Caps switched on my Dana 70

[Hannibal]

I just started tearing down my junkyard 70U and I noticed the caps appear to be switched, due to the fact that the orientation X's don't match and are switched from side to side. I am thinking it may have left the factory this way and that I should just leave it be. Any thoughts?

[sw99]

huh? caps?

[MikE1]

whats a cap?

[KWTMECH]

At some time or another the diff was apart and someone mixed them up. I would put them back with the proper orientation.

[rthill97tj]

I totally agree with the guys reply above. The bearing cap bottoms are matched with the housing mating area. You can't really see them but the caps mating surface have little rigs that meet the rigs in the housing little rigs. Each cap matches each side of the housing as if they were on solid piece at one time and someone broke them off like a puzzle piece. This design (even though small) gives the caps more holding force. That is why they are marked to make sure they go back where they should from the factory.