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Re-gearing differentials myself?

B

boncrshr

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Texas
Has anyone checked the prices on re-gearing differentials lately? Wow..I am in Houston and was quoted $2400 by one shop and $2600 by another. These are both well known shops that have been in business 20+ years. That seems kinda steep considering the parts are less than $1000.

Is this something I should just bite the bullet and pay for, or have I watched enough Youtube videos to do this myself?
 
Actually setting up a diff is fairly easy, it's having all the right tools that's tuff!
 
RCP Phx said:
Actually setting up a diff is fairly easy, it's having all the right tools that's tuff!
Click to expand...

I'm really torn. On the one hand, I could buy parts and tools and save about 1000 bucks. On the other hand, I got nearly 400K miles out of my 2wd daily driver, so what's another thousand over the life of the new to me 4x4 XJ?
 
It's not at all difficult, just tedious and definitely need the right tools.

Digital micrometer
Travel Dial indicator
Torque Wrench
Carrier & Pinion bearing puller (or bearing separator)
Hydraulic Press
Set up bearings (can use old bearings)
 
If you are the detail oriented type (i.e. "I have CDO. It's like OCD, but the letters are in alphabetical order AS THEY SHOULD BE.") then yes, you can do this yourself.

If you are the type who says "that's good enough", then maybe not.
 
WAZZUXJ said:
It's not at all difficult, just tedious and definitely need the right tools.

Digital micrometer
Travel Dial indicator
Torque Wrench
Carrier & Pinion bearing puller (or bearing separator)
Hydraulic Press
Set up bearings (can use old bearings)
Click to expand...

..and a toaster oven.
 
I think aquireing the tools to do any job is the easy part.

Its teaching yourself and the dedication in research and learning to know the proper tools needed and then the know how to put those tools to use.

Anyone can do anything they put theyre mind to. The sad thing is most don't so prices are high, as they should be.

I did my rear axle twice, smoked my first set hunkered down and fixed my mistakes and second set is running strong.

I seem to find something to do on the press every other week or so since. Bending 1/4" plate, kenworth rear axle wheel bearings

Even with the practice attemp in the rear i still saved a pretty good chunk of money

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
Anak said:
If you are the detail oriented type (i.e. "I have CDO. It's like OCD, but the letters are in alphabetical order AS THEY SHOULD BE.") then yes, you can do this yourself.

If you are the type who says "that's good enough", then maybe not.
Click to expand...

I might be somewhere in-between, lol.
 
boncrshr said:
Has anyone checked the prices on re-gearing differentials lately? Wow..I am in Houston and was quoted $2400 by one shop and $2600 by another. These are both well known shops that have been in business 20+ years. That seems kinda steep considering the parts are less than $1000.

Is this something I should just bite the bullet and pay for, or have I watched enough Youtube videos to do this myself?
Click to expand...

That's pretty high unless you are "dropping the truck off and picking it back up". Our local guy charges $1600 for a pair of "carry-in" axles.
 
RCP Phx said:
That's pretty high unless you are "dropping the truck off and picking it back up". Our local guy charges $1600 for a pair of "carry-in" axles.
Click to expand...

My numbers are for "parts and labor".
 
Thats a pretty good deal then your guesstimate reflects labor here in idaho.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
I was quoted $1,400 to install lockers for two axles locally. This was dropping off axles not installed in the truck with lockers, and master install kits. No regear.


Dial indicator, setup bearings, a bearing puller and a TON of patience to do it yourself, or pay someone to have it done in a day.
 
I'm assuming one of those quotes is Javier?
 
IslanderOffRoad said:
I'm assuming one of those quotes is Javier?
Click to expand...

I don't know Javier...I called Pyle Brother's in Baytown and I dropped by Houston Drivetrain on the N. Loop because I had to have my front driveshaft slip joint repaired.

Here is where I am at project wise: IRO 4" lift should be finished this weekend, fenders are trimmed, rims arriving on Sunday, 33" tires early next week. How much am I going to hate 33's without gears? I won't be towing or offroading in the next month or two...only daily driving.

ETVEBNv.jpg


lyURcvI.jpg
 
If those are Rubi rims(16x8,4.5"bs), why would you get rid of them?
 
boncrshr said:
I don't know Javier...I called Pyle Brother's in Baytown and I dropped by Houston Drivetrain on the N. Loop because I had to have my front driveshaft slip joint repaired.
Click to expand...

Javier's Gulf Coast Crawl Shop on the west side of Houston. One of the better by reputation 4x4 shops in town. His prices reflect it so I was kind of curious if thats who you got the quote from.

As far as hating it on 33's with stock gears, you're in Houston and its flat as a pancake. Assuming you have an auto with 3.55's you can get by until you regear.
 
RCP Phx said:
If those are Rubi rims(16x8,4.5"bs), why would you get rid of them?
Click to expand...

I love them, but I bought an aftermarket diff cover that interferes with clearance, so I went with the Rough Country HD steering upgrade which requires more backspacing, and the IRO 4" lift instructions said 32's and I am trying to squeeze 33x12.5's so link related is what I went with, which should help give me a little more clearance. But to be fair, I don't know if I am overthinking it because this is my first 4x4 XJ, after putting nearly 400K on my 2wd XJ.
https://www.quadratec.com/p/quadratec/rubicon-xtreme-wheel-wrangler-yj-tj/15x8-silver
Rough Country steering linkage (5" backspacing required) https://www.quadratec.com/p/rough-country/hd-steering-upgrade-wrangler-tj-xj-zj

Also, a random police officer stopped by because I had 2 XJ's in the driveway. He is an XJ fanatic too and just bought an XJ for his teenage son. I'm going to gift him the Rubicon wheels and the Bilsteins I have.
 
regearing yourself ? many have tried , many have failed. myself i really dont think its a job for the inexperienced. its a risky endeavor & costly if it goes wrong. the needed tools arent cheap & you may never use them again. but hey, thats just my thoughts on it.
 
Thats why it cost alot. Theres a handful that do do gears themselves. Those unwilling to learn those unwilling to tune a vehicle are not in that group.

I use the press quite abit. Also I decided to go with a normal old school caliper. Id bought a few cheap digital calipers in the passed, so cheap they tend be battery replacement.
Bought the only thing I dont use very often is the bearing puller, and bearing race install set.

I would recommend against digital just go old school teach yourself how to read it. Id assume those buying digital havent taken the time to learn how to read a caliper. I know I did and feels silly. Live and learn

Set up bearings are absolute key .

Getting pinion bearings seated is also key and why I think I grenaded my first set of rear gears.
I think outer bearing wasn't seated though it felt good crushed the sleeve everything good then down the round the bearing moved then pinion was loose
Atleast thats what I think when I did the second set up.

Whatever you do don't rush it. Measure it 100times. You can do it. Watch videos for a week or two. Never pretend you know something you dont take the time to learn it.

Remember a failure is a learning point. Many guys here forget that. We can't know what we don't know. Its learned



Those doing gears have failed



Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
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