D60 gurus: need some advice

[laserjock]

So I started into my D60 last night. Wheel adapters aside, I am pretty sure I have a bad pinion bearing and seal. This makes me wonder what else I'm going to find. It spins really free. Hubs work. I've never really dug into one of these before. What all should I check? I assume there is a crush sleeve in there. Is there an elimination kit for it? Is it recommended? How do I check the carrier bearings? I think I know how to pattern the gears. I've seen that done enough times.


This is one of those places I need educated. I have most of the measuring tools and follow directions pretty well. I have a ford manual for the 83 model year that is the complete set but I'm not sure it covers the 60.

In short, where do I start? I'm typically not one to blow something apart just because I can so you tell me... Is a pinion bearing a reason to worry about everything else or is that a common failure?

I'll open it up after while and look at the gears.

Thanks for the insights.

 

[junk]

I'd maybe check over at pirate 4x4 for a reverse cut Dana 60 rebuild tech article. Those guys really get into rear ends. If the pinion is bad I'd be tempted to tear the whole thing down. Not sure why the pinion would go out in a front end. Makes me think all the carrier bearings are suspect.

I've never done a differential before. I've always had a shop set them up for me. I think I could and may even try it one day but.

 

[kuskoal]

Billavista has a d60 bible. The install/breakdown is the same on the big 3. Same axle except ours are high pinion. Pinion bearing is a huge thing! Unless you never use 4wd and like the looks of a powered front axle. Its the same catastrophe as the early sterling axle's pinion bearing. It's gonna blow up sooner or later.

 

[laserjock]

Yeah, I know the pinion bearing is a big deal. Off to go get some reading done. My thinking has been if the pinion bearing is bad, everything is suspect. Just trying to figure out if that's a reasonable assumption or paranoia. I have one vote for reasonable.

 

[kuskoal]

Definitely reasonable. Pull the diff civer and clean the grease off the ring gear and look at the contact patches. That should tell you if things are getting funky. If everything is gravy, you won't have to mess with shims when you reassemble the diff! I hate dana's design

 

[laserjock]

Reading Billavista page now. Lots of info and they have the service manuals on their server. Snagged those PDF s.

 

[franklin2]

Why do you think the pinion bearing is bad? Because the yoke has play? I have never worked on a front d60 but I am wondering if the nut can work loose just like the rear one can. I have had the nut work loose on other types of rearends, it's not exclusive to the Sterling.

 

[4x4manonbroke]

If the nut is tight , and theres no in and out play- but theres slack between gears your going to need to set pinion deeper into the Ring gear as there is too much lash..

If there is up and down slack your pinion bearings are toast ...

My D70, had slack all the ways it could have ... the 60,70,and 80 are real similar in how they go together ... shims, no crush sleves ( thats a AAM trate ) ... make sure you do a paint test on your diff before and after each step .. keep track .. it is time consuming but if you dont take the time to do it correct .. its goona be Super Costly !!!!

 

[laserjock]

I spent some time playing with it this evening. I'm not 100% if there is up and down side to side play now. There is definitely a little in and out play so I'm not sure if that's what I'm feeling as I work it side to side. I think the first thing I'm going to do is get a socket and see if snugging up the nut makes any difference. If that takes all the slop out of it, I assume that means the bearing is probably okay and I need to pull the yoke and inspect the splines. It does not look like the yoke is moving on the splines. Any movement seems to be the yoke, nut and shaft all moving together. Did I understand you correctly that there is no crush sleeve in the 60? I haven't poured over the manual yet so I just assumed. If the nut backing off is the problem, then I should be able to torque it down, set the preload and check the tooth pattern right? If it's good, it should be alright then right? There is not a lot of play so I'm hoping I caught it early enough so as not to have become a huge problem yet.

Is that sound reasoning or a pipe dream?

 

[laserjock]

Well, not looking good for the home team. I torqued the pinion up to 150 ft lbs (limit of my wrench) and nothing improved. I'll build my torque multiplier tomorrow, spin the nut off, clean it up good then run it back down but I'm not hopeful. If there is slop in and out on the pinion, what is actually bad? Is it shimmed wrong or is something worn?

 

[Black dawg]

does it look like it was apart before? If there is in and out slop, there is side to side. pull it apart an inspect the bearings, only one way to know.

 

[laserjock]

I'm not sure if it's been apart before but it wouldn't shock me. This is not what I had in mind. It may be time to make a couple phone calls. I'm going to pull the pinion nut and take it to full torque and see if that makes any difference. Probably won't. Then I guess I'll check the measurements on the carrier and pull it apart.

 

[mblaney]

I wouldn't hesitate to pull the carrier out and check the pinion with it apart. It's a little work getting the axles out but then you can check axle u-joints anyway. I can't see how re-torquing the pinion nut will help; if its loose there is something wrong. Just tear into it!

If you have the carrier out then you might as well change the inner seals

 

[laserjock]

Hey a guy can hope right. I am trying to not be afraid of this but hey... Everyone is nervous on the first time right?

 

[laserjock]

Are these factory markings or a sign somebody has been in here?

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See the capital A's I'm guessing so the correct cap goes back to the correct side?