Dana 44 rebuild... Time to set up the gears, advice needed

[NYLES]

Yeah, broken fingers in the sleeve.....

what I thought

 

[Nightstick]

Ain't nothing else holding this thing in is there? Like a snap ring I can't see?

 

[NYLES]

snap rings on the bottom keeps it from pulling through, knock hell outa it!!!!

 

[bax]

The sleeve wont come out until you get the ball joint loose. it is threaded in there and when you tighten up the ball joint it spreads and seats. it will not come out until the ball joint is un seated.

 

[Nightstick]

How bout a "what I learned today" lesson...

Here's where I screwed up. First, I should have read enovey's post a little more. I thought the upper ball joint came out into the middle of the knuckle, wrong! So as I'm beating the crap out of the upper nothing is moving cuz I hadn't taken the nut off the lower. I put the press on it and mangled the threads meaning I couldn't get the castle nut back off. Well, I cut off the rubber boot and used a cutoff wheel to cut the shaft in half. Of course after I got the knuckle out I figured out that they press outward not inward %). I pressed them out and now I'm good.

So I press the new ones in the knuckle and go in reverse (of the proper way) and I'm good right?

 

[Skiddy]

How bout a "what I learned today" lesson...

Here's where I screwed up. First, I should have read enovey's post a little more. I thought the upper ball joint came out into the middle of the knuckle, wrong! So as I'm beating the crap out of the upper nothing is moving cuz I hadn't taken the nut off the lower. I put the press on it and mangled the threads meaning I couldn't get the castle nut back off. Well, I cut off the rubber boot and used a cutoff wheel to cut the shaft in half. Of course after I got the knuckle out I figured out that they press outward not inward %). I pressed them out and now I'm good.

So I press the new ones in the knuckle and go in reverse (of the proper way) and I'm good right?

yes but you shouldn't need a hammer and a cutoff wheel;D

 

[Nightstick]

Second one came off in about 10 seconds, life is hard when you're stupid

 

[fordguy]

Second one came off in about 10 seconds, life is hard when you're stupid

no life is hard period, even harder when you are stupid ;D

 

[73azbronco]

wow, good luck mate.

 

[RnrdTheFox]

How bout a "what I learned today" lesson...

So I press the new ones in the knuckle and go in reverse (of the proper way) and I'm good right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf77O90BwKc

This one is better for ball joints: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qajrelWCmvY

 

[Nightstick]

I watched the second video and his follow-up one for lowers... I decided to go a different route and use a press. The rings that come with the c-clamp work for the top joint, but I used a 1" deep well socket for the lowers. The lowers have to go in first doing it that way. They went in just fine.

Then I went to put the u-joints in the axles... I'm using 4340 chromos with Yukon super joints. First set went together fine, but on the second I presses it in the outer and couldn't get the u-joint to slip into place on the inner axle. After about 15 minutes of trying I cleaned up and called it a day. Has anyone had to take off some of the metal on the inside of where the cap goes to allow the joint to slip into place?

 

[Phil76]

Phil, you are correct! I just read another thread that clarified it for me. Like the other guy I thought the inner portion of the sleeve was threaded around the ball joint so I assumed I had to take the sleeve out first to get the ball joint out. I'll give it another whirl!

If I had just looked at the new sleeve I would have seen it wasn't threaded

don't feel too bad it took us a while to realize it too.

 

[Nightstick]

I've read through BillaVista's instructions a few times. I understand what I have to do, but I don't have and can't find two important tools. I have both a inch and foot pound torque wrench, but they're the clicky kind. According to the directions I need a dial type to set bearing preload.

I'd prefer to do it the way he says to do it, anyone know what kind of place rents out these kinds of wrenches? The parts stores only have the clicky kind.

 

[addicted]

I've heard of people using a pull scale. Like the ones for weighing fish. The torque wrench your looking for is a "beam" type. Got mine from sears for 20 bucks. You can also get them from bikewagon.com. And lots of ebay stores have them. Just type in "torque wrench" and the list is endless. I've never seen them for rent.

 

[Nightstick]

Yeah, I prefer to use the dial, but I guess the beam is gonna have to do. I don't have time to waste looking for one so I'll just pick up a beam one. Thanks!

 

[Nightstick]

Just wondering how y'all get the pinion races out of the housing... The outer looks like it can be tapped out from the inside, can the inner be done the same way?

I got a set of overpriced set-up bearings after exploding one of the carrier bearings I was gonna use. I honed them I tiny bit more and they work great. Somehow, someway, I got the initial shim pack right on the carrier, we'll see how it goes from here on out.

 

[addicted]

You just have to catch the edge of the race with a punch and tap it out. It easier when you have the back flat side to tap on but it works both ways. If you want to save the race then use a brass drift. If they are going in the trash then just use whatever works best. Chisel, flat head screw driver, whatever. On the install, dont risk it it. Only use brass or a dedicated race driver. They are made out of aluminum and come in different sizes. I usually get them as loaner tools from autozone. They work awesome.

 

[addicted]

If you dont find the torque wrench let me know. I'll put a loaner in the mail.

 

[Nightstick]

Thanks for the offer, I should be able to find one local though. I hit them with a flathead for several minutes with no success. I thought there might be some trick I didn't know to get em out. I talked to another guy who said the same thing as you, so it looks like the beating will continue tomorrow. Thanks again

 

[addicted]

No problem. Just work it all around and it will pop out. Maybe throw a little heat on it.