Yukon Gear Dana 44 Standard Open Spider Gear Kit Replacement
A Dana 44 that clunks when you turn into a parking spot, clicks in rhythm with the tires in a tight U-turn, or leaves broken tooth chips on the cover magnet usually has worn spider gears. Yukon YPKD44-S-30 is the replacement spider gear set for a standard open Dana 44 with 30-spline axle shafts, the axle found under classic Chevy and GMC K-series pickups and Blazers, Dodge W-series trucks and Ramchargers, early Ford Broncos and F-series 4x4s, International Scouts, Jeep CJs, Wagoneers, Comanches and the rear of many 1997-2006 Wrangler TJs. It lets you rebuild the gears inside the case you already own instead of buying a whole carrier.
Inside the open carrier, two side gears ride on the splined ends of the inner axle shafts and two smaller pinion gears sit on a cross pin between them. Driving straight, the whole set turns as one block with the ring gear. In a corner the outside wheel has to cover more ground, so the pinion gears spin on the cross pin and let one side gear run faster than the other. That spinning happens on bare steel faces and hardened thrust washers, so years of turning, wheel spin on ice or mud, and the shock when a spinning tire suddenly grabs all wear the washers, the cross pin and the gear teeth. On a part-time 4x4 front Dana 44 the gears only carry load in 4WD, but they still see the hardest hits because that is when tires break loose.
Yukon's kit includes two side gears, two pinion gears, the cross pin shaft, the cross pin bolt, and the spider gear thrust washers. The side gears are cut for 30-spline shafts. Ring and pinion, carrier case and bearings are not part of this kit.
A steady whine that rises with speed is usually ring and pinion or bearing wear, not spider gears.
Drain the oil and pull the cover. With the wheels off the ground and the transmission in neutral, hold one wheel and rotate the other. The opposite wheel should turn backward smoothly. Grinding, catching or a dead spot means damaged teeth. Look through the carrier window at the pinion gears and the thrust washer faces, check the cross pin for a stepped wear groove, and wiggle each side gear for play. Chipped teeth or a grooved pin call for this kit. If the carrier case itself is cracked or the side gear bores are worn, an open Dana 44 30-spline carrier case is the better fix.
This kit fits standard open Dana 44 differentials with 30-spline axle shafts and no C-clips, front or rear, including many IFS front Dana 44s in 1980-1996 Ford Bronco and F-150 trucks and the disconnect-style front in 1994-2001 Ram 1500 4x4s. Many older vehicles shipped with other spline counts or were swapped over the years, so count the splines on an inner axle shaft before ordering. A non-Rubicon Wrangler JK rear needs its own kit, the YPKD44-S-30-JK. If you are unsure of your axle, send us your year, model and VIN, or the numbers from the axle tag, and we will check it. More Dana 44 setup parts are in our rebuild kits section.
The carrier normally stays in the housing. Remove the cross pin bolt, drive the cross pin out, then roll the pinion gears around the side gears and out through the window. On a Dana 44 the axle shafts have to be pulled back far enough to clear the side gears. Coat the new thrust washers and gears with gear oil, roll the new set in, align the pinion gears with the pin bore, install the pin and torque the new bolt. Front axles get new inner seals while the shafts are out, and the inner axle seal installer sets them square without tearing the lip. Refill with 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil to the bottom of the fill hole. If the wheel spin that killed the old gears keeps happening, a gear-type Detroit Truetrac replaces the open case and sends torque to the tire that has grip.
| Brand | Yukon Gear & Axle |
| Part number | YPKD44-S-30 |
| Fits | Yukon Gear Dana 44 Standard Open Spider Gear Kit Replacement |
| Type | Differential Spider Gears |
| Condition | New |
| Ships | Same business day (in stock), from the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
Yes, as long as it is a standard open Dana 44 with 30-spline axle shafts and no C-clips. The fitment covers front axles in older GM, Dodge, Ford, Jeep and International 4x4s and rear axles in many of the same vehicles. JK Wrangler rears take a different kit.
Two side gears, two pinion gears, the cross pin shaft, the cross pin bolt and the spider gear thrust washers. The carrier, ring and pinion and bearings are not included.
No. This set is for an open differential. Limited-slip and posi carriers use their own gear sets, and fitting open-diff gears into one will not work.
Not if the carrier stays in the housing and you do not touch the ring and pinion. Swapping the spider gears does not change backlash or carrier bearing preload.
A 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil is the usual fill for an open Dana 44. Fill to the bottom of the fill hole and follow your owner's manual for the exact grade on your vehicle.
