HELP with gear install
 

I am needing to install my new gear setup in my front dana 60. This is one area I lack knowledge and experience. I am looking for someone with experience to help/teach me how to install a gear setup. Please let me know if anyone is interested, or you know someone who would. I am willing to pay for the assistance. Thanks

Re: HELP with gear install
 

dont waste your time, take it somewhere and have it done.

it is not something you will learn doing it once, twice, or even three times.

the install is "simple' in theory, but without the tools,spreader, shims, everything it isnt even worth knowing.

Re: HELP with gear install
 

Its probably cheaper to pay someone to do it then buy the tools needed and try yourself.

Re: HELP with gear install
 

A Dana 60 isn't too bad to set up, I'm actually finishing mine up this weekend and I set up a friends last spring.

I take a set of old carrier bearings and slightly hone the inner diameter so that they slide on the carrier with some effort, but no press required. I also do this to the race of the inner pinion bearing as this is how the pinion depth is adjusted. These are my set up bearings as the shims on a D60 go between the bearing and case and pressing new bearings on and off is risking damaging them. Once I have an acceptable pattern and backlash I press on the new bearings, beat it into the case with a deadblow hammer and recheck the pattern and backlash.

Take your time and google how to read patterns (easy once understood). I also make large adjustments (.010 or .020) until I bookend the desired pattern and fine tune it after that. Easier to make two .010 adjustments followed by an .005 and maybe an .002 than ten .002 adjustments.

Dana 60 Tools: Micrometer (for shims), deadblow hammer, dial indicator and stand, 1 5/16 socket, torque wrench (ft-lbs), dial indicating torque wrench (in-lbs)




I learned how to do this after a shop screwed up my Nova's axle. For the $300 in labor it cost me plus a set of thrashed bearings ($150) in the 2000 miles driven I could have had the correct tools. Instead I was out the $450 as I was 1800 miles away and wasn't going to go back to that shop.

Re: HELP with gear install
 

As always, I recommend against doing this yourself. Pay a Professional and get a warranty.
This is a very precision operation and must be respected as such. It requires special tools and patience. "Close" is NOT good enough, if it is not perfect, it will fail in some way. Noise is the bare minimum and catastrophic is very possible too, and it will definitely cost more to repair it after a failure than to pay it up-front.

BTW, for a Dana60, you do need an extra tool known as a case-spreader to get the carrier in/out with the correct bearing pre-load.

Re: HELP with gear install
 

I have built and restored vehicles for the past 25+years. There are some diffies that are forgiving for a novice to work on and dana 60/70 is for sure not one of them.

As stated earlier this is better left to a pro that has already gone throught the learning curve.

Paying for a gear setup this past spring was the only mechanical service that I have paid for in the past 10 years +. That includes 3 complete restorations and maintaining a literal fleet of vehicles. I pride myself in doing my own work, but knowing where to draw the line and drop the dime is just as important.

Take it to a pro.

Re: HELP with gear install
 

This is something I need to learn. I am the family 4x4 mechanic and have 3+ trucks to do front and rear gears in. It's worth buying the tools and getting the experience.
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Re: HELP with gear install
 

You will need a case spreader arb makes one for 330 bucks a dial gauge for the back lash and a torque wrench with a gauge on it for the pinion preload,And i think you need a press for the pinion bearing but don't hold me to that i haven't messed with a rear end in years..Give this a reading http://www.4wdandsportutility.com/te..._axle_rebuild/

Re: HELP with gear install
 

You can get it down without a case spreader but if your going to be doing more than 1 axle than buy one.You'll find used ones on ebay or you can build your own. You can use your old bearings or buy extra set for mock up.

The tools will pay off quick and you can do side work Vs paying for a shop$500 to $800.