Thanks TC, I'm off a year or two. 55.1 have open on 1/2? or was it not until 55.2?
Anyway Jerry and passinthru: I did my 60 diff awhile back. I don't know yet if I did a good job or not. I think so. This poster seems like not ready to try. It took me till now to get the nerve.
In my case I had to buy:
1. Torque wrench that went to 250 lbs. I only had a 150
2. Inch pound torque wrench
3. Dial indicator and magnetic stand
4. Build a yoke holder
5. 20 T press
6. Two sets of pinion bearings
7. Two sets of carrier bearings
8. Ring and pinion gears
9. Shim set/yellow pattern compound
10. One set Spyder gears
11. New pinion nut
12. One set wheel bearings and retainers
13. Seals
14. Gaskets
15. Grease and oil
And:
Heaving lifting, took off diff and put on bench
Drill and split old wheel brg retainer
Old parts and bolts put up a fight and must cut off/heated/etc. sometimes.
I'll bet AD parts will be harder to find than my era.
Room to work/high bench preferred
Lots of tools
Total cost of parts and tools= cheaper than a shop and I keep all the tools/equipment I bought.
I tried for 4 months to find a donor GMC Dana 44 in 3.92 to match front diff. No dice.
It is a chore. I have a lot of mechanical experience, tools, read up on the technique, and finally, the patients to get it right after many tries.
It ain't rocket science but it ain't changing your oil either. I don't know if AD is easier and needs less equipment or not.
Whatever he has to do up front is just bolting donor parts, I assume. I'm sure several guys will chime in who have done this and it's probably in the search.
I'm basing my advice in this case on the $1900 and the
poster not comfortable doing it. Some cases I would encourage a Stovebolter to go for it DIY and learn. Not in this case with a diff gear change unless somehow there is no need for all the backlash/preload/press off, press on/tooth pattern check procedures.
Even though a person could swap drop outs, that's a lot of work and some welding. I would still recommend a open drive line. A good, patient, searcher/scrounger/negotiator could get the parts for $500-$600 total if in a populated area or lucky enough to be near one of those good old wrecking yards. Now almost all gone.
So that's my story. Good luck, from "Justhanginginthere"
