HELP! Dana 30 bearing caps

Sometimes I think if it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all...

I've been working on trussing/strengthening a HP D30 axle housing (JY peice bought through a BBS and delivered by a friend a couple years ago) over the last two weeks or so of free time.

I thought I had inspected it when I bought it...

So, got my axle all ready to go to the gear set up place. Between coats of primer on fresh welded stuff and such I figure it is time to take the cover off and do a little sand/painting of that and blow out any sand blasting sand that may have gotten inside the housing.

Crap! Where are the $%*@ing bearing caps!

Argh!

I know, I know, my fault, should have inspected. But who the hell doesn't leave the bearing caps on? Just shut up, ok, my internal monologue is giving me enough grief as it is.

So...

Is it possible to get another set of bearing caps and get them machined in place to go in the axle? Am I better off to get another axle housing and starting over?

What are my options?

I need a shoulder to on.

<sniff, sniff>

IIRC Dana 35 caps are the same. Ditto on the cap bolts.

Now that is one major fawk up.

Congrats.

Easier to start over, machining new caps to match really sucks, but then again, it's a front axle, so if you get a set that's reasonably close, WTFCs?

Hit a Pick and Pull and pull about 5 sets, go home and mix and match till a set fits reasonably well. You'll find Dana quality control is, how shall I put it, laid back.

CRASH said:

Now that is one major fawk up.

Congrats.

Click to expand...

Hey, it's not easy being me. I really should have a staff... Working at a site with a bunch of absent minded professors/scientists is turning me into one I think.

CRASH said:

Easier to start over, machining new caps to match really sucks, but then again, it's a front axle, so if you get a set that's reasonably close, WTFCs?

Click to expand...

Yes, I know - start over. <sigh> The Jeep is NV242 and my daily driver so I need/want this to work without worrying about it.

I'm feeling a little better now. Went to a local wrecker this PM. Just waiting for the phone call to barter with the boss on price for a "new" housing.

if you want - i have my d35 bearing caps and bolts - took them out, threw the housing and they are sitting on the bench...

give me an address and ill get them out to ya.

Thanks for the offer. I really appreciate that. But I'm going to pass.

I'm not certain I would trust the housing now. After talking to a couple guys in my local club (Billavista and Mudlite) I'm just going to start over. I was even thinking about getting a local company to line bore some new caps but it'll most likely cost much more than replacing the housing so I'm not going to bother. I don't want to get into using oversize bearings either. I have enough oddball component combinations to write down and track as it is.

If you are ever in town (Ottawa) give me a PM and we'll go out for beers on my nickel.