Well I thought I got my gears set nicely and ready to be put back together with the new bearings and such, and now I find myself stuck.

It seems I've ended up with too many carrier preload shims. The carrier gets most of the way in, but won't go the last little bit. There are only about .002 more shims in there than there were when I started. I also can't get the bearings off the new carrier in order to remove any of the shims. I could get them pressed off next weekend at the local performance shop, but that'd probably cost me about $45. Also, I won't have any way to know how many shims to take out in order to get the carrier to go back in properly, so it helps, but not completely. As tight as it is, I don't think taking out just the .002 extra shims i have in there would make it fit. I think it would take more.

Anyone have some advice? This damn axle has fought me every single step of the way and I just want to get it done. Thanks.

Would it be possible to get the carrier in as far as I can by whacking it, and then "pulling" it in the last little bit by tightening the bearing caps over it? That just sounds like a bad idea, but it's about the only option I have left.

 

to give you an idea i used a 2x4 and a 5lb sledge to get mine in. you really should use a housing spreader on a D44, but we didnt have one and it went in super hard.

 

How difficult was it to spin the carrier once you got it in?

The carrier would go in almost all the way, save for the last 1/4 in. or so.

Did you just put the 2x4 on the bearing races and wail on it with the 5lb? I was going at it with my 2 or 3 lb deadblow hammer and not getting anywhere from there.

How about initially dropping the carrier in? It seems like I have to squeeze it down about .001 in to get it to initially go in, and then it drops down about 1/2 way and then I have to start hitting it with the hammer. Kind of hard to explain, but if I am not supposed to be gentle with it, then I'll try that again next time I get the chance to work on it before I go throwing more money at the problem.

 

iirc my carrier dropped right in, maybe a little persuasion.

if you still have your old bearings you can take a die grinder to them and grind the ID out a little so they slide on and off the carrier easily.. then keep checking all your clearances till you have it right then press the new ones on. some food for thought for next time.

 

That's exactly what I did.

The old bearings are worn, so they're "thinner" than the new bearings. Everything fit and lined up perfectly with the old bearings used for set-up. The problem was after I installed the new bearings for final assembly.