Ring and Pinion

Complete replacement of the rear differential ring and pinion gears, including disassembly, setup, and backlash adjustment of the Dana 44 rear axle.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Ring and pinion gear set (Dana 44 ratio-specific) × 1 — Use OEM specification or quality aftermarket
• Pinion bearing kit (inner and outer bearings with races) × 1 — Dana 44 pinion bearing kit
• Carrier bearing set × 1 — Dana 44 carrier bearings
• Pinion seal × 1 — Dana 44 pinion seal
• Differential cover gasket × 1 — Dana 44 cover gasket
• Pinion nut × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Ring gear bolts × 10 — Dana 44 ring gear bolts (grade 8)
• RTV silicone gasket maker × 1 — High-temp RTV
• Limited-slip clutch pack (if equipped with limited-slip) × 1 — Dana 44 clutch pack

Fluids

• 75W-90 GL-5 with limited-slip additive — 3.5 qt

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and engage parking brake.
2. Loosen rear wheel lug nuts while vehicle is on ground.
3. Raise rear of vehicle and support securely on jack stands under frame rails.
4. Remove both rear wheels.
5. Place drain pan under differential.
6. Mark driveshaft and pinion flange orientation for reassembly alignment.

Procedure

1. 1

   Drain differential fluid
   Remove the differential cover bolts and carefully pry off the cover. Allow all gear oil to drain into the drain pan. Clean the cover and housing mating surfaces thoroughly with a gasket scraper and clean rags.
2. 2

   Remove driveshaft
   Remove the 4 bolts securing the driveshaft universal joint flange to the pinion flange. Support the driveshaft and carefully slide it rearward to separate it from the pinion flange. Support the driveshaft or remove it completely from the vehicle to prevent damage to the front universal joint.
3. 3

   Remove axle shafts
   For this independent rear suspension application, remove the inboard CV joint bolts at the differential flanges. Carefully pull the halfshafts away from the differential and support them to avoid damaging the boots. Carefully pull the halfshafts away from the differential and support them to avoid damaging the boots.
4. 4

   Mark and remove pinion flange
   Use an inch-pound torque wrench to measure and record the pinion bearing preload (rotating torque). Mark the pinion nut position relative to the pinion shaft threads for reference. Hold the pinion flange with a suitable tool and remove the pinion nut. Use a flange puller to remove the pinion flange from the pinion shaft. Do not pry or hammer on the flange.
5. 5

   Remove pinion seal and pinion assembly
   Pry out the old pinion seal using a seal puller or flat screwdriver. Carefully tap the pinion shaft rearward through the housing to remove the pinion, inner bearing, and collapsible spacer as an assembly. The outer bearing race will remain in the housing. Note the position and thickness of the pinion depth shim located behind the inner bearing race.
6. 6

   Remove carrier assembly
   Install a case spreader tool on the differential housing. Carefully spread the housing just enough to remove the carrier (no more than 0.020 inches). Remove the carrier bearing caps (mark left and right for proper reinstallation). Carefully pry the carrier assembly out of the housing using pry bars. Remove the carrier bearings using a bearing puller if they remain on the carrier.
7. 7

   Remove ring gear from carrier
   Remove the 10 ring gear bolts from the carrier. The ring gear bolts are right-hand thread on this application. Tap the ring gear off the carrier using a soft-face hammer if necessary. Clean the carrier and ring gear mounting surfaces thoroughly.
8. 8

   Remove and clean all bearing races
   Use a bearing race puller or drift punch to remove the pinion bearing races (inner and outer) from the housing. Remove the carrier bearing races from the housing. Clean all bearing bores, the pinion bore, and carrier bores thoroughly. Inspect for wear, scoring, or damage.
9. 9

   Install new pinion races and determine pinion depth
   Install the new inner and outer pinion bearing races using race installation tools and a press or hammer. Use a pinion depth gauge tool set to determine the correct pinion depth shim thickness. The pinion will have an etched number (plus or minus variance from nominal). Calculate the required shim thickness based on the gauge reading and the pinion variance marking. Install the calculated shim behind the inner pinion bearing race.
10. 10

