Update: Just getting around to this again. Been cold, wet weather and it's in the yard on jack stands, and I just didn't feel like messing with it. Meanwhile in the shop, I made setup bearings for the carrier and ground a rear pinion race so it is a slip fit. Just installed the pinion to begin setup.
Here is the weird part. I pulled the gears out of my original 99 axle and then the rear pinion race. No shims in there. In a previous post I mentioned that there were no shims under the rear race in my 2001 axle, the one I am trying to rebuild. Don't really get that.
My old pinion says +2 and the "new" one says 0. Per the chart in the manual, that means I need to add .002" worth of shim behind the rear race, I believe. This gives me a starting point. Problem with that is my kit doesn't have a .002" pinion shim in it. Gonna start without it and see what happens.
I have not worried about the front seal or the shims on the pinion shaft. They will come later when I am doing the final pinion install. (also after setting up the pre-load on the pinion bearings.)
I will now be adding the shim values that I had on the old carrier to the new carrier, using new shims, to give me a starting point for the setup. Getting as close as possible since I do not have enough shims to make it exact.
And no, there was no instructions or anything else in my kit besides the parts.

If I missed something let me know, please.

Thanks,
Chris

 

OK, here's the deal.
I had about .005" of backlash in the gears and 0" of shim behind the rear pinion race.
According to the pattern I was getting the Dana doc, what totalloser posted, said I needed more backlash. I took .005" from the ring gear side of the carrier and put it on the other side. Now I have .0095" backlash and this pattern:




Coast





Drive

Drive seems OK to me, but coast seems to be a little towards the inside, which suggests increasing the backlash.

The manual says I should have .005 to .008" of backlash. Which spec matters more, what the manual says or the pattern? I would think the pattern would matter more, but backlash is kind of important too.

The carrier still needs .020" added to the non-gear side to take to the slack (.010") and add preload (.010"). These will be done once the pattern is done and I'm pressing on the new bearings.
And that will be after the pinion stuff is done, new rear race, preload and seal.

Thanks,
Chris

 

Add .005" to the pinion shims. Them post a pic of the pattern.

 

Will do in morning.

Thanks,
Chris

 

OK, added .005 pinion shim. Re-adjusted backlash to .007 and added .010 to the right side of carrier to take out play in carrier. Here is my pattern now.






It looks better but the coast is not quite centered. Is that OK, or must the coast be centered also?

Thanks,
Chris

 

I would try it.

After a few hundred miles hop in the back and have some drive you around and listen for noises. With it being a CTD you won't hear anything from the cab.

 

OK, thanks. I will begin the processes of installing new bearings and pre-loading stuff tomorrow.

Chris

 

How is it going?

 

I decided to play with the pattern some more, and added .010 and then .015 shim to the pinion. The drive pattern at .015 began to move off the heel but the coast pattern never made it to the center. I backed off to .013 pinion shim to get the drive pattern back towards the center. I have backlash within spec, but will redo that after I have final installation of the pinion, with full preload on the carrier (the .010 I need to add).
I am hoping to finish the pinion install today,but BS keeps coming up and keeping me from this project.

Thanks,
Chris

 

Pinion rear race installed and preload set to 25 in lbs. New seal installed and new nut used, with loctite. Carrier rechecked and reset to .005" backlash with the extra .010" shim installed for preload, using setup bearings. New bearings then installed and carrier torqued into the housing.
Will install cover, axles, lube and test drive it tomorrow.

Chris

 

Finally got it all buttoned up. Just test drove and it's quiet as a church mouse.
THANKS for the advice on this endeavor.
Listening for any other tips or things I need to watch for.

Chris

 

On Dana's I do a service every two years. Drop the cover, do a fluid change and look for any side play that could lead to the carrier spitting shims out.

Other than that just drive it.