Spider Gear Removel - Dana 44

[Mattman2010]

After finding out last weekend that my spider gears on my Dana 44 where missing teeth and some where cracked I am now trying to remove them. I have the whole carrier in the axle still and I was trying to just use a punch to push the roll pin out. But my punch will not fit in there all the way. Can I pull the carrier out and put it back in the same way it came out? I have never done anything to a axle before besides change brakes and I know that changing gears is not something simple that you can do.

So to sum up that, How can I go about removing the spider gears? None of my punches will get the roll pin out before they hit the bearing cap (not sure what it is called it holes the carrier in the housing). So do I pull the whole housing, or is there a longer punch that I can buy to do this?

[msgross]

isn't there a bolt on the other end? That bolt comes out, large pin in the middle comes out, c-clips are pulled, axles are pulled out from the ends, carrier bearing caps pulled and it all should fall out.

[Mattman2010]

No it's a roll pin! I just can't get it out far enough to get the big pin out!
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[LONGHAIR]

A longer "pin punch" is pretty much the only way.

[Mattman2010]

Would it hurt to undo one of the caps that holds the differential in the housing so that I can get my punch in there? I am just not sure if that would mess anything up or not.

[80SPORT]

Should be no problem to undo a cap...just retorque it when you are done

[dropd80s]

Yeah you can pull it out and put it right back no problem, but you aren't going to be able to pull it out much if any since the axles are still in there. Just leave the caps where they are, get the punch you need and knock the roll pin out. They can be a PITA. Good thing is when you get it out, the rest is a breeze. I hope you're changing the side gears also!

[Mattman2010]

The axles are not in there anymore. I tore the axle down to do ball joints and Ujoints and decided to pull the diff cover and found the broken spider gears. I am replacing all of them. I found a guy that has all 4 that he is selling me for $20 and they are all in good shape!

[68chevyfuelie]

3/16" pin punch or 3/16" roll pin punch is needed to drive out the roll pin. Finding a long pin punch is a ****er these days, same on the long roll pin punch. If you can't find one, grab a 2" long piece of 3/16" tool steel from a machinist, and use it as a punch extension. It's hillbilly, but it's all I use for now. Use the roll-pin punch to drive until it bottoms, then use the extension. It's better then the $30 Snap On wants for a long roll pin punch.

Best way is to pull your shafts, you shouldn't have c-clips in a Dana 44 axle. Then mark your bearing caps, remove bearing caps, and pull out the carrier. Drive out the roll pin, drive out the cross pin. Rotate the spiders together, and remove spiders. Remove sidegears. Wash and inspect sidegears, spiders, and all 4 thrust washers.

Replace *****ed parts as needed, lube with new 80W90. Installation is reverse of removal. Torque bearing caps with blue loc-tite.