So I went to a local Jeep parts place on lunch. Picked up some bushings and bumps stops while I was there. My main reason for going was to get a quote on swapping out the rear end gears. With me supplying the gears only and them doing the work and supplying all other parts needed, they said $800! I will pass. Going to try Inland Jeep next. If they have crazy prices too, I am doing it myself.

 

Taking the axles out of the jeep and taking them to a shop will be much cheaper, buy some master overhaul kits to supply along with the gears and find another shop.

Shouldn't be any more than 150-200 bucks per axle to set up gears. For 800 bucks I would expect them to supply all the parts and perform the install.

 

You either love white vehicles or you dont. looks good man

 

Call me lazy but I would rather not pull the axle out. I dont mind paying a little more if it means less work for me. I did however buy an install kit and bearings tonight. I also made a few calls and found a buddy to do it on the side for 200. So I am good with that.

When it comes time to put the Truetrac and gears in the d30, I got no problem doing that myself. Did I say Truetrac? Yep showed up today!

 

Thanks! I love them since every car I own is white...

 

This. If I was going to do gearing for anyone, I'd want the axles out of the vehicle. It's muchhhhhhhh easier to regear that way. Throw it on some jackstands and go to work. As for the D30, hopefully your buddy has a case spreader. It'll make life easier for him.

 

Case spreader for a Dana 30? I don't think you need one for that axle?
anyway True-trac for the front

 

I didn't think you needed one either??? Either way, if I need one, I can borrow one. That is down the road anyways.

Just to clarify, I will be doing the D30 myself but the 8.25 im not.

 

Not needed but will certainly be helpful when setting it up.

 

Well bad news for today. Dana 30 never showed up. I got a call this morning from the place that was going to drop it off. Somehow my description yesterday of what i needed did not make sense to them. "1999 Jeep Cherokee. Need the front axle housing complete inside and out. Its a Dana 30. Has to be a high pinion with 3.55 gears from an auto. No vac disconnect and no abs." The call this morning went like "so you need a dana 35 from a 95 grand cherokee?"

When and if the axle shows up, I am not expecting it to be right. Its supposed to be nice and sunny this weekend with crazy wind. So I might head down to the JY and just pull one myself. Better then it raining...

 

Where did you order it from??

Have you tried inland jeep? Apparently they have d30's

 

I tried one of the local wreckers we use at work. They passed it off to another wrecker. I have called inland jeep many times. Like once a week for the past 6 weeks. They never have d30s. Honestly at this point, might as well go d44...

 

I would think if you just monitor C.L. for a 97-99 XJ for people parting rigs out I have let one go for $50

 

I was at my local pick-n-pull yesterday and they have about 6 of them.

 

I have been searching craigslist for 6 weeks and no luck. I looked at the inventory of the 5 yards in the area and they are about 7 cherokees combined. Most are 2wd and the others are too old or too new with a low pinion.