Stuck on Dana 20 rebuild…. help

[guidoverduci]

I can’t figure out what I’m missing. I’ve watched and followed a couple rebuild videos and I’m stuck on getting everything tight on the output shaft. Basically the problem I’m having is everything is sliding together to easy and comes right apart. I can’t get the bearings any tighter to hold together. Hopefully that makes sense… I’ve included pics. In the third pic, that top bearing bottoms out on the speedometer gear with just the slightest push. Then I can just pull it apart.

In this video around the 5:40 mark, he’s spinning and pulling and it looks held together… mine just comes apart and I’ve tried driving both bearings in.

 

[Viperwolf1]

A couple things I see. Your plastic speedo gear is off center. It needs to be centered in the knurled area to work properly. Also I don't see any shims.

What is the number on the bearing you are using? It may be the wrong one.

 

[guidoverduci]

A couple things I see. Your plastic speedo gear is off center. It needs to be centered in the knurled area to work properly. Also I don't see any shims.

What is the number on the bearing you are using? It may be the wrong one.

I just centered, thanks! There’s 4 shims in there. Bearing is 15117, the one mentioned in the video and it came in the kit. I just can’t figure out why I can just pull it all apart, yet everything looks bottomed out.

 

[Viperwolf1]

The shaft may have some wear. It's only a few thousandths of an inch interference fit. You could use some bearing setting compound or put some center punch divots around the shaft to tighten it up. You don't want the inner race spinning on the shaft.

 

[guidoverduci]

Help again! Need to revisit this one… I used some setting compound and started putting it back together. I torqued down the nut on the out put shaft (125 ft lbs) and it doesn’t even rotate! I know it’s nothing to do with the compound, because I did a dry run and same thing happened. What am I missing?? When I back the nut off, it spins.. but the nut is not tight. I’m using 4 shims at the moment, that’s what was in there when I tore it apart.

 

[Viperwolf1]

Not enough shims. Need about .080" worth as a starting point.

 

[guidoverduci]

Not enough shims. Need about .080" worth as a starting point.

Seems to have done the trick, although my confidence is low that I didn’t screw something else up in this one. Anything else I should be looking for? It rotates, not sure if it’s as loose as it should be. After install, what would you say are symptoms that it need to be looser (or tighter).. thanks!

 

[Viperwolf1]

Look for a dial indicator so you can actually measure the end play. You may have too add a couple shims to get some movement you can measure. For example add .010" of shims until can see a few thousandths end play with the dial indicator. A few thousandths of preload is ok but you can go as much as .004-.005" end play. This works for the front shaft too.

 

[jamesroney]

Seems to have done the trick, although my confidence is low that I didn’t screw something else up in this one. Anything else I should be looking for? It rotates, not sure if it’s as loose as it should be. After install, what would you say are symptoms that it need to be looser (or tighter).. thanks!

If you bring it over to me in Fremont, I can indicate it for you. Won't take 2 minutes...no charge.

 

[guidoverduci]

If you bring it over to me in Fremont, I can indicate it for you. Won't take 2 minutes...no charge.

Thanks James! I’ll keep that in mind if I run into problems.

 

[guidoverduci]

Look for a dial indicator so you can actually measure the end play. You may have too add a couple shims to get some movement you can measure. For example add .010" of shims until can see a few thousandths end play with the dial indicator. A few thousandths of preload is ok but you can go as much as .004-.005" end play. This works for the front shaft too.

I’m gonna run down and grab a dial indicator, but the one thing I’m confused on is preload vs endplay and which needs to be checked. I’ve read on some other threads, I just need to grab a torque wrench and look for 5-7 inch lbs on the yoke nut before rotation. Yet I also read I need a dial indicator and need to somehow measure endplay or how much it moves in and out between the bearings..

 

[OldBlue76]

I’m gonna run down and grab a dial indicator, but the one thing I’m confused on is preload vs endplay and which needs to be checked. I’ve read on some other threads, I just need to grab a torque wrench and look for 5-7 inch lbs on the yoke nut before rotation. Yet I also read I need a dial indicator and need to somehow measure endplay or how much it moves in and out between the bearings..

Did anyone ever respond to you on this final question? I am facing the same issue. It seems that a 5-7 inch pound resistive "preload" is way different than a 3-5 thousanths end play. I see people quoting the Wild Horses heavy duty kit with the preload concept, but if you are replacing stock like I am, wouldn't the end play method be more appropriate? The Dana manual calls for end play.

 

[guidoverduci]

Did anyone ever respond to you on this final question? I am facing the same issue. It seems that a 5-7 inch pound resistive "preload" is way different than a 3-5 thousanths end play. I see people quoting the Wild Horses heavy duty kit with the preload concept, but if you are replacing stock like I am, wouldn't the end play method be more appropriate? The Dana manual calls for end play.

I didn’t, and actually ended up just buying the pre-built WH heavy duty output assembly because I had some other issues with my output shaft.