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is my rear differential getting too hot?

8K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  2004jeeptj 
#1 ·
Hey fellow jeepers!
...I made the jump to change out my r&p yesterday.

I'll probably get blazed for this, but after most of the auto shops around tried to tell me that I did not have a d44 rear, which I'm more than certain of, I decided I'd do the swap myself.

I went carefully, following pirate's guide with adjusted preload and torque settings for the d44.

Preload is within range and the gear compound showed a great pattern.

I did the 20 mile break in/cool down, then drove it 60 miles to work at about 65-70mph, beginning the 500 mile break in period.

When I stopped, maybe 2 minutes later I touched the diff to see how hot it was and I couldn't hold my hand on it for more than a second ish... Is this normal for all new bearings or do I need to rip this bad boy apart and reduce my pinion preload a few thou?

Let the a$$ ripping begin! Haha
Thanks guys!
 
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#3 ·
Thanks Jerry!
I'd also like to thank your for you input on this forum! I couldn't begin to count the posts you've made that have helped me modify my jeep.
 
#5 ·
Thanks! I'm getting more comfortable with the setup by the minute.
 
#7 ·
I like that plan anyways. If I toast it... I guess lesson learned and I'll be doing it again. Haha.
 
#9 ·
Right. The first 500 miles will be over in a week, to and from work. As long as it survives that long, I can open it up and check for any odd wear, noises or such.

If it's good at that point... My paranoia may subside. Haha.
 
#13 ·
The shops here were amazed that I had a d44 in my 01 Sahara. They kept trying to tell me that I had a d35... Even pulled out my build sheet with "Dana 44" in black and white.
 
#14 ·
I just wanted to update this thread for anyone reading. After nearly 25k fairly aggressive miles, the gears are still doing great. I'll add this to my pile of things that look much more difficult than they really are. Haha.
 
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