Submitted by OnlyOneDR:
How to install a 31-spline Detroit No-Spin into a 2000+ vintage Frontier or Xterra 33-spline H233B:
Parts needed:
4-spider gear open carrier from any later vintage H233B (not the 2-spider from the 2wds)
Axle shaft seals for 31-spline H223B
Axle shaft assemblies from a 1999 King Cab V6 Frontier 4x4
Detroit No-Spin (get one while you still can!) or Lockrite
Tools Needed:
Good set of basic hand tools/socket set
Torque wrench
Dial indicator/mag base
Seal puller
Seal driver
Optional (if you need to swap carrier bearings or remove tone-rings on axleshafts)...
Bearing splitter
Harmonic balancer puller
Press
Supplies needed:
3 qts. Gear oil
Grease
Brake fluid
Tons of rags
Lots of cleaner
Boat-loads of patience!
Work required:
1. Clean everything near the axle tube ends and 3rd member areas thoroughly.
2. Pull axleshafts out of axle, set aside. If you did not get axleshafts with all the brake backing plates/hardware/etc, you will need to disassemble these axleshafts to transplant your brakes.
3. Drain diff, remove driveshaft, unbolt and remove 3rd member, if 2wd uplug ABS signal wire. Be sure to keep all of these parts away from dirt and foreign matter.
4. Disassemble 4-spider carrier and remove all the guts, then drop the Detroit in, reassemble and torque.
5. Unbolt the bearing caps and remove the carrier and ring gear from the 3rd.
6. Remove ring gear from carrier and transplant onto the carrier with the Detroit and torque it. Be sure to carefully and thoroghly clean and degrease the area where the ring gear contacts the carrier to ensure the smallest runout.
7. Install carrier assembly back into 3rd and finger-tighten bearing caps. Adjust backlash and preload. No need to check pattern on worn-in gearset that has not had the pinion adjusted. Torque bearing caps and install locking tabs when done.
8. Reinstall carrier into axle assembly.
9. Remove axle shaft oil seals and install the new slightly smaller ones. These are a pain to get out, they have very thin metal bonded to the rubber and deform/tear easily. Install new oil seals.
10. Pre-lube axleshafts and install into axle tube. Reconnect brake lines and bleed. Reinstall driveshaft.
11. Fill diff with a high-quality fluid.
12. Go WHEELIN!
After many many hours of research and cross-referencing of part numbers, I found that the carrier bearings on 1995 and newer H233Bs are all the same to this day. So almost any H233B carrier fits all others. The 1999 31-spline axle shafts are the only ones that are the correct length to run in a Frontier/Xterra housing because of the increased track width over the old Hardbodies. The new shaft seals are necessary because the axle is physically (slightly) smaller in diameter and the 33-spline seals will not seat on the 31-spline axle. To ease the work spend a few extra $$ for the complete axle assemblies with all the brake hardware. Then it becomes a matter of just swapping parts.
I removed the tone-rings from the axleshafts (since my 2wd housing has the ABS on the pinion snout) to make trail-side repair/replacement easier. They are pressed on after the bearing locknuts and will prevent removal of the shaft from the cage unless they are pulled off first. Y'all with 4x4 housings can skip that step since you need them on there.
The result:
For less work (and less $$) than an ARB I have a locked rear end that I do not have to worry about air-lines, gasket seals, and an air source. Find your parts locally and you may pay less than I did ($680) to do the project. Keep in mind I already owned nearly all the specialized tools needed to do the work so if you don't you will have to figure that in...
Pics to follow soon.
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