D30 work planned for this weekend - Advice?

Got a screaming deal on a Spartan for my D30 last week, and was going to attempt the install. I know it can be done without removing the carrier, (or so i've read/been told) ...but i'm also going to be doing my axle seals at the same time.... which I know I need to remove the differential in order to do.
My questions are this:

• Do I need a case spreader to get the differential out?
• Do I need to check/adjust backlash before/after doing this job?
• I'm going to assume that if any adjustment are needed I'll have to pick up some shims from the parts store. (is that right?)
• Do I need any special tools in order to do the axle seals?

My FSM of course shows all these crazy specialty tools, which I've heard, more often times than not, are not always necessary.
Any and all advice is much appreciated.
Thanks in advance guys!

I can't remember because it was so long ago, but I know for ceretain you cant get the locker in there with 4:56s and the ring gear on and Im pretty sure the ring gear had to come off when I put in the lockright with 3:55s but Im not 100% it was years ago. But if you do have to pull the ring gear the bolts are left hand thread!

Anways you will not need a case spreader. A good trick is to put a wrench on one of the ring gear bolts and rotate it to the bottom of the diff, then with a breaker bar or a big pliers or whatever rotate the drive shaft and it will push the carrier right out. You can check backlash before and see if its in spec, you will need a dial indicator with a magnetic base. If its out then you would need carrier shims and a press to get the bearings off then back on. When I did my lockright I found a bearing toasted so I repolaced both and reset backlash.

Edit: Actually if your backlash needs adjusted but there is still good preload on the bearings (meaning the carrier dosnet just fall out when you pull the caps) you can pull shims on one side and move it to the other to increase/ decrease backlash. If preload is not enough but backlash is good then you would need to add equal amounts to both sides. Oh and make sure to mark the caps as to which side, they must go back the same way!

You will not need to mess with the backlash. Remove the carrier (I use two prybars one at the top and one at the bottom to pry out the carrier), remove the ring gear. This is necessary because you can't get teh center pin out with the ring gear on usually. Remove the center pin and spider gears and install teh locker (an especially easy task with a spartan). Reinstall teh ring gear and make sure you use high strength loctite torque to spec (55 foot pounds IIRC). Reinstall carrier and make sure thye cap bolts get loctite and torqued to spec (also 55 foot pounds IIRC). Put the rest together and go enjoy your newfound traction!

a cool trick for getting the carrier out is stuffing a towel in there, and rotating the carrier around until you have both sides wrapped around the carrier. unless you got the axle on a work bench, i find it much easier to catch the carrier this way, than if your hands were on two pry bars. but that method is 100% effective as well.

I had a bit of a tough time getting my carrier back in once, packed it in a cooler under ice for a day and it fell right in

whitexj98 said:

But if you do have to pull the ring gear the bolts are left hand thread!

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Mine were definitely not left hand thread, i just did it. Mine is HP, not sure about yours.... maybe there's a difference with LP. But HP is definitely right hand thread.

8.25" ring gear bolts are reverse threaded. Maybe he's getting them confused?

I was refering to the HP dana 30, I could of sworn they were LH...but it was a few years and many beers ago...

A mod can edit that if they like, hate to spread flase info!

I am currently swapping gears, carrier and lockrite in my HPD30. Ring gear bolts are definitely RH thread.

if your axle was re-geared, and the person that did it used a case spreader to set the pre-load high, you will need a case spreader to get the carrier out.

thats how mine was.

Its all OEM...205k miles worth of stock goodness..... 3.55's and all.
I have swapped the fluid a couple times, but thats the extent of it. Since I'm not re-gearing as of yet... i shouldn't have to mess with the ring gear bolts or anything, its going to come out as a unit, and hopefully go back in as one.... that trick with the ice is a good idea, I may have to try that if things get a little tight on the re-install...thanks Souske!
>
Anyone have any experience with the seals? Any tricks when it comes to those?

NW99XJ said:

Its all OEM...205k miles worth of stock goodness..... 3.55's and all.
I have swapped the fluid a couple times, but thats the extent of it. Since I'm not re-gearing as of yet... i shouldn't have to mess with the ring gear bolts or anything, its going to come out as a unit, and hopefully go back in as one.... that trick with the ice is a good idea, I may have to try that if things get a little tight on the re-install...thanks Souske!
>
Anyone have any experience with the seals? Any tricks when it comes to those?

Click to expand...

you will have to pull the ring gear to get the locker in, unless yours is somehow different than mine. you'll need the room. and in order to pull the ring gear, you'll have to mess with the ring gear bolts.

Vanimal said:

you will have to pull the ring gear to get the locker in, unless yours is somehow different than mine. you'll need the room. and in order to pull the ring gear, you'll have to mess with the ring gear bolts.

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Great..... (we'll see what happens) - The instruction sheet says I may only have to do that if I had taller gears.... once I get the carrier out, I'll see how far I can go without too much disassembly.

could be the case, but it wasnt even close on mine. i had 4.56's though. i actually had to grind the carrier a little to fit it in.

VAhasnoWAVES said:

a cool trick for getting the carrier out is stuffing a towel in there, and rotating the carrier around until you have both sides wrapped around the carrier. unless you got the axle on a work bench, i find it much easier to catch the carrier this way, than if your hands were on two pry bars. but that method is 100% effective as well.

Click to expand...

This is hands down the best way to remove the carrier.
Installation is a breeze.
Pop the carrier out and read the directions.
Put the carrier back in and wheel.
Ive done 2 lock rights and one spartan. All were easy.

whitexj98 said:

I was refering to the HP dana 30, I could of sworn they were LH...but it was a few years and many beers ago...

A mod can edit that if they like, hate to spread flase info!

Click to expand...

Just did a lockright locker swap from a low pinion to a high pinion. On both the ring gear bolts were right hand thread. Just to clear up any confusion.

If you are able to get the center pin out without removing the ring gear then you won't need to remove the carrier.

jeeperjohn said:

If you are able to get the center pin out without removing the ring gear then you won't need to remove the carrier.

Click to expand...

From what I've read, most people are able to with the stock carrier & 3.55's....its when you step up to a taller, thicker cut gear, and the different carrier, is when you start to run out of room.... I'm going to get started on this project here in about another hour. I'll post up pics, and write up of the whole thing in my build thread later this evening when I'm done.
Thanks for all the advice, tips, and tricks everyone....
Any last minute words of wisdom?

jeeperjohn said:

If you are able to get the center pin out without removing the ring gear then you won't need to remove the carrier.

Click to expand...

not true with 4.56's, but 3.55's may be different. i was able to get the pin out, but i was not able to get the locker in, not even close.
i know you've done a few so im sure you already know, just stating the facts for anyone who has 4.56's and wants to try it.