Yukon Gear Dana 44 Carrier installation Kit Replacement

You are swapping an open Dana 44 carrier for a locker or limited slip and want new carrier bearings under it, or the axle has started to growl and the carrier bearings are the worn part. Either way, the Yukon Gear and Axle CK D44 carrier installation kit gives you the carrier bearings, their races and a carrier shim kit for a standard Dana 44 in one box. It is the smaller, cheaper kit for jobs where the ring and pinion stay put, as opposed to a full master install kit with pinion bearings, crush sleeve and seals.

What a carrier installation kit does in a Dana 44

The Dana 44 carrier rides on two tapered roller bearings, one on each side of the case, pressed onto the carrier hubs with their races seated in the housing bearing caps. Dana sets carrier position and bearing preload with shims behind those bearings rather than with adjuster nuts, and the case is spread slightly to install the carrier. That shim stack also decides where the ring gear sits against the pinion, so it sets backlash. When you change carriers, the new case almost never measures the same as the old one, which is why Yukon puts a range of shims in this kit: you re-shim the new carrier to get correct preload and backlash with the gears you already have. Reusing old pressed-off bearings is a gamble, because pulling a tapered bearing off a carrier usually damages the cage.

Symptoms of worn Dana 44 carrier bearings

• A low growl or rumble that changes with road speed but stays about the same between throttle and coast
• Backlash that has grown since the gears were set, often with clunk on throttle changes
• Side play at the ring gear when you rock it with the cover off and the axles out
• Bearing debris, flaked metal or a rough, discolored race when the caps come off
• Ring and pinion whine that started after a bearing failed, because a loose carrier lets the gear pattern walk

How to confirm before you buy

Pull the cover and drain the gear oil into a clean pan; glitter and flakes point to bearings. With the wheels off the ground, rotate the driveshaft and listen and feel for roughness. If you are upgrading rather than repairing, measure the existing backlash and take a contact pattern before you tear it down, so you have a baseline. A Dana 44 carrier shim driver and a clamshell carrier bearing puller make removal and reassembly practical at home.

Fitment

The CK D44 is Yukon's carrier installation kit for the standard Dana 44, front or rear. Retail listings for this part number call out Jeep CJ, Wrangler TJ Rubicon and non-Rubicon JK axles, along with the many trucks and Jeeps that used a standard 44. It is not the kit for a Dana 44HD, and the 44 family has wide variations by year, gear ratio and carrier series. The safest check is the part numbers on your existing carrier bearings and races, or your axle tag and carrier series; send us that information or your year and VIN and we will confirm it. More Dana 44 parts are in our rebuild kits section.

Install notes

• Press the new bearings fully onto the carrier hubs, and seat the races in the caps. Keep the caps in their original positions and orientation.
• Set up the new carrier with the kit shims, then check backlash with a dial indicator and read a gear marking pattern before final assembly. Moving shim thickness from one side to the other moves the ring gear without changing preload.
• Spread the case only as much as needed, use a case spreader with a dial indicator, and never pry against the housing.
• Torque bearing cap bolts and ring gear bolts to the axle manufacturer's spec, with thread locker on the ring gear bolts.
• Fill with 75W-90 or 75W-140 gear oil as your axle calls for, and add friction modifier if you installed a clutch-type limited slip such as the Yukon Dura Grip for Dana 44. Lockers like the Grizzly locker for non-Rubicon JK are the most common reason this kit gets ordered.

What comes in the Yukon CK D44 kit?

Carrier bearings, their races and a carrier shim kit for a standard Dana 44. It does not include pinion bearings, a crush sleeve or a pinion seal; those come in a master install kit.

Do I need this kit to install a locker or limited slip?

It is strongly recommended. New carriers rarely measure the same as the old one, so you need shims to reset preload and backlash, and pressed-off bearings are often damaged during removal.

Does it fit a Dana 44HD?

No. The CK D44 is for the standard Dana 44. The 44HD uses a different kit. Check your axle tag or the numbers on your current carrier bearings if you are not sure.

Will this fix ring and pinion whine?

Only if the whine comes from worn carrier bearings letting the gear pattern shift. Whine from worn or poorly set gears needs the gear set or a full setup, and pinion bearing noise needs a pinion bearing kit.

How hard is the install?

It is an advanced job. You need to press bearings, spread the housing, shim the carrier and confirm backlash with a dial indicator and gear pattern. Budget several hours if you have not set up a Dana 44 before.