The fronts really arent as important as getting the rear perfect.

 

Almost all the linkage has been replaced in the front, a dual steering stabilizer is on the list along with a couple hundreds other things!! Anyways tools for the change I've seen/read guys using a press to seat the pinion bearing now I was reading a general ring and pinion swap manual but for the 44 do I need a press to seat any of the bearings? And running the 4.88 on 33 for a few wont hurt anything right, I'm in welding school so my time to work on my vehicle is limited to days I don't work and vacation. ( let me know if anyone needs a welder in Ohio!)

 

I ran 4.88s with 33s no problems.

 

The carrier bearings and inner pinion bearing on the D44 are pressed on. I usually tear my old bearings apart, hone out the inner race a little to use for drifting new bearings on when changing them. I use a press but you might be able to do the carrier bearings with a hammer, but I'd be a little nervous about it. Might be able to do the same thing with that inner pinion bearing by using a piece of pipe the right ID. I'm not recommending you do this, but it's a thought.
Buy a 20T press, they don't cost all that much and you'll use it over and over as long as you're doing your own work.
You'll need set-up bearings as well for the D44. Others have recommended honing out your old bearings to use. Mine were too worn to do that, so I got the cheapest carrier bearings I could get at O'Reillys, genuine PTC made in China bearings, ~$12 a piece, and honed'em out. Used a grinding stone on a Dremel, took less than a half hour to do both of them.

 

I checked harbor freight $200 for a 20 ton press anyone every make one it looks just like a bottle jack in a frame with a spring. I would like to do this the right way and in the right tools for more projects down the road. Also couldn't you just buy the correct size bearing?

 

If you're talking about the set-up bearings, yeah you can buy them, but for the price a lot of guys make their own.

 

I remember when I set mine up, I had read somewhere that most of the factory 9.25s came with a factory pinion bearing shimmed @ .020. Thats a good starting point.