    Assemble and install pinion
    Press the inner pinion bearing onto the pinion shaft. Install the pinion assembly into the housing with the collapsible spacer and outer bearing in place. Install the pinion flange and a new pinion nut. Tighten the pinion nut gradually while checking rotating torque with an inch-pound torque wrench. The target pinion bearing preload is 15-25 inch-pounds for new bearings. The collapsible spacer will compress as the nut is tightened; once crushed, it cannot be reused. Do not back off the nut to achieve preload; if overtightened, the spacer must be replaced.
    ⚠Collapsible spacer can only be crushed once. If pinion nut is overtightened, spacer must be replaced and process restarted.
11. 11

    Install new pinion seal
    Coat the outer diameter of the new pinion seal with RTV silicone. Drive the seal into the housing using a seal installation tool until it is flush with the housing face. Coat the seal lip with fresh gear oil before installing the pinion flange.
12. 12

    Install ring gear on carrier
    Heat the new ring gear in an oven to 200-250°F or use a heat gun to expand it slightly for easier installation. Align the ring gear on the carrier and install the 10 new ring gear bolts. Apply thread-locking compound to the bolts. Torque the bolts in a crossing pattern to 70 lb-ft, then final torque to 85 lb-ft in sequence.
13. 13

    Install carrier bearings and adjust carrier bearing preload
    Press new carrier bearings onto the carrier. Install the carrier into the housing without shims initially to measure the required shim thickness for proper carrier bearing preload. Use a dial indicator to measure side play. Add shims to achieve 0.005-0.008 inches of preload (shims thicker than the measured gap). Install shims on both sides of the carrier behind the bearings.
14. 14

    Install carrier assembly and check backlash
    Install the case spreader and spread the housing 0.015-0.020 inches. Install the carrier assembly with the selected shims. Install the carrier bearing caps in their original positions and torque the cap bolts to specification. Remove the case spreader. Mount a dial indicator on the ring gear tooth. Check backlash at 4 points around the ring gear. Target backlash is 0.005-0.009 inches. Adjust by moving shims from one side of the carrier to the other (adding to one side removes from the other to maintain bearing preload).
15. 15

    Perform gear pattern check
    Apply gear marking compound to several ring gear teeth. Rotate the pinion in both directions while applying load to the ring gear. Examine the contact pattern on the gear teeth. The pattern should be centered on the tooth face. Adjust pinion depth (add or remove pinion shim) if pattern is too high or low on the tooth. Adjust backlash (move carrier shims) if pattern is too far toward toe or heel. Repeat pattern check after any adjustments until proper pattern is achieved.
    ℹ️Proper gear tooth contact pattern is critical for gear longevity. Pattern should be centered on tooth with approximately 50-60% contact area.
16. 16

    Reinstall axle shafts
    Clean the CV joint mating surfaces at the differential flanges. Align the halfshafts with the differential flanges and install the CV joint bolts (6 per side). Torque the bolts evenly in a crossing pattern.
17. 17

    Reinstall driveshaft
    Align the driveshaft with the pinion flange using the alignment marks made during disassembly. Install the 4 driveshaft bolts and torque in a crossing pattern.
18. 18

    Install differential cover and refill
    Clean the differential cover and housing mating surfaces. Install a new cover gasket or apply a continuous bead of RTV silicone to the cover. Install the cover and torque the bolts in a crossing pattern. Fill the differential with the specified quantity of 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil (add limited-slip additive only if equipped with a limited-slip differential) through the fill hole until oil reaches the bottom of the fill hole. Verify capacity against OEM specification.
19. 19

    Reinstall wheels and test
    Install both rear wheels and torque the lug nuts in a star pattern. Lower the vehicle to the ground. Test drive the vehicle and listen for any abnormal gear whine or noise. Check for leaks around the pinion seal and differential cover after test drive.

Reassembly

1. Reassembly is covered in the procedural steps above, as ring and pinion installation requires specific setup procedures rather than simple reversal of disassembly.
2. Ensure all bearing preloads and backlash measurements are within specification before final assembly.
3. Allow RTV silicone to cure for 1 hour before filling with gear oil if used instead of a gasket.

Verification

• Check that pinion bearing preload is 15-25 inch-pounds (new bearings) or 5-10 inch-pounds over original reading (used bearings).
• Verify ring gear backlash is 0.005-0.009 inches at multiple points around the gear.
• Confirm gear tooth contact pattern is centered on tooth face with no edge contact.
• Test drive vehicle at various speeds and listen for gear whine, which indicates improper setup.
• Inspect for fluid leaks around pinion seal and differential cover after test drive.
• Recheck differential fluid level after test drive and top off if necessary.

More procedures for this vehicle