Carrier was really stuck in D44!

[RWKHausSupply]

Oh yeah, the plug I was referring to is that 5-6" piece that's used for carrier bearings. The tall blue housing that the screw threads into measures 10" on mine and the screw itself is 8" long. I thought all of these were made in the same factory in India regardless of its a Yukon, Nitro, or whatever, so I'm scratching my head how you can pull the pinion bearings off longer pinions without some short plug or spacer.



(BTW, I have a solution for this, using a different plug from something else, I'm just curious how others do it in case there's an easier way... or all the brands are not the same.)

I grab a larger 1/2" drive short socket and slip it over the threads and thats all thats needed for the Short TJ low pinions, the others are all not needed.

 

[md21722]

I found reason that typically happens on the older D44's especially on the XJ's is that there is a bead of 25yr old sealer, that is just slightly into the bearing race and you have to shear it off (and its not that easy at times) in order to get the carrier to come out. Before you reassemble, remove that hard circular orange or black bead of sealer from just inside where the caps are.

When they press the tubes in originally they lubed and seal with that stuff and it gets pushed in, then I think as it dried, it expanded and at times made it in to the race area slightly. Sucks. And a spreader doesnt help it (if this is the cause) as its in to the bearing more than .010-.015, the max you should spread a D44.

The only thing I noticed is that the driver side carrier bearing sleeve can slide in from the side but the passenger side won't do the same, it needs to be "dropped in from the top". Both races fit cleanly against the housing. Thanks for the insight about the sealer!

 

[93blackxj]

my 44 had the carrier bearing cups spin in the caps. this caused ridges in the housing, which made pulling the carrier a pain the butt. there is a tool that we use take the ridges out of 60's, 70's and 80's.