I rebuilt and re-geared a Dana 30 from a 1999 XJ that I bought off a forum to replace my stock worn out d30 that was under my Cherokee. The ring and pinion was done and rebuilt by a professional using a brand new Motive rebuild kit with Timken bearings. The 4.10 ring and pinion gears and carrier were used but in good shape Dana products.
I get the axle installed under the Jeep with the knuckels installed as well. I go to install the axle shafts and the passenger side axle shaft goes in nice and straight with minimal effort but NOT my driver side axle shaft. The only way I can get the driver side axle shaft to fully engage splines with the carrier is to push the knuckle in a third of the way and slide the shaft in at an angle. Look at the pics I posted. The third pic is of the passenger side axle shaft and is there just to show how bad the angle is.
I dont know what is going on! The axle seals are brand new Timken seals and they were and still are set properly. The passenger side shaft goes in just like it should.
Any ideas? Ive already tried removing the carrier and inspecting it and re-installed it with no luck.

 

looks like the planet gears are out of alignment.
have yoy tryed move the shaft towards tge misdle, while it is inserted into the splines. you should be able to do that.
otherwise, remove the carrier, and align them with a big screwdriver.

 

I can move the axle shaft a little bit using a lot of force but it just goes back to the original out of whack spot.
When I pull the carrier out, what am I looking for? The spider gears to be out of whack too?
Thanks

 

Axle seals in straight?

 

Axle seals are in straight. And the spider gears look fine and not out of alignment.

 

is the carrier in place ?
the only thing that holds the aksels are the spidergears. so either they are way of, or the carrier is.
can you take pictures of the spidergears and maybee the carrier installed

 

I think the axle itself is bent.
These two pics are of the long passenger side axle shaft going in from the drivers side and going through both driver and passenger side axle seals. It comes out all cockeyed still. I even put in new axle seals. Im guessing the axle is bent???

 

I've got the carrier out right now. They look normal to me and they run smooth,

 

i think you might have a bent axle housing.
there's no way you can bend a carrier.
those spiders look good.

if it's still out, take a pic of the carrier through the axle opening on the passenger side so we can see the splines in the spider in relation to the opening on the carrier.
take it as perfectly straight on as possible and as close up to the opening as you can get a clear shot.

 

Looks like it's time for a new D30.

 

Yeah that tube is bent like hell!

 

It's for sure bent! I took everything out of the axle and looked through it. It tweeks off on the driver side.
And I'm sure as heck not getting another dana 30!!! Wasted too much time and money on that turd. I've got a high pinion dana 44 being built with 3" by .50" axle tubes.

 

wow never seen that yet. I could see bending the longer side but the short side. Dang you must have been jumping it.