FYI,
If regearing, ALWAYS start with the shims the previous installer used. Even in a situation such as mine where they appear to be a hack.
We reused the .050 pinion shim previously installed, and it was dead on. If this had been a bare housing or starting from scratch, the ring and pinion instructions said to start at .042, which would have shown in the gear marking compound as a shallow pattern.
Same for carrier shims. We reused what was there, but had to subtract for proper backlash.
This was my Bible, still is. But use whatever brand’s literature you buy. If lacking, refer back…
Read this like 100 times before you start.
So the gear mesh contact pattern in the yellow grease is a visual indicator. Is there a precision measurement instrument involved, back and forth degree measurement or the like?
Awesome. I used to rely heavily on manuals until YouTubers became a go to for info. You kinda gotta be able to sort out B’s artists though:rofl: I can tell in the first 10 seconds of they know WTF they’re doing. 
You use a dial indicator to measure backlash, micrometer for shims. They’re not marked, you need to measure and write thickness with a Sharpie and start your piles.
That’s as precision as it gets unless you work for Dana or AAM.
If I could give two thumbs up I would 
. Thanks for taking the time to share info and experience. And good luck on road test. Oh, and Happy Trails…
Install is planned for Saturday at the latest
One thing I wish I had time to get her the parts for and use was a solid pinion spacer instead of a crush sleeve…
Crush sleeves suck. We over compressed the first one…
Solid spacer is the way to go…
Every brand has their quirks.
I’m quite familiar with Dana 30s both low pinion and high pinion, and the Dana 44s.
Still learning these NG axles 
I’d have to study up on Chevy or AAM before I took one of those on.
Liked the Yukon video. Direct and to the point. I like the sears videos for riding lawn mower repairs, washing machines, refrigerators, etc. I try to maintain, repair, rebuild as much as possible. Good videos are short, to the point and tell you what exact parts and tools are needed. I may have done six dozen brake jobs over the years, for example, but it’s nice to review to lay out exact tools before hand. 10mm Allen, 19mm wrench, whatever. Makes a 2 hour job into a 45 minute job. That and I also have a Milwaukee heavy duty cordless impact. Also air tools, and bad ass DeWalt socket set :
She can change riding mower blades herself, flat tire, etc. She totes a gun everywhere, and likes chainsaws and stuff.
By the way RMJ really nice shop. The house we bought had a shop with three stall covered carport, but we converted it into a cabin for my wife’s elderly parents. But I got a little shop and a 60’ x 80’ concrete pad to work with.
That’s not my shop
That’s my buddy Mikes, and yes, it’s nice
Well, it’s good to have a friend like that. My wifes niece came over a few weeks back and changed an O2 sensor herself on the pad. The former owners had an in ground pool, but filled in and covered with conrete. My little shop was the pool house.
Wall to wall awesomeness. Jeep central station. 
Two post lift is a life saver. When I was in the military, there was always an auto hobby shop with lifts, motor pulling gantry, etc. Makes work safer and enjoyable.
10k lift from the 80s.
Cost him $750, and being from then you know it’ll do 10k all day long.
A guy I work with had a two post. He recently replaced with 4 post
He got an F350 4x4 8’ bed. His wife is county tax collector where he lives. Must be rough…
My advice to you is to get someone who knows what they’re doing to help you, show you, at least the first time around.
My first time I was on my own, and it’s intimidating. There’s is a lot to go wrong, and a checklist can certainly help.
Today it was all someone else. There’s no way I could have turned this around by myself in a matter of hours. Got there at 9, was headed home before 3:30.
Ready to go back in, provided the ARB cover doesn’t leak. When the last bolt let go and wedged in there, the cover started leaking at the bottom.
The cover is flat to a Starrett precision straight edge, but rocks on the housing .020” or so. I smoothed out all the raised edges on the inside of the cover, but it did suffer some damage.
We will see…
