Main Shaft Dana 18 TCase

I need to replace the mainshaft #48 and bearings for dana 18 tcase. There appears to be a lot of "specialty" tools required. Can a novice do this?

I have seen many rebuild guides online but I want the skinny on how to safely get the shaft out. The problem is that the flange nut is damaged on the main shaft and will need to be torched off.....

 

It's very doable with hand tools that most Jeeper's have. One thing is a dial indicator is a good thing to have for setting bearing clearances. Other than that I'd recommend a good service manual, which will pay for itself many times over. Krage, Herm Tilford, R&P, and many others can supply you with parts if you can't find them. These transfer cases are pretty easy to rebuild. Go For it! Nickmil.

 

Mike, I bought a dial indicator and mag. base from Harbor Freight. I think it came to less than $25 for both of em. Works fine as it doesn't need to be super precise

 

Home made "Dial Indicator"

Long ago when knights were bold--- when dial indicators were rare...

You used feeler gauges-- and a home made bracket.

You start by inventing a bracket that bolts or clamps to your T-case

You make the bracket so it has a Rigid arm that comes within a few thousands of what you want to measure the play.

You measure the play by measuring the movement change distance between your bracket arm and the shaft--- with feelers.

You can make this bracket with the Rigid arm with a nut and all-thread extender and lock nuts----so you can thread down and get within 10 thousands or so--- then( as an example) if you measure(hypothetically) 14 thousands (or so thousands) then say 11 thousands with feelers--- then you subtract the difference and know you have 3 thousands play.

This was actually the "offical" way that VW machanics measured end-play and thrust in old air cooled VW Engines in the VW rebuild manuals of olden days.


I just got my Novak master rebuild kit-- to do my D18 t-case.
It was sitting at my front door last night when I got home from work.

My intermediate Shaft (1-1/4 with loose needle) was really worn out bad--- but intermediate gear inside is good shape.

I still have to disassemble the rest of the case though.

 

That's a great idea! I've done similar things but since I've had dial indicators so long I forget about these things. Handy tool to have but that would work great. Nickmil.