How do you set Dana 44 carrier bearing preload?

[rjrobin2002]

How do you know how tight to set a Dana 44 carrier in the housing and how much preload is on your carrier bearings? My Dad works on tractors and said he just measures the amount of space between the carrier bearings and housing, and adds however many shims over that space to give the preload.

 

[70_Steve]

How do you know how tight to set a Dana 44 carrier in the housing and how much preload is on your carrier bearings? My Dad works on tractors and said he just measures the amount of space between the carrier bearings and housing, and adds however many shims over that space to give the preload.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Gear_Setup/

Carrier-bearing Preload
Definition: See pinion-bearing preload
Think of it as: How tightly the carrier-bearing cones are pressed into their cups and consequently how stiff they are to rotate. Also controls how tightly the carrier is held in the housing.
How Measured: Not possible to measure directly.
Adjusted Via: Adding or subtracting an equal amount of carrier-bearing shims to both sides of the carrier. Ideally, total carrier shim stack (sum of both sides) should be approx. 0.015” larger than the available space, and a case spreader should be used. However, a case spreader is not critical, and a good approximation of carrier-bearing preload can be made by ensuring the carrier can only be installed with a few good blows from a dead-blow hammer.

Note: If carrier preload is too little, carrier will move away from pinion under load (squirm or deflect), increasing backlash. This could lead to insufficient gear tooth contact, resulting in chipping/breaking of gear teeth.

 

[ken75ranger]

I do .010-.012 over the space used for setup. Once the pattern is good I add .005-.006 to each side of the carrier bearing shims and install he new bearings.

 

[Timmy390]

I'm in the middle of rebuilding my Dana 44 and from what I've read, you can't measure it. From what I understand, the case/housing sets the preload. What I mean is you're supposed to use a $300 case spreader and "widen" the case .015 (I think) during setup. So once you use up all the space during setup, you will be very close to .015 over/tighter when you take the case spreader off.

I do .010-.012 over the space used for setup. Once the pattern is good I add .005-.006 to each side of the carrier bearing shims and install he new bearings.

I plan to do the same thing because a $300 spreader is out of the question.

Tim

 

[bmc69]

I use a pair of wood wedges when I'm setting up a 44 with the ARB; the shims are between bearing and case instead of between bearing and carrier.

Otherwise..yep, its "hammer time"; I've never had any problems with any I've set up as long as the assembly required at least a little persuasion from a rubber mallet to slide in the housing.

 

[rjrobin2002]

My Dad mentioned wrapping a string around the carrier and having a scale like used to weigh fish attached to the string. Then pulling the scale attached to the string and measuring the amount of rolling resistance that way on tractors.

 

[BUCKNBRONK]

u 1st have to get ur pinion set then check & adjust for pattern and back lash, then add .005-.007 shims to set pre load, trying to set it before u do the above is futile. what good is preload if the pattern is no good?

 

[rjrobin2002]

I do .010-.012 over the space used for setup. Once the pattern is good I add .005-.006 to each side of the carrier bearing shims and install he new bearings.

So I was on the right track with just adding equal amounts on each side. Thanks for the clarification guys. I just got my last tool needed for the set up. Got my inch lb torque wrench, knife edge puller, and dial indicator for my birthday and already have possible 6 differentials waiting.

 

[rjrobin2002]

u 1st have to get ur pinion set then check & adjust for pattern and back lash, then add .005-.007 shims to set pre load, trying to set it before u do the above is futile. what good is preload if the pattern is no good?

I know all of that has to be done first, just wondering how to measure carrier preload.

 

[JIMS74]

Here is some pics of the case spreader I made it will fit a dana 44/60, it made it alot easier to get the carrier in an out during set-up.

 

[BUCKNBRONK]

I know all of that has to be done first, just wondering how to measure carrier preload.

How Measured: Not possible to measure directly

 

[Timmy390]

My Dad mentioned wrapping a string around the carrier and having a scale like used to weigh fish attached to the string. Then pulling the scale attached to the string and measuring the amount of rolling resistance that way on tractors.

I think that's more for the pinion than the carrier. The pinion preload is mesured in inch pounds of rolling resistance.

