise is still there, the sound is likely coming from the pinion or carrier bearings in the center section, and a Yukon 11.5 in. master overhaul kit for 2010-and-down axles or the 2011-up 11.5 in. master overhaul kit is the right repair instead.

Fitment

Yukon lists the AK C11.5 for the Chrysler 11.5 in. rear axle in these trucks, two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive:

• 2003-2010 Dodge Ram 2500 and Ram 3500
• 2011-2013 Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 with leaf spring rear suspension

The kit is specific to the Chrysler version of the 11.5. GM trucks with an 11.5 in. rear use a different wheel-end kit, and the 2014 and newer Ram 2500 moved to a coil-spring rear, which is outside Yukon's listing for this part. If your truck is a 2014 or newer, or you are not sure which axle is under it, read the axle tag on the cover bolt or send us your year, model and VIN and we will confirm it. Remember the kit does one side, so order two to do both rear hubs. More axle and differential parts are in the hard parts collection.

Install notes

• Drain the axle or have a pan ready; gear oil follows the shaft out when you pull it from the hub.
• Remove the hub nut lock and adjusting nut, slide the hub off the spindle and drive out the old races. Seat the new races fully against their shoulders; a race that is not bottomed will loosen and wear the hub bore.
• Pack or pre-lube the new bearings, then drive the new wheel seal in square to the bore. A cocked seal leaks on the first trip.
• Set bearing preload or end play exactly as the factory service manual specifies for your model year, then install the lock and a new axle flange gasket if yours is torn.
• Clean all gear oil off the brakes and replace any shoes or pads it reached; contaminated linings will not recover.
• Refill the center section to the bottom of the fill plug with the gear oil grade in your owner's manual. If you are replacing the ring and pinion while the axle is apart, the 03-10 GM and Dodge 11.5 in. master install kit covers the center section bearings.

Does one AK C11.5 kit do both rear wheels?

No. It services one side: one inner bearing and race, one outer bearing and race, and one wheel seal. Order two kits to do both rear hubs.

Will this kit fit my 2015 Ram 2500?

Yukon lists it for 2003-2010 Dodge Ram 2500/3500 and 2011-2013 Ram 2500/3500 with leaf springs. The 2014 and newer Ram 2500 uses a coil-spring rear and is not on the list, so send us your VIN and we will check what fits.

Does it fit a Chevy or GMC with the 11.5 in. rear?

No. This is the Chrysler-application kit. GM 11.5 in. axles use a different hub bearing and seal kit.

How do I tell a hub bearing from a pinion bearing noise?

Raise the axle, rock and spin each wheel and compare sides. A loose or rough hub points to this kit. If both hubs are tight and smooth, the noise is likely in the center section pinion or carrier bearings.

What else should I replace with the bearings?

Replace any brake shoes or pads soaked with gear oil, use a new axle flange gasket if the old one is torn, and refill the axle with the gear oil grade your owner's manual specifies.