Dana 30 Carrier Shim/Preload

[dart70LA]

I am replacing the inner seals on my Dana 30. It has an ARB differential.

I bought the $100 differential spreader on eBay and was trying to fiddle with it to pull the carrier. While searching for a tool my brother-in-law lowered the housing at my request, and the carrier began to come out on its own. I had made no attempt to yank it out by hand or with tools prior to it moving.

This seems to suggest that the housing is not properly preloading the bearings.

I assume that under load, the carrier is driven towards the passenger side of the housing. And since the pattern is good, I was thinking that adding shims to the driver side would make sense.

Since the pattern appears good as is/was, should I:
A. Do nothing and put it back together as is
B. Only insert shims on the driver side of the carrier to reestablish the housing preload?
C. Or should I equally distribute any additional shims.

*extra bit of info, I now have Warn locking hubs so front differential only spins on the trail, if that matters.

 

[RCP Phx]

You need to do a ring gear pattern and set it up correctly with the proper pre-load.

 

[jimbar]

A few things come to mind here. If your using a spreader do not go over a few thousands as you can warp the case. With an ARB you need the preload to hold the air disc in place (if that rotates it can rip the copper tube out). RCP is correct.. check the pattern. Oh, shim pack needs to be between the disc and bearing (not the axle tube!). You can add as many as needed on the driver side. Pattern tells all.

 

[lazyxj]

You D30 isn't unusual, Have had two D30 carrier's fall out, when the axles were removed and the carrier bearings unbolted.
I would add equal shims to both sides of the carrier and see what the pattern looks like. This will require pulling the carrier bearings, to add shims.
See if you confined someone with a clamshell puller, used to pull and remove the D30's carrier bearings, without damaging them..
https://www.ebay.com/itm/CLAMSHELL-...913aa172:g:U8sAAOSwh1paN-g8:rk:2:pf:1&vxp=mtr

I have never needed to use a case spreader on a D30, the carrier is usually tapped back in, using a lead or weight filled hammer.
The only axle I have ever needed a case spreader was when rebuilding our motorhome's D-70HD.
It took everything the spreader had to open the case just enough to get a proper pre-load on the carrier bearings.

 

[dart70LA]

I am going to get a pattern this weekend.

If the pattern and backlash look good but it doesn't have any preload, then I split the shims required on left and right?

Note: on ARB installations they do not put shims between bearing and carrier. Only between bearing and master shims/housing(provided in ARB Kit). This eliminates the pulling of the carrier bearing to install shims.

I think I got the answer I need from the Yukon Gear installation instructions:
Outside Shim Design
"This design uses shims between the carrier bearing races and the housing. Initially set the
backlash with very little carrier bearing preload. After setting the backlash, add equal
amounts of shims to both sides of the carrier to set the carrier bearing preload"

 

[denverd1]

A put it back together as is

 

[dart70LA]

I got a pattern. It is acceptable.

But when I reassembled the carrier and installed it, I did not have to use a hammer or the axle spreader. A firm wiggle and the shim stack went in with no trouble.

SO this brings me back to my original question. With effectively no preload, do I find some .0075 shims and put one on each side to get the .015" preload spec?

 

[md21722]

As shims are added to add preload, even if evenly to both sides, you may find that the backlash and resulting pattern changes, so adjustments may be needed. .0075 shims generally don't exist. .010 preload would be considered acceptable. Make sure the get the axle shaft seals in straight at the correct depth otherwise they may leak.