Dana 44 ARB Gear Questions

[flousberg]

Tore apart the front yesterday to install the ARB. The old carrier was for gears below 3.92 and I am putting in 4.56 gears. The ARB questions say to measure from the face of the flange of the old carrier to the outside of the bearing race then measure the ARB to the outside of the main shim and subtract the two to get a starting shim pack. The problem is it is off over .250. I believe this is because of the change in carriers to the higher gear ratio. If this is correct, does anyone know how I can get a good starting point for the shim pack? Im sure I will eventually get it, but if there is a good way to estimate it, that would help.

Thanks

 

[SaddleUp]

Start with the same amount of shims but be careful when you put the carrier in. I.E. If it starts binding up then you may need to pull some back out.

 

[flousberg]

Measure the shims on each side of the original carrier, between the bearing and carrier then use that on each side of the new arb carrier on the outside of the bearing cups? Is this correct? Also, the overall length of the new and old should be the same minus the .005 for each side for the bearing preload. Is this correct?

 

[SaddleUp]

Loosely correct anyway. Don't count on it coming out right even then. With the bearing preload on a new carrier I always get the backlash and pattern set first without any preload shims. (I just stuff enough in to keep it tight against the other side) Then after the backlash and pattern come out right I go back and get the preload pack set up. Then I go back again and make sure the backlash and pattern are still good.

 

[flousberg]

That is what I am planning on doing.

 

[bmc69]

Loosely correct anyway. Don't count on it coming out right even then. With the bearing preload on a new carrier I always get the backlash and pattern set first without any preload shims. (I just stuff enough in to keep it tight against the other side) Then after the backlash and pattern come out right I go back and get the preload pack set up. Then I go back again and make sure the backlash and pattern are still good.

What Rick said. Except I leave the whole mess of spacers out on the one side and use a couple wood wedges that I made to set the carrier tight and check pattern. A couple taps on the wedges is about right for the preload that will be there when the 'mess-o-shims' gets put in later. Plus I stack up shims on the ARB spacers assembly and get a good start on what fits by using the stack a a sort of feeler guage in the gap that the wood wedges are holding after the pattern is correct.

 

[SaddleUp]

when the 'mess-o-shims' gets put in later

You can say that again. ARB just traded one pain for another when they switched designs.

 

[flousberg]

Got the pinion and carrier in last night and I am working on the pattern. I am using the gear marking paint that yukon provided, but it seems to smear quite a bit. I didn't have this problem on the rear. Is there any tricks to getting a better marking? I can still tell that I am too far out with the pinion and I am going to work on that this evening.

 

[Recko555]

Add some oil to it. That will thin it out.

 

[jabranovich]

I use the Yukon marking compound,and spray gear with brake clean before I start,especially on used gear,also you probably know this but without a lot of preload on carrier during setup I hold a rag on ring gear when I turn pinoin to make as much drag as possible to get good clear pattern,good luck.

 

[flousberg]

The oil did the trick. The pattern came out really well. Drilled the hole for the arb line and now I just need to put everything back together with the new pinion cup and back bearing and cross my fingers that the pattern is still good with the new stuff. Another question, Is there an easy way to put the axle seals in that i am missing what a pain.

 

[Devin]

The oil did the trick. The pattern came out really well. Drilled the hole for the arb line and now I just need to put everything back together with the new pinion cup and back bearing and cross my fingers that the pattern is still good with the new stuff. Another question, Is there an easy way to put the axle seals in that i am missing what a pain.

This thread shows a tool that someone made for installation:

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85473

What I did was just employ the use of a helper. I had the helper hold an appropriately sized driver on the seal. Then, I used a long wooden dowel to drive them in from the opposite side (through the axle tube). Worked like a charm. Just be careful and make sure you don't damage the first seal when you are installing the second one.

 

[jabranovich]

Thats the way I do it to.