Posted by Don in Missouri on Tuesday, December 24, 2002 at 11:00AM :
In Reply to: Need Axle Hosing Case Spreader for Dana 44 posted by birdo on Monday, December 23, 2002 at 8:40PM :
I ended up buying one from Randys Ring and Pinion. It was over $200. It worked a lot better than the one I tried to build. At first I didn't want to spend the money for a one time operation, but occassions to use it keep arising. I put air lockers in both ends of my Wagoneer. I had problems with the rear one, and have had it in and out two more times.
I couldn't find a place to rent one, or that would have been a godo option. I would either pay somebody to do it or spend the money on the right tool for the job.
I have heard a lot of guys, including Jeep dealers, say they just pry it out and hammer it back in. I guess those guys that just drive the carrier back into the houseing are putting the preload shims under the carrier bearings. With the ARB and the trial and error process of setting up the gears, it seamed like the preload shims needed to be between the carrier bearings and the axle housing. I was never able to drive the carrier in place and get the preload shims in place without destroying them.