IMO (I've only read about building one but will be building one very soon) it's all about trial and error. Without a pinion depth gauge and a case spreader, you can only guess at what the starting point is. Most of what I've read states to measure all the shims/spacers as you take the old assembly apart and put the new one back the same way and see how close things are. use that as a base and adjust from there.

You can't set side bearing preload before you have the pinion setup and you can't set the pinion up without using all the space the case has to offer.

It's a catch 22.

The carrier bearing prelaod is only .012 - .015 You add that after you have the pattern right. You will not be able to tell a difference in the gear pattern because your not moving the gears, your only adding pressure to the bearings. Adding the .015 forces the case to spread thus holding pressure on the bearings.

Tim

 

[BUCKNBRONK]

good point timmy on the pinion, i think he is getting the two cornfused. I would have liked to se the set up an the fish scale idea though%). Dont forgrt to set pinion preload with the seal removed or u will get a false reading.

 

[rjrobin2002]

good point timmy on the pinion, i think he is getting the two cornfused. I would have liked to se the set up an the fish scale idea though%). Dont forgrt to set pinion preload with the seal removed or u will get a false reading.

I am not getting the two confused. I do not know what the scale used he was talking about for tractors and am sure it is not a fish scale, it was the best description I could use.

 

[BUCKNBRONK]

I am not getting the two confused. I do not know what the scale used he was talking about for tractors and am sure it is not a fish scale, it was the best description I could use.

if ur not confused then I guess u know what u are doing even though u still want to measure something that cant be measured with any accuracy.
What is the setting on carrier preload then in inch/foot pounds supposed to be then? U must have a spec from a book if u want to know sooo bad on how to measure it. every set of gears and diff's i have ever installed have listed the same way to get proper carrier preload as told to u in the previous posts, none of them give a set inch/foot pound spec except for the pinion preload and i will leave it at that- good luck.

 

[Timmy390]

Maybe tractors are different. My guess is your dad has learned a few tricks over the years and found a better way to skin a kitten.

Dana states rotaional force on pinion (and pinion only) should be 25-35 inch pounds of rotaional force. Don't go over 35 but you must be at a min of 25.

Here's a good read on the dana 44. http://www2.dana.com/pdf/X5001-CVSP.pdf

Tim

 

[garberz]

...........Otherwise..yep, its "hammer time"; I've never had any problems with any I've set up as long as the assembly required at least a little persuasion from a rubber mallet to slide in the housing.

I measure the same way bmc69 does. If it take at least three whacks with a rubber mallet, then I call it good.

 

[broncodriver99]

Better manual: http://www2.dana.com/pdf/5310-3.pdf

Start at about page 45. Dana suggests .015 worth of shim to set preload.

What your dad is referring to IS checking carrier preload. The carriers in tractors are much larger and heavier and it may be an old school trick or more likely there is a factory spec. provided for a pull reading. Something that deals with that much weight and torque probably has a preload in the ft/lbs range. The D44 is most likely only several inch/lbs of preload. Since Dana doesn't provide a spec. of any sort for carrier preload you can only follow their advice and add .015" of shim.

 

[garberz]

Without a case spreader, you may not be able to add that much shim. If you can put the carrier in without persuasion, it's too loose.

 

[BUCKNBRONK]

Maybe tractors are different. My guess is your dad has learned a few tricks over the years and found a better way to skin a kitten.

Dana states rotaional force on pinion (and pinion only) should be 25-35 inch pounds of rotaional force. Don't go over 35 but you must be at a min of 25.

Here's a good read on the dana 44. http://www2.dana.com/pdf/X5001-CVSP.pdf

Tim

yes pinion torque to move the entire assembly- now u could guess what the carrier preload is by subtracting the pinion preload but what would u compare that # to? they talk about setting pinion at 25 in#'s so i guess u only want 10 in# of preload on ur carrier- i think not, u will have ring gear deflection before u make it down the street u might as well hold the bearings on with duct tape. Then if u want to talk about differnt gear ratios affecting the assembly preload and how that would make the 35 in#'s null and void thats a whole differnt can of worms to open up. Ill stick with setting right and adding extra shims to set preload then some in# number someone pulled out of thin air.