gear swap question

hello all, first post.

starting it with a question that has been beat to death... however i cant get the answer im looking for.
i've read dozens of threads here on a gear swap. but i'd like to just put all the direct questions and answers im looking for in one thread so i dont have to keep searching for "that one i saw a few weeks ago"
so i have a 2012 reg cab 2wd 5 lugger with stick shift (3.31 gearing?)
i want 3.73. have no plans on big tires or lift kits or anything. but i
would like a little extra 'get up and go' out of her.
ive read things that the 3rd member wont fit and gotta get it from a v6
and that it cant be done and everything else, soooooo

1. can it be done? simple swap 3.31 to 3.73.

2. do i need to buy a million dollars worth of fittings to make it work?

3.dealer wants $1000 just to buy the 3.73 gears! so who has them cheaper? ....not wanting to risk a junk yard since i wont know if i'm getting everything i need.

4. anyone done it? without adding huge tires and stuff. do you like it?

5. i want to change bench seat too... is it cheaper to trade it for a sr5
with the corrct gears and bucket seats!?

 

Yes it can be done.

Your speedometer and odometer will be off (they'll read faster/more miles than you're actually going.) Since you've got a stick shift (no auto transmission shift points) that's not a big deal unless it bugs you. Personally, it bugs me. I got a hypertech speedometer calibrator - but not sure that one's available for the 2012 instrument cluster yet. You'd need to check.

If you're doing it yourself - swapping third member out of a wrecking yard axle is a possibility. If you're paying a pro to do the work - just have them swap the gears in your differential directly; it won't end up costing that much more and you'll keep your nearly new differential along with brand new gears - and as long as you buy all the parts and install from the same place, they'll warranty their work. If you carry in the gears or a third member you got from someone else, they won't.

Aftermarket gears are slightly louder than OEM. Most folks don't really notice but if you get out your "mechanics ears" after the swap and start listening for a change - you'll probably hear it and wonder if everything's OK. The short answer is: if you need to strain to hear a difference - it's fine. If you're driving in the truck and let off the gas and hear this loud humm you've never heard before and go WTF? then you need to take it back to the shop.

 

I looked on Hypertech's website - it looks like the "in line" calibrator is available for the 2012 now. Part number 730117. Keep in mind you have to pull your instrument cluster to install that - and if you're paying "shop rate" to have the work done, that's a couple hour job.

 

thanks for the info.
not to worried about the speedo. only time i even look is when im passing a cop on the side of the road.

looks like the way to go is just let a garage handle the job, but it is good
to know that it can be done. and maybe investing in a garage would be better anyway for the warranty issues

 

A differential specialty shop can do the job for a lot cheaper than your dealer will.