New Ring Gear Interference with Inserting Spider Gear Shaft

Mark Dickenson

New Member
Original poster
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Messages
16
Location
Wisconsin
So I thought I was almost done re-gearing the Dana 30 on my 2001 TJ Sport. I upgraded the stock 3:07 to 4:56 gears, bought Revolution gears and a Yukon carrier (for 3.73 and UP). I did all the prior research and watched a lot of videos and came up with a step by step plan and got perfect preloads, backlash, and patterns-which took a lot of time -weeks! Bought extra shims, crush sleeves, made set up bearings and the whole nine yards. It was all going good, as the efforts were paying off with satisfaction with each subsequent step. Until tonight.
So I was putting the spider gears/axle drive gears back into the finished carrier and when I went to insert the retaining shaft through the carrier to capture said gears, it became apparent that the ring gear is clearly not going to allow it! I remember watching youTuber BFH showing an instance where a small amount of one tooth had to be ground away in order for the shaft to pass by, but I would have to remove almost all of one, and maybe the side of another! And 180 degrees it would definitely require two teeth! Now the answer is probably to remove the red lock-tited ring gear bolts and then pry off the new ring gear, install the spider gears then reattach the ring gear. But I thought that seemed weird, cause I never recall anyone doing the re-gearing with spider gears in place. But then most all the re-gearing videos I watched were also installing lockers. Oh, I took the front end off the Jeep to do this entire operation, so I was about to install this new carrier into the diff housing which is sitting across saw horses in my shop. I am open to constructive opinions and helpful advise! Thank You Folks!
 
If you can't work it over the teeth then you will have to remove the ring gear.

You don't have to pry the ring gear off either. After removing the bolts (leave two- one on each side), you can put a punch in the holes and gently tap and work it loose.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jerry Bransford
Thank you for your fast reply, horsejockey61! Yes I was still a little mad at myself when I posted last night, so I used "pry" to highlight my frustration. I am probably going to need to replace the ring gear bolts, right? I think somewhere I read or saw that these are single use?
 
Thank you for your fast reply, horsejockey61! Yes I was still a little mad at myself when I posted last night, so I used "pry" to highlight my frustration. I am probably going to need to replace the ring gear bolts, right? I think somewhere I read or saw that these are single use?
Yes, single use. Definitely get new ones
 
So then, while I am waiting for the new bolts to arrive, I am contemplating the best solution for removing the ones currently in the carrier. I used red Locktite, and it was more than a month ago. Usually, I would heat up the parts to ease the removal of the fasteners. But I have pressed on the carrier bearings and I don't know exactly how much (if I were to place it all in my wife's oven) heat I could safely subject the loaded carrier to, and would it be effective anyway? Or do I just ratchet the bolts off with a long cheater bar?
Or just get out the Milwaukee M18? Thoughts anyone?
 
Thank you, hosejockey61! I am going to do that this afternoon. I bought a set of new bolts (Crown), as well as another set (Yukon), so I will have no chance of more delays, and can throw the unused in the spares ammo can!
 
  • Like
Reactions: SvtLdr
Don't forget to apply red Loctite to the threads of those ring gear bolts before threading them in! Reduce the required ft-lbs. tightness of the bolts by 10% you torque them to due to the Loctite making it easier to tighten them.
 
Don't forget to apply red Loctite to the threads of those ring gear bolts before threading them in! Reduce the required ft-lbs. tightness of the bolts by 10% you torque them to due to the Loctite making it easier to tighten them.
Thank you, Jerry! I did not get around to it this afternoon as planned so I am glad i waited ! Now I can do as you suggest.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jerry Bransford