Project 6 Point Oh

[aggie91]

Nice Progress!

[East Tex]

Originally Posted by aggie91

Nice Progress!

Thanks, I've got a lot more pics to upload, to get this caught up to date lol

[East Tex]

I ordered my differential parts from Randy's Ring & Pinion, great folks to deal with. I'm using Yukon gears and clutches, also Timken bearings. It may look like the housing is already powder coated but its not. Its sanded and brushed with POR15. It didn't look as nice as I wanted, so it will be sandblasted and powder coated soon. The 3.07 ratio gears are being replaced with 3.73 ratio. I used the Yukon "Tall" gears so I didn't have to buy 4 series carriers.

[East Tex]

Sandblasted and POR15 painted. These smaller pieces looked good after brushing POR15, unlike the differential housings. Sandblasting all the small stuff takes TONS of my time! New ball joints are in the knuckles before POR15 painting.

[East Tex]

I took all my old bearings and used sandpaper flapper wheels to make them "set up bearings", to where I can slide them on and off without using a bearing puller. This way its easier to change shims while setting up the ring and pinion. Then after you have the gears set up and a good pattern, you can press on the new bearings.

[East Tex]

I chase every thread with taps and dies. This is another time sucking operation.

[East Tex]

The side gears have the new clutches and shims on, and are ready to install. I use a flat file on the ring gear landing just to make sure its nice and flat with no burrs. I'm not really removing any material, just dressing it up lightly. If the ring gear doesn't lay flat, your screwed.

[East Tex]

Also I saturated the clutches with GM posi trac additive. The rest of the bottle will be added in with the 90 Wt gear oil upon final assembly.

[East Tex]

Ring rear bolts loc tighted and torqued. New posi clutches installed and shimmed properly. FYI, don't just put the same shims in behind the clutches and expect them to be set up correct. Its a long procedure (too long for me to explain on here) and there is only one video that I've found that shows you the correct way. It's on You Tube and it's by Tom's Differential. Here's the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGq15JBBUQw

Hope this helps someone.

[East Tex]

Backlash set at .007, Pattern looks good on drive and coast side. Also I ended up with a .0030 shim under the pinion bearing. This rear diff is ready to go. Now to tear it down to a bare housing and take it to the powder coaters.

[East Tex]

When I dropped off the 12 bolt diff for powder coating, they had my frame, roll bar, core support, and leaf springs ready. Yes...I had my leaf springs individually powder coated lol. I love Overkill!

[East Tex]

Now to start on the front differential, a Dana 44. Also always watch real close when you're doing rear end work. You can see in the pic where my bearing puller lifted some metal on the carrier, where the carrier bearings go. I took my carbide burr and knocked it back flush.

[East Tex]

These dana 44 differentials are full of shims lol. Small outer pinion shims, shims under the inner pinion race and shims under both carrier bearings.

[East Tex]

I took these old bearings and the one inner pinion race and made "Set Up" bearings and races just like I described earlier on my 12 bolt diff.

[East Tex]

This Dana 44 doesn't have a crush sleeve, so you have two pinion shims to adjust and try to achieve around 15 inch pounds on drag on the pinion. (Pinion Load)

[East Tex]

Installing new ring gear. But the sad news is after assembling the carrier into the housing, the backlash is all over the place. It was .0010 on one side and I rolled the ring gear half way around and it was .003. So I then check the run out on the face of the carrier (where the ring gear bolts up) and the carrier is .009 out!!! Time to order a new Dana 44 carrier.

[East Tex]

New carrier is in. Now to swap out the spider gears, and install the ring gear on the new unit.

[East Tex]

Ok FINALLY got this Dana set up correctly. That thing ate my lunch! Well, now I will tear it down to a bare housing and take it to the powder coaters. Hopefully they have my 12 Bolt housing ready for me to pick up.

[East Tex]

The 12 Bolt rear housing and backing plates are ready at the powder coaters.

[East Tex]

Also my Dana 44 cover had a few dents in it. So before I took it to the powder coater, I heated the dents and pounded them out the best I could. Then I welded the low spots and filed and ground them smooth. Looks new!!! It should look really nice when I get it back.

[East Tex]

Ready to go.

[East Tex]

A little tip is to use your oven to warm up your ring gear and it will fall on the carrier. Also heat your bearings up and they will fall on your pinion or carrier. I don't heat anything over 350 degrees and let them cool slowly afterwards. Saves me from borrowing a shop press or pounding them on with a hammer.

[East Tex]

I decided to paint the new axle flanges and new drums with high heat paint. That way they won't rust too fast.

[East Tex]

The 12 bolt is reassembled after coming back from the powder coaters. Now on to the rear brakes.

[East Tex]

Sandblast and paint parts, it seems that all I do any more.