I need someone who has rebuild a Vette D44 to chime in and give me a hand. I have my diff apart for a rebuild of course. It had 3.73 gears the previous owner installed. I ordered a rebuild kit with all bearings and seals. My problem is with the pinion and bearings, the new bearings do not fit the pinion that was on the rear (too big inner diameter) the seal that came is also to big inner dia. for the pinion. I was told its possible that the previous owner installed a Jeep set of Dana 44 gears which carry a smaller diameter pinion versus the corvette's dana 60 diameter pinion. When we matched the #'s on the gears Tom's Diffs told me that they are for a jeep D44, so I ordered the right set of 3.73's from Tom's along with the Yoke, thinking that would solve the problem. When I checked the new bearings in the housing to install the race, the inner race outer diameter won't go into the housing, (too big) looks like someone put a spacer in the inner pinion bearing bore to make the the smaller dia pinion bearing work, and the outer race falls right in the outer race bore leading me to think that they bored that out to fit the smaller diameter pinion outer bearing, everyone still with me? I need someone who possibly has a Vette unit apart and can give me the inner and outer pinion bearing bore diameters off the housing so I can get an idea what I'm dealing with. I'm sure this thing is a D44, And I can't find a bare housing anywhere! Help! :confused: :confused:

 

Juan, your R&P showed up at the shop from Tom's yesterday... I will get it in the processor and back out to you ASAP. In the meantime, give me your phone number again; apparently my wife didn't check my pockets when she washed my shorts the other night...
-Jeb
PS- Did you get in touch with Contemporary about the case?

 

Yeah! I got a hold of contemporary Vette's, but they only had complete rears. I had a local machine shop look at it and they told me once I got the R&P They could start on the neccessary modifications. I'll give you a call on Wednesday Jay! Thanks!

 

Juan, I have mine apart but I don't have the bearing out of my case yet. I just ordered these from Tom's Diff. and they appear to be the right ones. The outer bearing race measured 2.688 and the inner measured 3.251.

 

Thanks Tony, you have mail! :thumbs: