D44 Front Drive Nut Removal

[Clearedhot]

Looking to see if anyone has a good trick to pull off the Drive Nut for a D44 without manual locking hubs.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

[FLeetFox]

The Pinion nut on the yoke, or the nuts inside the hub?

Fleet Fox

[Stuka]

I assume you mean the spindle nuts inside the hub. This requires a special socket that is designed to pull those nuts out.

Basically, this: https://www.amazon.com/GearWrench-2467- ... B0002STRQS

[Clearedhot]

According to the Dana 44 Service Manual it called the drive gear. It is the splined gear that is before the spindle nuts (after the dust cap is removed, there is one snap ring, then this gear). All indications are that this should slip off, and even if it is stuck, a screw driver should be able to pry it off. I have had zero luck using a screw driver or pry bar. I have had been dousing it with PB Blaster the last 24 hours, thinking there may be corrosion that is keeping it from slipping out. My assumption is that this is generally not an issue for people doing service on the front end.

[Stuka]

Oh, you have to remove the snap ring. It goes around the inside rim of the hub, and it easy to miss if you don't know its there.

In the following video he pulls it out at the 50 second mark:

[SJTD]

He mentioned the snap ring so I assume he removed it. But maybe he meant the small one on the shaft.

There's a spring behind it but it isn't strong enough to push the slug out. There's prolly burrs hanging it up.

Pushing the axle in might help by getting its groove past the outer edge of the slug.

Pushing the slug in against the spring and releasing it might do it.

[kansasboy001]

If you get a small 3 jaw puller and grind the Jaws down so they fit in the groove in the gear you can pull it right out. That's what I had to do on one of mine

[Clearedhot]

Thanks Kansasboy. That’s what I was looking for!

[KJ Ryu]

Make sure you get both snap rings out before pulling. IIRC, there is the small one on the stub shaft and a large one inside the hub.