Dana 44 Repair
Just before Christmas, we had a week of snow, so I was driving the Bronco instead of the T-Bird. Near the end of the week I heard a bang that felt and
sounded like the rear end, so I parked the Bronco until I could find the problem. A few weeks later I pulled the rear end apart. The only thing I found was
that the pinion was loose, so I tightened it up and went for a test drive. All was fine.
Two weeks later we got another week of snow, so I was back driving the Bronco. All was well until one night leaving work; I got about a block down the
road and BANG. I stopped, checked the rear end. It all looked good. I drove ten more feet, BANG. That time I felt the front end drop, so I jumped out
and checked the axle joints. They looked fine, so I un-locked the hubs and continued home with no more BANG's.
I wasn't looking forward to what I might find, but I finally got a chance to pull the cover off the front diff.....
I asked these guys what they were doing away from the ring gear, but they kept quiet.
6 bolts, and one piece of ring gear tooth.
Bolt #7.
Bolt #7 again. The 8th bolt is in the bottom of the drain pan.
At least a few stayed in.
I didn't have time to get the pinion out.
It looks a little worse for wear.
It looks a little worse for wear.
The gears were installed back when I did my SAS, which was three years ago. In that time I have had no issues whatsoever with the front end.
Everybody is blaming the installer, but I can only blame myself as I have never taken the front diff cover off since doing the SAS.
Stay tuned for more details.