Who here has Installed there own gears in the front and rearend? How much of a pain in the a$$ is it? I am pretty mechanicly inclined and I have done just about everything besides regear a differential.

 

Me.
Not bad at all if you:
1.) Are patient
2.) Are Meticulous
3.) Are **** retentive
4.) Own all of the proper tools.

 

Here is a good analogy ....


It will cost you several hundred in tools to do it properly. It will cost you almost one thousand to do it "easily"



Is it worth chancing for a one time deal ?



I'm all for people doing it themselves (since it means a sale of gears/locker/etc for me) .... but if you're not sure -- I would hate to see you have to buy stuff twice.


If you have specific questions .... I (and many others) would be more than willing to help out ....



Joe

 

i plan on doing mine with a buddy thats done acouple... and i hope gears and lockers come with directions... lol

 

Everything you need to kmow is in the FSM.

 

exactly. the concept is pretty straightforward, its the proper tooling required to do the job accurately that is the killer.

 

I did my first set with an experienced friend looking over my shoulder. Theyre not that hard once you get the hang of them but it does take a lot of patience. Ive since done about three or four sets on my own with no problem. The first ones always the hardest though

 

To buy the proper tools, you could spend anywhere from 500 to a 1000 easily. I still get my gears setup by others, but I make it easy on them.

I bring them an empty axle. I remove all the bull leaving the old gears in place. I also tell them when I need the axle back by. Keep in mind the guys I bring the axle to is a club member and an old friend and he gives me hella deals. Last deal I had front and rear gears done,loc-rights front and rear, and bearings pressed on axles.. all for 175.

 

What is his number, I want in!! LOL!! That is a better deal than doing it yourself, so I see why you have him do it for you!!

 

LIke I said.. I bring empty clean axle housings, and dont rush them to get it done. If some one brings my buddy a complete rig, and he has to disassamble the axles and do all that other bull he charges accordingly.

 

if you are still planning on doing your gears just make sure u use the paint alot before you decide to put it back and check out you tube on setting pinion preload that was the hardest part for me i did my friends and he has suprior axles and a detriot locker so the only weak point is the ring and pinion we had lost two before that one of those the guy he bought the jeep from didn't shim the ring gear and the second he was off by about .02 and it blew after 1500 miles the one me and him set up it took the whole weekend but the worst part was setting the pre-load on the pinion

 

i paid i think $170 for my rear r&p form randy ring and pinion and $ 80 for my master install kit form 4x4 parts..... those are the two best prices i found and about the same price for my front end!! and installed myself honestly not to bad having the right tools and patience. if you have access to lift use it, i did mine on jack stands it sucked!!!!

 

X2

 

Of course, but that is still a great deal you have there!!

 

I get $100 to install a set of gears, $150 with a locker. The catch is that it can't be under the rig.