Chevy Front Dana 44 Pinion Bearing Question

Carolina Fun

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Location
Morganton
I have a 1978 Chevy front 8 lug dana 44 and the yoke and pinion is wobbling in the housing, I assume the bearings are bad, since there isn't a crush sleeve in the front axle to re-tighten. My question is; does the ring gear and pinion have to be setup and re-shimmed if I replace the bearings? I thinking yes, but asking for opinions.

Thanks in advance
 
If it's wobbling that bad you might have to do more than bearings. Won't know till you pop it open and see what the pattern looks like. It should have a crush sleeve but now you lost your pinion bearing preload. To answer your question no you shouldn't need to set up the R&p again because those bearings are a precision thing, but it's still possible you'll have to tweak a few things.
 
Carolina Fun said:
I have a 1978 Chevy front 8 lug dana 44 and the yoke and pinion is wobbling in the housing, I assume the bearings are bad, since there isn't a crush sleeve in the front axle to re-tighten. My question is; does the ring gear and pinion have to be setup and re-shimmed if I replace the bearings? I thinking yes, but asking for opinions.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

No crush sleeve on that application. Good chance the pinion nut loosened up or possibly the pinion bearing(s) are worn.
Assuming the gears were quiet before, you can just simply remove the old bearings and races, replace them, set preload to spec and let it eat.
Get a rebuild kit that also includes the preload shims for the pinion and call it a day.
 
Wait I thought anything after 77 was a 10 bolt in a Chevy?
 
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