Clamshell puller that pulls carrier and pinion bearings off Dana 44 cases and pinions, plus Dana 30-80, GM 14-bolt and Ford 8.8, 9.75 and 10.25 axles.
Every regear, locker swap and bearing job on a Dana 44 stalls at the same step: getting the old carrier bearing cones off the case without scoring the journal or wrecking a bearing you want to measure. This clamshell carrier and pinion bearing puller does that job on the bench, no press required. It covers Dana 30, 40, 44, 60, 70 and 80 axles, the BorgWarner BW78, the GM 14-bolt and the Ford 8.8, 9.75 and 10.25 inch rears, so one set handles most of the trucks and Jeeps that come through a home shop.
A carrier bearing cone is pressed onto a machined journal on each side of the differential case, and on most Dana carriers there is very little lip behind the cone for a jaw to hook. A two-jaw or three-jaw puller grabs only a couple of points on the roller cage, so it tends to slip, cock the cone sideways, or pull the cage apart and leave the inner race stuck on the case. The clamshell design closes a split collar fully around the cone, with its lip seated behind the rollers on the inner race. The puller body then bridges the collar and a forcing screw bears on the end of the case, so the load goes into the race evenly and the cone comes straight off its journal. The same setup pulls the head bearing off a pinion when you need to change pinion depth shims.
Pull the carrier out of the housing and mark which side each shim pack came from. Choose the collar that matches the bearing size, close both halves around the cone so the lip sits fully behind the rollers, and snug the side screw so the collar cannot spread. Set the puller body over the collar, put the step adapter on the end of the case or pinion to protect the center, and turn the forcing screw down steadily until the cone breaks loose. If you intend to reuse a bearing for setup, pull slowly and keep the collar square. On a Dana 44 with a selectable or air locker, keep the adapter on the case hub, not on wiring or seals. A carrier shim driver is the natural partner when the shims go back in, and a Dana housing spreader lets the carrier back in without forcing it.
The set is listed for Dana 30, 40, 44, 60, 70 and 80; BorgWarner BW78; GM 14-bolt; and Ford 8.8, 9.75 and 10.25 inch axles. It includes the forcing screw and puller body, three split clamshell collars in different sizes, a step adapter, and a bench stand that keeps the collars organized. Everything is steel, and the shipping weight is about 32 lb in a 13 x 12.4 x 8 inch package. Bearings close to these sizes on other axles can often be pulled too, but check that the collar lip can seat behind the rollers before you load it. More axle and transmission bench tools are in our tools section.
Once the cones are off, the job usually needs new bearings. For a Dana 44 front or rear with 3/8 in ring gear bolts, the RA28LRMK Dana 44 master bearing kit includes bearings, seal and shims. For a 1996-2004 Grand Cherokee 44HD, the ZBKD44HD bearing kit covers the bearings and seal, and JK Rubicon rear axles take the Dana 44 JK rear master bearing kit. If you are still deciding whether the noise is a bearing at all, read our carrier bearing noise guide before you tear the axle down.
| Type | Clamshell carrier and pinion bearing puller |
| Fitment | Dana 30, 40, 44, 60, 70, 80; BorgWarner BW78; GM 14-bolt; Ford 8.8, 9.75, 10.25 in |
| Includes | Forcing screw and puller body, 3 split clamshell collars, step adapter, bench stand |
| Material | Steel |
| Shipping weight | 32.3 lb |
| Package size | 13 x 12.4 x 8 in |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
It is listed for Dana 30, 40, 44, 60, 70 and 80, the BorgWarner BW78, the GM 14-bolt, and Ford 8.8, 9.75 and 10.25 inch axles.
Yes. The same collars and forcing screw pull the head bearing off the pinion so you can get at the pinion depth shim.
On most carriers there is little room behind the cone for jaws, so they slip, cock the bearing or tear the cage. The clamshell collar grips the cone all the way around and pulls it straight.
The clamshell pulls on the inner race rather than the cage, which is why it is used for setup bearings. Inspect any bearing you pull before reuse, and use new bearings for the final build.
Forcing screw and puller body, three split clamshell collars in different sizes, a step adapter, and a bench stand. Shipping weight is about 32 lb.
Not for removal. You still need a way to install new cones squarely, such as a bearing driver set or a press, because pulling and installing are separate jobs.
