This morning my fathers 2004 Hemi Ram 1500 4x4(140,000 mile) started to alternate locking up a rear wheel while turning. One wheel will be dragged while in the turn (I am not sure which side). Then, when turning the opposite direction, the other wheel will be dragged.

It is a 9 1/4 sure-grip with 3.55 gears with disc brakes. I don't think the brakes are the issue.
My feeling is that it is the sure-grip unit.

Has anybody seen this problem before?
What is the culprit?

He is currently at work an hour away. I have told him to check the gear fluid...If it needs fluid to make sure to get limited-slip additive.
We are going to see if his dealer will send a rollback.

He just paid off the truck too.....

BTW--it is an all-wheel drive version...do these things have electronic traction control?

Well, I just was able to check the truck out.

After sitting for 4 hours, it is not dragging any wheels anymore.
The axle is full of clean gear oil, that is not burned. When jacked up, both wheels turn forward. When I put a block under one side, I can spin the free side by hand.

I guess it could be one of the rear calipers locked up causing the sure-grip to act funny.

Apparently..when turning left the right rear wheel would drag, and when turning right the left rear wheel would drag.

Anyone have something like this happen before?

Maybe pull the rotors off and see what the park brake shoes look like. Maybe the material has come off the shoe and is jamming up?

Almost sounds like the spider gears were toast meaning they were not spinning allowing the one wheel to spin faster than the other. When going around a bend, one wheel spins faster than the opposite wheel.

It is doing it again. I was mistaken the inside wheel is the one that drags. It comes and goes too. If its not doing it and I put in 4wd it will drag the wheel. I can get it to stop in 2wd by turninig tight in reverse.

Weird.

The 9.25 rear with an open carrier is known for spider gear cross pin galling. It's not as common as the problem with the crush sleeve losing it's preload causing gear noise but it happens more than it should. If the limited slip carrier has the same problem, then the spiders may be trying to seize to the cross pin creating a locked differential.

Sounds like your clutch pack retaining clips are backing out or have broken. These have been a real pain, mostly in the 03-05 9.25's

Thanks Hemidup. That's something I can look for...or tell the dealer to check. Dad has got the truck at the dealer.

Is a fix as simple as putting new retaining clips in? Or does the whole LS unit need to come out and be gone through?