Cost to regear my 97

I have a 1997, C8.25 in the rear and a ????? D30 in front. (the front pinion center line is about equel to the axle tubes centerline, so I assume this is a HP?)

Anyway, I have a RE 3.5 with 32" GY MTR's. CV DS, etc, etc. I still have stock gears which is killin me with gas and the horrible perf.

What should I expect to pay to buy AND install F/R gears?

Also, not to open a can of worms, but what do you guys think I should get for gear ratio? This is my only vehicle (the wifes minivan doesn't count as a real vehicle). I drive to and from work daily. I doubt I will ever go to 33's, but even if I do, it will be when these brand new MTR's wear out, so it will be awhile as I only drive about 15k a year. I have the 242 with auto and a 4.0.

Do you think the Dodge dealer would be better at install than a "regular" shop? Somebody said the 8.25 takes a special tool..... what tool is this so I can ask if they have it when I call. Also, anything else I can ask to help me decide if they will get it right?

I don't want a noisey 8.25!

Thanks for your input!
Jason

Best bet is to find a driveline specialty place. The one I go to charges $150 for the labor per axle. He quoted me $300 for both ends for my 98, D30 and 8.25 with me supplying the gears, he also puts in new seals and bearings if needed. He put my auburn in last year and I learned alot watching and helping.

get 4.56s with 32s, I believe that's as low as the 8.25 goes anyway. consider putting lockers in at the same time.

ya i got quoted 900 with them getting me the gears. from wfo consepts in grass valley. thats both ends with gears, they said they had to get me thicker gears in the rear because of the 8.25 that way i didnt have to get some additional part. anyone around sac with a better price?

If you bring the axle into the shop, rather than driving the vehicle in, you will get much better labor rates.

WOW, sounds like they threw in some useless info on that rear axle. they made it sound like there is a special "thick" gear for the 8.25. sorry but there isn't. the higher the ratio, the thicker the ring gear gets. on some axles there are thick gears but not the 8.25.

If you can find a shop to charge $150/axle then find out there reputation from your local jeep groups and such. if there rep is shady then so will the work be shady. when it comes to gears, Reputation of the installer is more important than price.

BoostyKid said:

ya i got quoted 900 with them getting me the gears. from wfo consepts in grass valley. thats both ends with gears, they said they had to get me thicker gears in the rear because of the 8.25 that way i didnt have to get some additional part. anyone around sac with a better price?

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$150 is CHEAP for sure. The cheapest I've seen for an actual shop is $400-500 per diff... that's labor. Figure another $300 for a R&P and install kit.

BoostyKid said:

ya i got quoted 900 with them getting me the gears. from wfo consepts in grass valley. thats both ends with gears, they said they had to get me thicker gears in the rear because of the 8.25 that way i didnt have to get some additional part. anyone around sac with a better price?

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WFO is top-notch on the gear installs and will stand behind their work. I know Trevor and Beau and they do awesome work and are good honest guys.

I have an '01 and it's going to be regeared pretty soon. I already have the gears and the shop said they will do it for $500. They don't do the actual regearing, they send the axels to some other shop in the area. They are putting my lift on at the same time, so it works out.

~Jeremy

01-XJ said:

I have an '01 and it's going to be regeared pretty soon. I already have the gears and the shop said they will do it for $500. They don't do the actual regearing, they send the axels to some other shop in the area. They are putting my lift on at the same time, so it works out.

~Jeremy

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That sounds kind of bogus to me, sounds more like they maybe drive it over there and have it done... It took the shop I took mine to about an hour or two to put the auburn in and that involved pulling the axles, pulling the open carrier, pressing off the ring gear and pressing it on the new auburn. I wasted 15 min figuring out the bolts were reverse threaded which aparently everyone in the shop got a big kick out of, thats the kind of lesson you never forget . Sticking the auburn in and then marking a spot that needed to be ground off the housing and that involved 2 or 3 trial fits which was where I learned how to adjust them, I did the pulling and putting , he did the grinding. If I had had the gears with me it would have been another $50 to pull the pinion gear and put the new one in, the new ring gear had to be setup again anyway so I got a lesson in using the dial gauge. If you have never done it you will more than likely never get it right doing it yourself plus that ~250FT/LB of torque on the pinion is tough to do on the ground...