gear swap

what tools do you need and how hard is it to learn? i am willing to put out the money in the tools if i can learn this. is there a thread of web site that teaches this? it is very hard to fin a place around columbus ohio that will do it with out rapeing you ($500.00 per axle in just labor) would be nice to be able to do the swap for myself and some friends for a fair price!

It depends on what kind of axle you have. The 8.25's and the dana's are set up differently. All i have to say is that most the time gear swaps go as planned and they arent to difficult. Its the times when your backlash, preloads, pinion depths and such are not correct, and this is when you need a professional to do the work

we could always ask pops

A dial indicator with a magnetic base
Bearing splitters
Hydraulic press
Angle grinder or dremel to make set-up bearings/races
A diff housing spreader would be great; I made due without.
maybe other stuff I'm forgetting

It took me 2 weekends to do my D30/35.

XJ9888 said:

It depends on what kind of axle you have. The 8.25's and the dana's are set up differently. All i have to say is that most the time gear swaps go as planned and they arent to difficult. Its the times when your backlash, preloads, pinion depths and such are not correct, and this is when you need a professional to do the work

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It's when your pinion depth, pattern, backlash and preloads DONT work out that you Become a professional. After you take that first one in and out of the axle 13 times to get it right, you'll either be ready to do it better the next time, or just quit! hehehe
A few other tools not mentioned yet, a spanner wrench, a GOOD torque wrench, a high ft lb impact gun, a good set of caliipers or micrometer, calculator, race/seal punches, oh the list goes on. I just invested in the yukon side gear puller, what a sweet tool, well worth the 400 bucks.

DaffyXJ said:

I just invested in the yukon side gear puller, what a sweet tool, well worth the 400 bucks.

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More info please.

if you decide to pay someone to do it, see if it will cost less if you remove the axles and bring them over so they don't have to be under the rig to work on them. The place I took mine to normally charge less if they are like that.

Daffy, dude, you interested in making some money back on that tool? Maybe rent it out for the weekend?

It's not that hard to set up gears in an axle that has never been molested...but if you have one where someone botched up an install is when you end up pulling the carrier a billion times....also dont forget the inch pound beam type torque wrench to set up preload...a set of set-up carrier bearings makes a D-30 install go a lot better....But you STILL better have the patience of Job...a few thousandths to the wrong side will give you a bad job.

Yeah, I would have got to the inch lb torque wrench, good call.
Just finished a set of 44's last weekend. 6 hours on the rear and 5 hours on the front, and that's just the gears. doesnt include actual reassemblt of the shafts, covers, spindles etc. But a couple of sweet patterns, client was real happy.
Do a google on Yukon carrier bearing puller, or hit randys web site and check tools. I have setup bearings for the 44, but still had topull the production bearing on one side to get the backlash a little better the last time. This puller is GREAT. Using a splitter and press, you (or actually I) usually ran a 50/50 chance of jacking up the good bearing. And the setup time topull a bearing ran about 20 minutes. With this thing, it's about 4 minutes to pull a bearing and very little chance of jacking up the bearing. though you will still mess up the shims.
53 Guy, yeah if you need it, I'll loan it out. Or if you want an assist, I;ll help set them up for 100 an axle. I've done over 30 sets so far.
I'm 25 miles or so across the 301 bridge. Leonardtown MD, a few miles southeast of the maryland raceway (Buds Creek).
Derik.
www.hardrockcrawlers.org