Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: IrishCJ6 on April 20, 2012, 01:05:02 PM

Title: Diff spreader
Post by: IrishCJ6 on April 20, 2012, 01:05:02 PM
So with my up coming diff rebuild approaching I thought I better make a diff spreader

(https://birtydastards.com/frm/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi274.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj254%2Fandrewspalding%2FDSCF0042Copy.jpg&hash=71ed780f74f936444dcd60301c8875dc51e2ba03)

At the moment its only setup for a D30 but there is no issue to make it suitable for a D44 either
Title: Re: Diff spreader
Post by: Jonny Jeep on April 20, 2012, 07:57:54 PM
This is the one I built last summer. 20x60mm steel with 16mm bolts for pivots and dowel pins. I used dowel pins rather than the cover bolt holes for holding it as that's how the ones in the FSM were fitted. Adjuster thread is 5/8 UNF. I'm not sure how much it weighs but it's really fucking heavy. Might be overkill but so what.

It looks like you might have enough thread length to fit a 44 so you may just need to make new mounting holes if the cover bolts are spaced differently. I'd have to drill new pivot holes further in to fit a 30.

(https://birtydastards.com/frm/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7222%2F6950837952_233b37c7cf_z.jpg&hash=8c97c108307c81e422aa3a68def88d67b7fa4081)
Title: Re: Diff spreader
Post by: Bubba on April 20, 2012, 08:23:12 PM
not needed and in enthusiastic hands could do damage each to there own but i have always managed without a problem
Title: Re: Diff spreader
Post by: Dave The Sparky on April 20, 2012, 09:03:10 PM
 :imwitstupid: Two pry bars to get it out and a soft faced hammer to get it back in.
Title: Re: Diff spreader
Post by: kev on April 20, 2012, 11:24:49 PM
Ditto i had mine rebulit by a specialist and they never use one
Title: Re: Diff spreader
Post by: IrishCJ6 on April 21, 2012, 09:23:54 AM
From what I read on the US forums was that if the preload on the bearing is set correctly the carrier will not fit without using one, there were big warnings about using prybars and hammers to get them in and out, apparently will cause damage to the bearings. It is also much easier to pull the carrier in and out (multiple times) whislt setting the preload, backlash and pinion depth. I'm not going to be doing the rebuild myself as I really want this done right (too expensive to get wrong) so if they need it they can use it, if they don't they won't. But they will give a warranty to the rebuild and thus if they cock it up then they will fix it.
Title: Re: Diff spreader
Post by: Bubba on April 21, 2012, 09:41:40 AM
yup and there are just as many yanks out there who dont use one nobody is beating on you you must plough ya own furrow

but as a side point the world famous book the jeep bible by moses ludel long considered the THE BOOK to own for the last 25 years for jeep owners and builders  never used or expressed the need in fact it clearly shows a set of photos of his kid [about 12] stripping adiff with just pry bars

and i know several comercial axle builders of years who dont the one is not fussy over putting the side shimms in on top of the bearings rather than under them

there are one or two bits n bobs you must use but a spreacder is not one of them
Title: Re: Diff spreader
Post by: wildwood on April 21, 2012, 09:56:06 AM
Don't know if this is helpful but your old bearings ....relieved on the inside for a looser fit are normally used as set up bearing so diff can go in and out multiple times to get backlash and pinion depth spot on before committing to final assembly.

as I said I ain't no expert but when I took 14 bolt apart the case was large enough for whole enchilada to just drop out.
but have a feeling this is the exception to the rule.

No spreader was used in the rebuild of my 60 just set up bearings :icon_twisted:
Title: Re: Diff spreader
Post by: Bubba on April 21, 2012, 10:34:59 AM
good man glad you did it dood and many just drop out on ya lap
Title: Re: Diff spreader
Post by: MOCAJ on April 21, 2012, 01:21:32 PM
i am currently collecting bits and pieces and have an axle to practice and perfect the process on before doing my own  :greggmo:
Title: Re: Diff spreader
Post by: Jonny Jeep on April 21, 2012, 05:24:03 PM
Admittedly having replaced the gears in my axle, I could have done it without the spreader. However, I'm no expert and I'd rather have had it and not needed it than needed it and not had it. All it cost was a length of steel. My old gears were done by so called specialists but when I removed the bearing caps the carrier fell out it was that loose. Before anybody says anything about worn bearings, With brand new set up bearings I still had to add 0.030 of shims just to take up the slack, never mind preload shims. I somehow don't think that can be accounted for by bearing tolerances.