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Help: How to replace broken spider gear

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Old Mar 12, 2008 | 07:29 PM
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Default Help: How to replace broken spider gear

In my 94 C4 M6 stock rear diff, dana 44 with 3.42s I believe, I broke two teeth off one of my spider gears and I pulled the diff and cover and unbolted the end caps. Not sure how to disconnect the yolk shafts but I do see a couple of c-clips but I can not get my snap ring pliers on them due to the angle of the gears. Is there any way to rotate the spiders off the car or do these turn under cornering only? Anybody have any pics or instructions on how to tear down and replace. I was told I can pick up a new spider gear at a dealer and that I needed to remove the end shafts and the inside carrier to access the gear set.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Last edited by wheeljo2; Mar 12, 2008 at 07:53 PM.
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Old Mar 12, 2008 | 07:36 PM
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Originally Posted by wheeljo2
In my 94 C4 M6 stock rear diff, dana 36 with 3.42s I believe, I broke two teeth off one of my spider gears and I pulled the diff and cover and unbolted the end caps. Not sure how to disconnect the yolk shafts but I do see a couple of c-clips but I can not get my snap ring pliers on them due to the angle of the gears. Is there any way to rotate the spiders off the car or do these turn under cornering only? Anybody have any pics or instructions on how to tear down and replace. I was told I can pick up a new spider gear at a dealer and that I needed to remove the end shafts and the inside carrier to access the gear set.

Thanks for any help you can provide.
They flat out suck to change. You will need all 4 spider gears, and the 2 thrust washers that go under the smaller spiders.
With the rear on the bench, you will need a good set of snap ring pliers and a small screwdriver to spin out the c clip after popping a piece out of the groove. Do NOT break a snap ring. They are selective thickness and hardened. If you break 1, you will have to buy a $75 selective kit to get the 1 you need.
The shop manual shows you how to compress clutch packs to spin out the pinions. I made one with a piece of theaded rod, nuts and washers.
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Old Mar 12, 2008 | 07:57 PM
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Sounds like a job for a professional. I've got it down this far so surely someone in my area (DFW) can help me get the spiders swapped out.
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Old Mar 12, 2008 | 09:41 PM
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I use a beefy snap-on plier to get the rings off. I've broke alot of cheap sets. You can get a new set of spiders and clutchs from any dana/spicer dealer. They are a bit of a bitch to compress the clutch packs and rotate the new spiders in. A FSM will show detail like Pete said.
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