When you don't have your own machine shop...

I have been trying for the past week to find a place to install my new gears. I had a fella lined up KY Chirs suggested who I thought was going to do it, but he isn't going to work out any more. And we all know that a regular place will try and charge me more than my junk is worth........

I am mechanically inclined, hell I'm in school for engineering, I rebuilt my transfer case, I could freakin do it! with the tools and *some* guidance.

I go to school at UK in Lexington still looking for sollutions, does ANYONE have any ideas cause I'm fresh out and would appreciate them.

Who else besides me dreams of their own 'perfect' shop...

shop??

he11 around here we just do it in the Autozone parking lot, there you can always find a group of "folx" rebuilding somethin in the parking lot...

keep dreaming.. or you can join the military most military bases have a DIY shop for military memebers to work on their junk...

You obvously live inthe South! And I don't mean Florida that is the North IMHO! :wave:

yeah, when I installed my SYE it was 35-40 degrees in my driveway and snowing. I'd like to think I learned my lesson. Oh, and I don't have a press or first hand experience installing a new ring and pinion. I know I am being a web wheeler by looking for answers from you all instead of just doing it, and I know I have to pay to play, but I'd be a fool to not look for the easiest solution.

Unless you can borrow all the specialized tools, it might be cheaper to pay to have it done...assuming you are not including the cost of the gears/small parts/expendables...besides regular hand tools, you will need at least a good dial gauge with articulating mount..a beam type inchpound torque wrench, a set of "fit up" carrier bearings (unless you feel like making innumerable trips to the machine shop to have bearings pressed) and a tanker trailer load of patience...

The good news is companies like Randy's Ring and Pinion have good tech advice by phone..If it's purely the labor cost, consider removing the axle assemblies and taking them to the shop...that alone will save major bucks in labor costs...bench work is much faster and resultantly cheaper...

I just replaced all the bearings in my D35. Same job as changing the gears. I bought a bearing kit from Randy's which included a complete assortment of pinion and carrier shims. Randy's also has a good set of directions that come with the bearing kit or you can read them on their web site. I did the job in my marginally heated garage and I already had the dial indicator and inch-pound torque wrench. You can buy a cheepo dial indicator at Harbor Freight, probably a cheep torque wrench too. The only thing that I needed outside help with was replacing the bearing on the pinion. You would just need to have the new one pressed on. The ones on the carrier came of with a 2-jaw puller from Sears and they pressed on with 1/2 inch all-thread and a couple of sockets and nuts. It is a job that requires patience and attention if you want the gears to be quiet and last.

I like the idea of saving money by removing the axle assemblies and taking those to a shop, but PaulJ, you definately make me think I can do it although it sounds like you are leaving out pinion depth and the associated shims and patience. Regardless of whether I can make up my mind ever, thanks for all the advice guys.