Dana 70 starting to go,,band aids?

nrose07

nrose07

I love high sulfur
Joined
Aug 1, 2008
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322
So I just did a 500mile trip weighing 22k on my already tired rear end that has 210k on it. I know that it was getting loose but its been fine, no issues. After returning home I've lost my pinion seal, some royal purple, and can move the pinion up and down about a 1/16. What do you guys think about hitting the pinion nut with the impact and a new seal till it dies completely. I need to do another 600 miles this weekend down south, risk it or take the car.
 
This is a very easy repair and cost about 150 bucks in parts. I bought the parts off of Ebay and did the repair myself. I found out that allot of the Dana 70s were not set up right from the factory. The pre-load on the pinion was set to loose and this is the reason that I had a clunk when I put it in gear. The Dana 70 does not use a crush sleeve, it uses shims which makes it an easy repair.
Total repair time was about four to five hours.
If I remember the kit was for a Dana 70u

Good luck
 
I did assume that it was a crush collar not shims, so did you just shim it tighter? What was the $150 spent on?
 
I bought a full bearing kit, ring and pinion and carrier bearings with seal. There is no crush sleeve and i just removed some shims to adjust the pre-load. I kept the same shims between the pinion gear and the rear bearing and just checked the pattern, worked perfectly. When I first put it together it had play in the pinion and that's when I figured out that it was not put together right. I figured out that the pinion bearing races were not pressed in all the way in the housing and work their way in under use, hence loose pinion and a clunk from time to time. I do not remember the name of the place where I bought the parts but I do remember that they were located in Las Vegas and they were very helpful over the phone. I also found out that the Dana's run hot and it helps if you put a bigger cover on them which increases the amount of lube and they run cooler. It is a bummer that Dodge used the smallest pinion bearing housing (u designation) that Dana makes.

I used a hammer, chisels and drifts to do the whole job, including hand tools

I hope this helps
 
Ok so help me spend some money!
Quad4X4 says to replace the carrier bearings, that they only last 125k. I do have some vertical movement with the carrier when I put my bar under it.
Randy's says just do pinion bearings.
DTS says that he guarantees the ping and pinion are bad if the pinion loosened up. They look fine, had no metal in the oil when I drained it today.
DTS has the best prices, any one have experience with them? (drivetrainspecialists)
Also should I while in there put new steels and fibers in my OE PowerLock? It was the reason I changed my fluid this summer, a little grabby turning tight.
Again thanks for the help!
 
I have been really happy with Amsoil Severe Gear, it will fix your grabby clutches and it test very well under load at high temps. If your posi was grabbin I would not mess with 'em, If the gears are good change the bearings and buy a bigger cover.
 
Gump said:
I have been really happy with Amsoil Severe Gear, it will fix your grabby clutches and it test very well under load at high temps. If your posi was grabbin I would not mess with 'em, If the gears are good change the bearings and buy a bigger cover.
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my limited slip has pretty much been a spool since I went with Amsoil severe gear. it recommends no friction modifier, and because my truck is not a daily, I like it locked up more than it should. if your trying to fix the issue, id stay away from it.

as far as what to do, some play with a pry bar is probably normal. how much is it moving?

the guy from quad4x4 is very good at what he does, but hes a very opinionated man. He thinks everything should be replaced. I was looking at getting an input shaft for my nv4500 from him, and he argued with me for 20 minutes about how i NEEDED to rebuild the trans. He ignored that I kept telling him it was a brand new transmission.

DTS i know nothing about, but id bet dollars to doughnuts the ring and pinion are perfectly fine.
$.02
 
It probably moves 1/8th", enough that I figure I'll do it. I've been perfectly happy with the way my LS works, just was wondering what others had done. For $60 bucks I figured it would be worth doing, but if they never wear out then its pointless. I know the ring and pinion are good, just thought it funny the wide range of opinions from pros. My plan right now is to get a bearing kit and clutches, would rather have a little peace of mind since I travel alot.
 
you have to tear the whole thing apart anyway. Pulling the carrier bearings will only take you another hour any way. I would do them, I did them. I ran stock fluid with friction modifier.
 
nrose07 said:
It probably moves 1/8th", enough that I figure I'll do it. I've been perfectly happy with the way my LS works, just was wondering what others had done. For $60 bucks I figured it would be worth doing, but if they never wear out then its pointless. I know the ring and pinion are good, just thought it funny the wide range of opinions from pros. My plan right now is to get a bearing kit and clutches, would rather have a little peace of mind since I travel alot.
Click to expand...

i would at least check backlash after doing to carrier bearings, but thats just me. it would suck to change good bearings and throw the backlash out and eat a set of gears.
 
So a quick update after the new bearings. I spent a few hours this last weekend on the press in the back of Napa swapping bearings and replacing shims. The front pinion bearing was the only one pitted, the rear pinion had wear. The carrier bearings looked good, but yet I could move the carrier up and down in the housing and it fell out, so obviously not the case. I didn't change any measurements, just bearings and shims and had .008" backlash. That's the max for a new gear set so I figure with a worn one I'm pretty good. With out a doubt after new bearings this is the tightest and smoothest the rear end has ever been, no more clunks when reversing.
So I would suggest if you have a 70 to check for play next time you change your fluid. And just reverse your frictions in your power-lock for a free rebuild, the steels are all cone shaped so they only wear to the outside or inside on the frictions so a simple flip is the same as $70.
 
Other then waiting for parts and finding a press on a sunday about 3hrs.
 
Do you remember what the tq spec is for the pinion nut on the Dana 70?

Lavon
 
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