Hey all, alright I have been hearing a bearing sound coming from my rear axle. Being a single full time dad I haven't had the time to look at it and took it to a friend's shop to have him look at, with the understanding the I will be fixing it myself. He told me the axle tube bearing are bad, the rear diff has metal shaving in the oil and the springs are needing replaced. So I am looking for a replacement rear axle assembly. How do I find out the gear ratio if the tag is gone? Can I upgrade to a heavier duty axle assembly? What about using a Dana 44 assembly? What happens if I install the wrong ratio? I am not a novice but hardly an expert and am needing some advice.