Rear end rebuild

Seriously how hard is it to rebuild a Dana 44 rearend? Any tipsor tricks I should know before diving in? Thanks

 

If you are comfortable rebuilding an engine and transmission, you shouldn't have any problem with a rear diff. It does take a lot of patience and attention to detail as you'll likely have the gears and carrier in and out 15 to 20 times to get everything right. Pinion depth is the critical setting, all others are fairly easy once you get that right. Randy's Ring and Pinion has downloadable instructions that take all the mystery out of it.

Special tools: dial indicator with magnetic base, caliper or micrometer to measure shims, 250 ft/lb torque wrench, inch/lb torque wrench, Loctite, pry bars, bearing puller with thin jaws to get under bearings, 12 ton or bigger press (hammers can substitute, but they're not desireable.) A pinion yoke holding tool is very handy and easy to make. Setup bearings make the job go a lot faster.

There is a very handy bearing puller available from Randy's Ring and Pinion and other places that makes removing the pinion and carrier bearings without damage a snap, but it's not cheap, about $300.

With this list of tools, I've rebuilt about 12 Dana diffs ranging from D30's to D70's in the last two years. From experience, it's a lot less frustrating to do the work with the axle out of the vehicle and sitting on jack stands.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

I think you will find it very helpful to have "setup" diff case side bearings. I use the old bearings and hone them out with a sanding drum till they are a slip fit on the diff case.