Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator

2000 TJ rear differential rebuild

davemorgan998

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Hey. I just joined the Forum so please go gently with me... Some of my terminology may not be correct, but I hope you get what I mean...

I bought my 14 year old son a 2000 TJ as a project for him (and me!) to learn a bit about Jeeps and for him to learn about mechanics in general. It came with approximately a 3inch lift and 33 inch tires. We can do most things ourselves, but I have a question on the rear differential we are rebuilding:

It has a stock Dana 35 rear diff and 33 inch tires. We knew it needed a gear ratio change as it is slow as hell and after some research, with the 33 inch tires we want to go to the 4.56 gear ratio. With both front and back differential leaking fluid they need opening up anyway... Well..... on closer inspection the pinion bearing is finished and spider gears are shot as well. I also noticed that the carrier bearing caps seem to be installed incorrectly as the marks (horizontal and vertical lines on housing and cap) don't match up and the fat edge of the cap is on the outside rather than on the inside, nearer the spider gears...... (see attached pictures). I have bought the 4.56 kit and spider gears from Extreme Terrain but my question is:
Do I return the caps to what I think is their original position where the marks line up, or do I rebuild it and put the caps back where they are now?

IMG_2557.jpg


IMG_2581.jpg


IMG_2582.jpg


Spider gears.jpg


IMG_2582.jpg

I am still trying to work out why someone would have gone into this diff before (96k miles) and screwed up the position of those caps..... Which may have caused the pinion bearing and spider gear issues we now have?

Any help and guidance gratefully accepted and appreciated...
 
looks a lot like the gears I just removed. You should rebuild (new 456 R&P) and put them where they belong. I would assume that they don't hold the races properly like that and are probably missaligning the carrier.
 
looks a lot like the gears I just removed. You should rebuild (new 456 R&P) and put them where they belong. I would assume that they don't hold the races properly like that and are probably missaligning the carrier.

Thanks. I am pretty much rebuilding from scratch so will put the caps where I think they belong...
 
Ok... I now have another dilemma.. I ordered the ring and pinion and master rebuild kit and spider gears from Extreme Terrain. Very helpful on the phone and even went to check with his technical team that I didn't need a new carrier when going from the stock 3.55 to 4.56. I now see on the Extreme Terrain website they are recommending a new carrier for this gear change... Does anyone have any guidance on this? Do I need a new one or not?

Many thanks.
 
Ok... I now have another dilemma.. I ordered the ring and pinion and master rebuild kit and spider gears from Extreme Terrain. Very helpful on the phone and even went to check with his technical team that I didn't need a new carrier when going from the stock 3.55 to 4.56. I now see on the Extreme Terrain website they are recommending a new carrier for this gear change... Does anyone have any guidance on this? Do I need a new one or not?

Many thanks.

I believe you need a new carrier under 3.73.... Someone will chime in. You are going to stay open diff?
 
Look here to understand: https://www.drivetrainamerica.com/blog/carrier-breaks-for-differentials-explained/

Also, what's up with the washers on the bolts for the carrier bearing caps? Looks like someone butchered up the washers.

Thanks Andy. I looked through that article quick and saw this which would indicate I am OK going to 4.56 with the current carrier, right?

1695153980578.png


Good catch on those washers. I never noticed that and I have stared at that thing a long time.... I will look into that a little more too.

Thanks again.
 
Thanks Andy. I looked through that article quick and saw this which would indicate I am OK going to 4.56 with the current carrier, right?

View attachment 458953

Good catch on those washers. I never noticed that and I have stared at that thing a long time.... I will look into that a little more too.

Thanks again.

If you have 3.55s, you're good.
 
If you have 3.55s, you're good.

So... now the next problem.... I took out the spider gears and there are a bunch of shims on either side that are not with the new spider gears I bought. The carrier must be completely different? See below:

old:

Spider gears - old.jpg




New:
Spider gears - new.jpg



Any ideas whats going on? The old spider gears are like nothing I've seen on the videos.
 
Ah OK.... So am I better off rebuilding the limited slip diff or buying a new carrier and going back to a standard diff?

I don't know why you wouldn't want to stay with at least a limited slip.. everyone says they are a pain to rebuild though?? Just get a new pad carrier.
 
That would be your choice. I can't decide for you. To rebuild a limited slip, you'll be looking at this:


or


Thats great! Thank you... So am I right in thinking there is no shimming of the carrier required to get the backlash correct with the LSD? I assume that the process for installing a new pinion and bearing is the same as with Open diff - preload to 16 to 20 inch lbs?
 
Thats great! Thank you... So am I right in thinking there is no shimming of the carrier required to get the backlash correct with the LSD? I assume that the process for installing a new pinion and bearing is the same as with Open diff - preload to 16 to 20 inch lbs?

From your first post it sounds like you are planning on a regear at the same time - that will require a full gear setup.
 
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