Dana 44 power transfer Loss

[v-stone]

I just purchased my first, very own Jeep. I'm very excited about it and had a bright idea to drive it home with only the front axle hooked up. While driving up the pass coming out of Logan my RPMs go high and I've lost all power to the wheels. This is a Dana 44 axle with Dana 60 outers, manual locking hubs and a lockrite. Both hubs are locked in and I can spin the "yoke" (on pumpkin) freely.

Any ideas where I should start looking for the problem?
Should I have not drivin this with only the front axle?

 

[Kiel]

does the front shaft turn when your applying power? Is it in gear?

 

[v-stone]

does the front shaft turn when your applying power? Is it in gear?

Yes. The drive shaft going from the t-case to the axle spins under power from the motor but neither wheel will turn. Hubs are in the locked position.

 

[Gravy]

Either your hubs are popped or the ring and pinion is stripped.

I'd say pull a hub and see if the axleshaft is turning.

If not. Pull the diff cover and see if the ring and pinion is intact

 

[v-stone]

Either your hubs are popped or the ring and pinion is stripped.

Can the teeth strip clean off the pinion or ring gear without making a noise? They are 4.10 ratio and I believe Yukon gears.

 

[jdub]

or missing. I bought a vehicle at an auction years back that had all the t-case gears removed. I assumed they grenaded it and then they put the 2wd ones in to save a penny. Not saying it is the case but till you take a peek...it sounds very fishy.

 

[Chevycrew]

Just reach in, grab the axle u-joint and twist. If one is solid and one spins you found the side with a bad hub or shaft.

 

[v-stone]

Finally had time to look at it tonight. Not exactly good, but didn't think I would see this.
The teeth are ripped clean from the pinion. Lesson learned, check for oil in the diffs before trying to drive your new project home or better yet just trailer it.

Anyone know were I can get a cheep ring and pinion 3.55 or 4.10?

 

[gijohn40]

from looking at catalogs ring and pinions are selling for $150-300.... you might find someone with a used one... call Bear over at 4wheel drive parts... see if they have a used one back in the shop....

 

[muddyjeep]

I have a used 3.55 ring and pinion for Dana 44 low pinion. Your welcome to it.
how about 6 pack of Mt Dew.

 

[Gravy]

If it's a High Pinion dana 44 front, I have set of 3.55 gears.

I'll give them to you for a 6 pack of Dr. Pepper

PM me if you need them

 

[v-stone]

If it's a High Pinion dana 44 front, I have set of 3.55 gears.

I'll give them to you for a 6 pack of Dr. Pepper

PM me if you need them

Thanks. Its nice to have all this help. The gears muddyjeep had are going to work just fine.
All I need to do is put them in. I've decided to do it myself with some help from a neighbor. Any pointers are welcome.

 

[iamsparticus]

If your doing it with out a gauge for back lash then it's all feel. As far as installing the pinion goes make the nut tight enough so teh yoke has just a tiny little bit of movement in and out. When setting the backlash on the pinion to ring gear contact, adjust it so there is about a 1/8 inch play back and forth or use gear paint and make sure the contact is even. If you set it up wrong it will make a really bad noie and you'll know, but other than that heres a good link for setting them up http://www.differentials.com/install.html good luck let us know how it goes

 

[I Lean]

If the yoke has any movement in/out, the pinion bearing preload is nonexistent and therefore incorrect.

No way in hell I'd try to set up gears without the right tools.

 

[iamsparticus]

I have to agree that using the proper tools is best but he already said he was doing it at home with his friend next door

I have set up gears front and rear the way i said and have put thousands of miles on them no problems, and even with preload your bearings still have a tiny play and i mean a 64th or less. If they didnt they would bind because of to much pressure on the bearing, but it also depends, my front has a solid spacer between the bearings and my rear has a crush sleeve

 

[Gravy]

If the yoke has any movement in/out, the pinion bearing preload is nonexistent and therefore incorrect.

No way in hell I'd try to set up gears without the right tools.

I agree.
buy yourself a nice set of tools. Randys ring and pinion has what you need. It's never a bad investment to buy tools.

Good luck and have fun. My first Dana 44 I setup took me about 4 1/2 hours, but it was a learning experience.

 

[iamsparticus]

for all i know he could already have the tools he never said if he did or not, the site i put the link to has directions and gear paint patterns to look for

 

[I Lean]

Preload=no play, by definition. If you have so much preload that it's bound up, you've probably brinnelled the bearing and ruined it.

Solid spacer vs. crush sleeve doesn't change the amount of preload you need, they just change how you set that preload. The main benefit from a solid spacer is if you need to change the pinion yoke/flange later, you can do it much more easily without disassembling the rest of the diff.

 

[iamsparticus]

preload

Preload=no play, by definition. If you have so much preload that it's bound up, you've probably brinnelled the bearing and ruined it.

Solid spacer vs. crush sleeve doesn't change the amount of preload you need, they just change how you set that preload. The main benefit from a solid spacer is if you need to change the pinion yoke/flange later, you can do it much more easily without disassembling the rest of the diff.

I see i lean, well i guess i was doing it wrong, so no in and out play on the pinion good call, i still have had no problems in a year of driveing so it must be not to bad

 

[BCGPER]

V-stone, just a few words of advice for you.

Listen to what Ilean has said, he knows what he's doing. All the other information posted is 100% wrong.

Preload=no play, by definition. If you have so much preload that it's bound up, you've probably brinnelled the bearing and ruined it.

Solid spacer vs. crush sleeve doesn't change the amount of preload you need, they just change how you set that preload. The main benefit from a solid spacer is if you need to change the pinion yoke/flange later, you can do it much more easily without disassembling the rest of the diff.