I want to install my gears myself to save me some dough and was wondering how hard this job would be for me to do?

Anyone have any links or diagrams they could give me on how to do the complete process? Manual or book suggestions? Tool requirements (special tools)?

Looking for people that have done the install yourself or have done one in the past.

 

Rear gear set up is tricky. I just did a 12 bolt this weekend. There are a few critical measurements that require special tools. 1st is pinion depth. This is the distance from the head of the gear to the imaginary centerline of the diff mounting saddles. The next concern is pinion preload. This is the inch pound rating for the drag on the rotating pinion. Generally 15 in lbs on used bearings and 25 in lbs on new bearings. Carrier must be preloaded similarily. Then backlash is established by moving ring gear closer to the pinion to reduce backlash. Backlash is increased by moving ring gear away from pinion.

 

Can any old Dana 44 gear set and rebuild kit be used?

 

I believe that you must used gears according to the series carrier that you have. For example, my carrier is a 2 series carrier meaning only OEM 2.73 numerically gears will fit. The 3.75 gears that I am going to use is specially made thicker to fit my Dana36's carrier.

 

Are you getting the Richmond 3.75 gears made for the Dana36? Do you mind if I ask where you got them from?

 

Summitracing www.summitracing.com is where I am getting them from, and yes they are richmond. There are a couple of places that I know of. Randys ring and pinion www.ringpinion.com and exotic muscle www.exoticmuscle.com also carry the gears you need.

Hope this helps!

 

Good info Pete.... What is the tools I need to measure these items?? Is there some kind of ABS sensor or something like that located in these rearends that require any sort of special attention? What about the ASR?

Sorry to ask so many questions. I am a handy mechanic but I still don't want to get over my head in a project that requires me to tow it to someone to get it fixed. Do you feel that a rear end newbie can do this if he takes his time to do so? Or do you recommend that I have a professional do this task? I have setup a rearend before in a stang but that has been sometime ago.

On a 1-10 scale, what would the difficulty level of this project be??

 

Once the chunk is out and on the bench, the rears are not too special at all. The rear axle yokes have to be checked for proper end play. That is the only unusual thing I can think of. They are set using selective snap rings. Your are likely fine. Just check them. The tool needed to set the pinion is called a pinion depth guage. It sell for about $400 and is very hard to get. Some guys make the mistake of putting a small straight edge diagonally accross the carrier saddles and measuring down to the pinion head with an inside mic. This will not work because the odds of the saddle halves and the cap halves being exactly equal are unlikely. You can find the machined off set and factor this number into your math. The Proform ($100) tool uses this offset method. The torque wrench that you need is a dial type inch pound wrench. These too are hard to locate because they are uncommon. They are handy for measuring the rotation friction, Not break away torque, but rotating torque. Proper preload of the bearings is critical and this tool helps.
In short, I would rate this an 8 if 10 is most difficult.

 

I rambled on and did not answer some questions. Yes you can do it. Devote an entire day to it once it is on the bench and cleaned up. There are no internal abs items to deal with. No worries.
The reason I learned to do them is no one locally has been able to do ours. They pretend to know how, charge us, and give us a noise unit that soon fails. If you know someone good, it is worth it to have them set it up. Otherwise, good luck. You can do it.

 

Job is doable but expensive the first time around, because of tools needed. You'll need a good bearing pulling and press to get the bearings off and on. A second set of new bearings, if you are installing new bearings on the unit, that have been honed to the pinion and carrier so they can be slipped on and off, will decrease the set-up time a whole lot. If you don't have the tools needed, I'd take the unit somewhere to have it done. Maybe not as satisfying but cheaper in the long run.

 

The short answer is, that for 99% of the people that pose this question, the fact that you asked, is proof that you shouldn't try. The tools alone will cost what you can get it done for. Even with the tools, you don't have to be too far off before you waste a ring and pinion. Tuition in this school of self help can add up quickly. For a preview of what is involved, there is a good step by step, in your fsm. Remove the diff yourself and take it to a competent gear man. Notice, I didn't say competent mechanic.

RACE ON!!!

 

This is not something that a gear newb should try, its very easy for you to fubar the whole thing and end up with a noisy rear end or a blown one.

 

Understood guys....

How much can I get a used D44 unit with at least 3.xx OEM gears?? This is another opition I have been evaulating.....