Rebuilding Rear end

[Sherman Bird]

DILLIGAF. Said it right. Get the tools you don’t have, do your homework and GetRDun.

The reason most shops won’t touch axle rebuilds is it’s time consuming and they’re not setup to do the work correctly. Axle swaps the easy way but what have you learned. I was doing ring/pinion swaps in drag cars starting at age 14 in the 70’s. It’s not beyond you IF you take your time and measure, measure and measure, read the paint, then repeat until you get the correct paint and lash readings. Used gears are the toughest to read. The drive side can be misleading so read the coast side (applies to USED gears)

DANA/AAM - Quickest way is to buy 2 sets of carrier/pinion bearings, grind out the centers of one set so you don’t have to press them on and off. Once you have the readings you want press on the fresh set, then verify. Crush sleeve can be the biggest frustration if you rush it. GM - just extra pinion bearing. 9” - Awe yes - 9” Ford - they make it much more comfortable. Removable 3rd member.

I just look at the correction on the original pinion gear rear face, then measure the thickness of the original pinion gear thickness, then measure the same on the new one.... calculate which if any shims need to be added to meet the original dimension. 100% works. This saves the whole "find your pinion depth" mystery. This saves the take it apart and reassemble multiple times issue.

The only time this might not work is if one changes to a different ratio.

 

[heliodoc]

I have done a couple. It’s not that big of a deal. Just get the procedure (not a YouTube video) and follow it. Don’t try to be smarter that the procedure. Don’t skip steps. Follow it and you will be fine.

 

[txmerlin]

what ratio do you need? I have a set of 3:55s that came out of my 2012 if you are interested.

 

[calinb]

I overhauled my 2004 Ram 1500 rear end about 6 years and 50,000 miles ago with 137,000 miles on it. The pinion bearing had failed (I abuse it with a lot of camper hauling and light towing) so I took it as an opportunity to upgrade it with a Yukon Duragrip carrier (and overhaul kit) too and replace axle bearings and seals.

I've overhauled several engines and manual transmissions in my life but never a rear end. My vehicles never go to a commercial autoshop so I wasn't about to make an exception in my middle age either.

I found the factory shop manual to be very helpful. Though I lacked all the factory special tools, I recall that I made up some simple tools to substitue for a couple of them. I have a crappy HF flux wire feed welder, a hobby milling machine, air compressor, air impact wrench (with a short and fat air supply hose that I made up to deliver lots of air to achieve 300 ft-lbs plus) and plenty of dial indicators, micrometers, etc., and I made tools, as needed. I only had to buy an in-lbs scale needle indicating torque wrench, instead of using my "clicker" torque wrench. The common (these days) clicker isn't right for the job of setting pinion bearing prelod, but I prefer a traditional torque wrench to a "clicker" torque wrench and wanted one anyway.

Perhaps even more valuable than the factory service manual or any of the numerous YouTube videos that I found at the time was the Yukon Duragrip carrier installation instructions booklet. It covers the process that I followed. Yukon provided excellent tech phone support the one time I had a question too.

I have no financial interest in Yukon. I'm just saying that it worked well for me. If you have a decent tool kit and experiencing wrenching, a rear end overhaul is not a big deal. I'm glad I didn't go the wrecking yard route (replacing my rear end with another one that had been abused as badly as I abuse mine hauling and towing with my little Ram 1500...hah)!

BTW, I put the pickup on jack stands and did the work under the vehicle. I don't know if it's the best method (vs. removal of the rear end) but I was happy with my decision to do the overhaul "in-situ."

Edit: I'm adding my ring gear coast and drive grease patterns. When I did the job, I was very interested in seeing such examples for a comparative reference. How good is good 'nuf? These aren't perfect, but my diff is quiet and has performed for me for 50,000 miles now.

 

[CaptQ]

calinb- I have to assume you reinstalled your used gears. Looking at the coast side the pinion appears to be too deep, not much. If the gears are quiet than keep going.
Attached is an example of the difference between new and used gear patterns.
Notice in the second pic the sharp edge you get from too deep or too shallow pinion.
Your looking for smooth ovals. It’s easier with new gears. Around 4:10’s you’ll start to notice the oval changing as you get bigger 4:56, 5:88, 6:17.

Only trying to help so don’t shoot the messenger.

You don’t need all of the specialty tools but you will need a decent dial indicator with base. You’ll probably never use it again.

 

[DILLIGAF]

you will need a decent dial indicator with base. You’ll probably never use it again.

Yeah you will!!!

For the CAM swap after your garbage MDS lifter fail.

 

[CaptQ]

Yeah you will!!!

For the CAM swap after your garbage MDS lifter fail.

 

[calinb]

calinb- I have to assume you reinstalled your used gears. Looking at the coast side the pinion appears to be too deep, not much. If the gears are quiet than keep going.
Attached is an example of the difference between new and used gear patterns.
Notice in the second pic the sharp edge you get from too deep or too shallow pinion.
Your looking for smooth ovals. It’s easier with new gears. Around 4:10’s you’ll start to notice the oval changing as you get bigger 4:56, 5:88, 6:17.

Only trying to help so don’t shoot the messenger.

Thanks for your reply, CaptQ. Yes--I used the old gears. With all the snow plowing I've been doing this year, I'm thinking that I should have changed them out along with my old differential carrier. I'm geared too tall for optimum plowing use and the tall factory gearing is tougher on the clutch when plowing too. I didn't plow snow where I lived when I did the overhaul.

It was several years ago but I think my phone conversation with Yukon tech support was along the same lines you mentioned. I finally settled for the best overall pattern that I thought was going to achieve and it's been quiet for ~50,000 miles now. Hopefully it will stay that way for a good deal longer but, again, I'm plowing a lot. Yeah--I should be using a 4WD Ram 2500 (a flatbed would be ideal) but this is my older pickup and I don't want to risk bending metal on my much nicer Cummins Big Horn Ram. Plowing can be dicey sometimes at my place in N. Central Idaho!

You don’t need all of the specialty tools but you will need a decent dial indicator with base. You’ll probably never use it again.

Yes and that may be true for most, but I have a gunsmithing hobby and a hobby machine shop so I already had a number of dial and dial test indicators.

 

[2020PW]

It’s easy, do your research on the proper procedure. Get the right tools you will be ok.

If man made it, man can fix it.

 

[Joseph Godvin]

I have rebuilt 100's of axles since the 70's, not difficult. the pinion bearing shim is the most important part. It determines the correct distance to center the pinion to the ring gear, The shim follows the cast housing, not the gear set. I always re-used the original when replacing with new bearings. 99% of the time the tooth pattern was right on the money. just my experience

 

[calinb]

I have rebuilt 100's of axles since the 70's, not difficult. the pinion bearing shim is the most important part. It determines the correct distance to center the pinion to the ring gear, The shim follows the cast housing, not the gear set. I always re-used the original when replacing with new bearings. 99% of the time the tooth pattern was right on the money. just my experience

Thanks, Joseph. I used the original set too, but I thought I might be able to improve on the pattern. In the end (so to speak), the original set of shims was best and the job has lasted several 10s of thousands of miles now without noise or trouble. I always thought the pattern could have been better yet I couldn't improve on it.