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first time gear setup....need help

outlander

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Columbus,Ohio
high pinion dana 30.

ill be posting pics of patterns in this thread when i get that far for critique but first i have a question.

I dont have a housing spreader.When i get to final assembly after i get the right backlash how many shims do i need to add to both sides for carrier preload and still be able to get the carrier in without a spreader?
 
Very few people use a spreader on a D30! As far as pre-load goes, you should have to tap the carrier in with some force. It hard to get to much pre-load.
 
Very few people use a spreader on a D30! As far as pre-load goes, you should have to tap the carrier in with some force. It hard to get to much pre-load.

True. I have never used a spreader. I think I added .003 to each side after all was said and done the last time I set up my D30.
 
OP: Dana recommends .015" for pre-load. Since the D30 is shimmed inside the bearings you will need set-up bearings. I recommend you try to achieve it all at once so the you just move shims to get your backlash.
 
I have rebuilt D30s, D44s and a couple 8.25s, all without a spreader .

I bought one when rebuilding my motorhome's D70-HD last summer, while still in the chassis. Even with a spreader, it was tough driving the proper size shims in.
https://www.amazon.com/Yukon-YT-S01...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0078U9NIU
A set of shim drivers made it possible.
https://www.quadratec.com/products/16100_2903.htm

https://flic.kr/p/VJzG3e
It was a totally different rebuilding experience, something I don't want to repeat, preferring to stick with smaller, lighter axles.
 
I've done this once in my garage and read everything I could find... here's what I did.

Make some setup bearings with a dremel tool and some cheap bearings. Put the carrier in with the setup bearings with no shims and without the pinion installed and tighten the caps just snug. tap the carrier left and then right with a soft deadblow hammer and measure the total movement with a dial indicator. Write this number down. The total amount of shims you want is enough to take that up plus 0.015" for preload. You should be able to get the carrier out with a pry bar and back in with a soft hammer. Start with the same thickness of shims on each side. Then, set your pinion gear up with your best guess/measurement of depth, but don't worry about pinion preload yet, just get it tight enough to seat the bearings. Install the carrier again with the setup bearings and snug the caps down and tap the carrier over so the ring gear is snug against the pinion. Tap the carrier back away from the pinion and measure the movement with a dial indicator. This is your starting point for carrier bearing shims on the ring gear side. Subtract this from that first number you wrote down and put that amount of shims on the other side. Still with the setup bearings, torque everything down, spin it around, check the backlash in several locations and run the pattern. Repeat the whole process to fine tune your pattern (this took me several tries). 0.001" on the pinion will make a difference. Every time you change the pinion depth you'll have to refigure carrier bearing shims for gear backlash but it becomes predictable. Once you get it figured out press your good bearings on, set the pinion preload and check your backlash and pattern again. My "master" install kit didn't have anywhere near enough variety of thinner shims to dial it in... A local 4x4 shop gave me a handful of shims for free. There is a reason a shop will charge you $500 for this, don't expect to get it right in one day your first time unless you are super lucky.
 
The bad thing is i paid a shop that specializes in rear end work to set these up once and they messed em up....figures the only thing i have ever trusted anyone else to do on my jeep EVER and they didnt do it right.
So instead of taking it somewhere else Im doing it myself and nobody else will ever put a wrench on anything i own.....live and learn.

Now i paid $320 in tools and another $100 for a bearing kit ontop of the $350 I spent in the first place :hasta:
 
I really appreciate you guys holding my hand through this learning experience(Im an experienced wrench and have literally done everything else EXCEPT gear set up)
When i get to pattern time ill post some pics for pattern advice.
 
The bad thing is i paid a shop that specializes in rear end work to set these up once and they messed em up....figures the only thing i have ever trusted anyone else to do on my jeep EVER and they didnt do it right.

So instead of taking it somewhere else Im doing it myself and nobody else will ever put a wrench on anything i own.....live and learn.



Now i paid $320 in tools and another $100 for a bearing kit ontop of the $350 I spent in the first place :hasta:



Which shop? I’m local to you.
 
hey polar jeep i remember you we traded tires a while ago.

Babbit bearing on frank road.
He apparently attempted to shim outboard the ring side bearing and it split(must have deformed and ended up behind the carrier when he installed the carrier) and ground through my gear resulting in a broken carrier...i noticed a chewed up piece of shim when i changed the oil after break in.

Also on the 8.25 he forgot to tighten the pinion crush sleeve(I caught that mistake before i installed the axle because the yoke was wobbling and had to take the axle back to him and he claimed he dont know how "bob" missed that.(everytime i was in his shop i never saw anyone else there but him)

He proceeded to zip it down with a impact gun and said there ya go.
thought it was odd that he didnt check preload but he said once youve been doing this so long you can feel when its right.

Perhaps ill get good at gears and start a business and take all his customers?
 
I really appreciate you guys holding my hand through this learning experience(Im an experienced wrench and have literally done everything else EXCEPT gear set up)
When i get to pattern time ill post some pics for pattern advice.

it would be great if you could do a step by step write up -- I'm in the same boat as you -- plenty of wrench time, never did a gear swap/setup -- I'm sure there are plenty others who would appreciate a detailed "how to"

How about a tool list -- What did you have to buy?
 
Went to the garage tonight to check what the pinion preload was set at and it wouldn't even register on my wrench.... Zero pinion preload!
Plan was to leave pinion in and install new carrier to run a quick pattern to see f they at least managed to get the pinion depth right before completly tearing down for new bearings.
Still waiting on my clamshell puller to arrive in the mail.
Stay tuned.
 
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