How to secure carrier while tightening ring gear bolts?

[Trail_Limo_Tim]

I have a question before I start this re-gear. I don’t have the axle torn apart yet, but I’m planning to install my own gears for the first time. Dana 44 narrow track axles w/o lockers. Rear has factory Willys LSD.

While watching some videos, I realized I don’t really know a good way to secure the carrier while tightening the ring gear bolts… unless maybe put the carrier into the axle housing, put the shafts back in and set the e brake, torque a bolt, release e brake, rotate the ring gear, set e brake, repeat?

I’m not planning to add lockers at this time, so using the trick of bolting axle shaft to a wheel and tire then standing the shaft up vertically while having the carrier slide down onto the splines isn’t gonna work. The spider gears will just let it turn.

I’m not gonna buy an 3rd member holder tool for several hundred dollars. Any advice is appreciated.

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[Vtur]

This is how i did it. Place the carrier with driver side axle installed on a piece of cardboard on the ground. Used a 24" chain wrench wrapping it around the carrier and leaning it against the ground. This triangle support technique is very stable.

 

[Chance575]

put mine in a bench vise with a rag protecting the carrier

 

[whiteglad]

I install the carrier into the housing with the ring gear on it, bolts snug. Use a deep socket that stops the carrier from turning by the socket hitting/rubbing on the housing while tightening the bolts.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I have a question before I start this re-gear. I don’t have the axle torn apart yet, but I’m planning to install my own gears for the first time. Dana 44 narrow track axles w/o lockers. Rear has factory Willys LSD.

While watching some videos, I realized I don’t really know a good way to secure the carrier while tightening the ring gear bolts… unless maybe put the carrier into the axle housing, put the shafts back in and set the e brake, torque a bolt, release e brake, rotate the ring gear, set e brake, repeat?

I’m not planning to add lockers at this time, so using the trick of bolting axle shaft to a wheel and tire then standing the shaft up vertically while having the carrier slide down onto the splines isn’t gonna work. The spider gears will just let it turn.

I’m not gonna buy an 3rd member holder tool for several hundred dollars. Any advice is appreciated.

Step one I put the carrier in the vice with my soft non marring jaws. Impact wrench until they were all snug. But you can’t get them torqued that way. Then I put it into the housing. Had a second person hold the pinion with an inexpensive pinion jig from bleeping jeep, and a wrench hitting the ground or frame. Rotated a couple times to get to all of them. Then paint marked them all.

 

[Trail_Limo_Tim]

These are all great tips. I am planning to purchase a 20 ton shop press that’s going on sale at HF this week. Is there a way I could safely use the press to secure the carrier while I tighten the ring gear bolts without damaging anything?

 

[WILDHOBO]

These are all great tips. I am planning to purchase a 20 ton shop press that’s going on sale at HF this week. Is there a way I could safely use the press to secure the carrier while I tighten the ring gear bolts without damaging anything?

I doubt it. I was doing mine with a professional. I paid him to teach me how to regear at home. It was his suggestion to tighten them in the housing. And it was easier than any other option.

Regarding the press, I need to return mine to HF. It’s hot garbage. I’ll be buying a real one soon. We had to grab parts and go to his shop to press the bearings on.

I bought the bearing puller from Revolution. It was and is truly amazing. I can’t recommend it more. The pro I had helping me agreed.

 

[Trail_Limo_Tim]

I doubt it. I was doing mine with a professional. I paid him to teach me how to regear at home. It was his suggestion to tighten them in the housing. And it was easier than any other option.

Regarding the press, I need to return mine to HF. It’s hot garbage. I’ll be buying a real one soon. We had to grab parts and go to his shop to press the bearings on.

I bought the bearing puller from Revolution. It was and is truly amazing. I can’t recommend it more. The pro I had helping me agreed.

Did you have the 20 ton press?

 

[WILDHOBO]

Did you have the 20 ton press?

I had the 12. But still junk. The 20 will hold up better, but the 12 failed with an easy attempt at removing a ball joint from a knuckle. The piston on the press just mushroomed.

 

[Trail_Limo_Tim]

I had the 12. But still junk. The 20 will hold up better, but the 12 failed with an easy attempt at removing a ball joint from a knuckle. The piston on the press just mushroomed.

Yeah, that IS hot garbage

 

[Svenable]

These are all great tips. I am planning to purchase a 20 ton shop press that’s going on sale at HF this week. Is there a way I could safely use the press to secure the carrier while I tighten the ring gear bolts without damaging anything?

I've used my shop press for years to hold the carrier and tighten the ring gear bolts. You can put quite a bit of pressure on the carrier without problems. If the press is not mounted to the floor you may have to hold it while you torque the bolts. I've done this with my Dana 60/14-bolt in my JK, TJ Dana 30 and 44, JK Dana 44 and a Ford 8.8. Worked fine for about 7 re-gears; front and back.

I would caution that there has to be some common sense here, I do not know if a 20 press would damage a carrier but it is 20 tons.

 

[Trail_Limo_Tim]

I've used my shop press for years to hold the carrier and tighten the ring gear bolts. You can put quite a bit of pressure on the carrier without problems. If the press is not mounted to the floor you may have to hold it while you torque the bolts. I've done this with my Dana 60/14-bolt in my JK, TJ Dana 30 and 44, JK Dana 44 and a Ford 8.8. Worked fine for about 7 re-gears; front and back.

Nice. Looks like I have at least a couple of solid methods to use now. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t get stuck at this step of the process since I don’t have a spare vehicle anymore. Ha.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I've used my shop press for years to hold the carrier and tighten the ring gear bolts. You can put quite a bit of pressure on the carrier without problems. If the press is not mounted to the floor you may have to hold it while you torque the bolts. I've done this with my Dana 60/14-bolt in my JK, TJ Dana 30 and 44, JK Dana 44 and a Ford 8.8. Worked fine for about 7 re-gears; front and back.

I would caution that there has to be some common sense here, I do not know if a 20 press would damage a carrier but it is 20 tons.

Mine isn’t secured to the floor by at least temporary requirement. I haven’t figured out where I want everything yet.

 

[Chance575]

I have seen were you take a shaft out of the housing , bolt it to one of the wheel and tires, stand in it while sliding the carrier on to the axle.

 

[Trail_Limo_Tim]

I have seen were you take a shaft out of the housing , bolt it to one of the wheel and tires, stand in it while sliding the carrier on to the axle.

Don’t think this works when you have an open diff/no lockers/lsd.

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