D-I-Y Regearing

So my truck was regeared at a shop and the rear was done wrong. The front appears to be fine for now. This is not the first time they’ve messed up but they are the only shop anywhere close to me so I’ve had to go back to them without any other option. I want to redo the rear myself. I’m decent working on vehicles. I do my own maintenance and have done some of my own upgrades. I’ve watched some YouTube videos on this task. I can get any measuring tools I need no problem. Problem is, I don’t have the big fancy bearing presses or removal tools. So, anyone here who has successfully regeared their own truck, what special tools did you use? What did you use in place of a bearing press? How long was the process? Also, I have an ARB locker installed. I can’t find any real full in-depth DIY guide for this. Thank you in advance for any information.

 

I think a lot of the challenge is in experience. There are a few variables, that are manipulated through shims. Changing one effects another. Not understanding the relationships between all of the variables could have you running in circles.

ECGS sells loaded diffs. Swapping out the rear would be a picnic with one of their loaded diffs. I used ECGS for the front and rear regear on my truck. Install was simple.

The ARB locker is yet another complication to your install and why you should leave it to experienced professionals.

Go on YouTube and search videos for "Tacoma 5.29 regear". You'll find people performing the regear from start to finish. You'll also find guys swapping in loaded diffs from ECGS.

 

Where are you located?

 

You can absolutely do it yourself. Check my signature for what I did for my ARB install. You can do a make-shift press with a bottle jack if you're missing that, but the clam shell bearing puller is worth its weight in gold and is really the most expensive special tool you'll need. You will also want a dial indicator and magnetic base. Knock offs for the puller can be had on Amazon for not too much.

Carrier and Bearing Puller Kit, Compatible with Dana 30, 40, 60, 70, 80 and Ford 10.25"

https://www.amazon.com/WEST-ORGIN-C...mzn1.fos.f5122f16-c3e8-4386-bf32-63e904010ad0

$97 VEVOR Carrier & Pinion Bearing Puller, Compatible with Dana 3040506070, 80, Ford 10.25" Bearings, Pinion Puller Tool with 3 Clamshells, 45# Steel Clamshell Bearing Puller for Auto Repair

https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-Carrie...prefix=clam+sheel+bearing,aps,121&sr=8-5&th=1

 

There are a lot of things that I do myself, but regearing a diff is something I outsource. I tried it a few times, and always ended in disaster. Sometimes worse than others. I'm sure if I did it a few times with a good teacher (and I am not talking youtube) that I could get it right, but for the cost an effort, I leave that to the professionals. Your results will vary.

 

I would tell the shop you've lost confidence in their ability to make it right. They should refund basically all your money and then you can get a unit from ECGS

 

X2

ECGS all the way.
Drop in the 3rd member and be done.
No pressing, not measurement, no nothing.

 

this is looking more and more like the way to go. Issue is I already ordered the gears from justdifferentials.com and they’re supposed to get here today.

 

ECGS is awesome to call if you have questions.
I don’t recall who I spoke with but he was super helpful and I’m sure they could accommodate your gears if you shipped them or at least it would be worth calling them to ask.

 

Whats wrong with the rear?

 

Saggy, leaky, smelly... you know, standard butt stuff

 

if they did it wrong and you paid electronically I would think that’s fraud of not delivering promised services

applied to an apartment. They advertised refundable deposit. I passed on it. They didn’t want to refund. Called bank. Done.

If I say I’m going to fix your headlight for $100 and smash it with a hammer, that means I didn’t do what I said I would

part of running a business is not fucking it up, and having enough budget to make it right the one time you do. Which businesses have.

can it be done DIY? Probably. Harbor freight sells a press. There’s lots of into out there on how to do it.
It could be cost prohibitive to have to buy all the specialty tools.

 

Doing this is ~$2000 + you swap them yourself.

Keep in mind you also must provide cores, and if you don't pre-remove and send them in you are looking at another ~$2000 until they receive you cores.

 

picked up spare cores for like $150. Common price.

 

I ordered it last night and the core charge is $750. I’m going to speak with them today and clarify how that works. Total came out to a little over $2,500.

 

Most important is experience. Gear sets are science, and art. The old guy who has done a thousand will be much better that the guy who has done 10. Just like anything else.
Example: When my wife was going in to get a knee replacement, I asked the doctor how many knees he does each year. He said he did TWENTY THREE HUNDRED last year. I said, man you must be talented! He said, when you do that many of something, you are bound to get good at it.
Same with gear mesh.

 

Awesome, website quoted me 1500 for rear core and 500 for front core.

Sounds fun to do, take some pictures and update us

 

Fun? Eh... it's certainly not hard. But the diff is a heavy awkward beast, and gear oil stinks. Not my favorite truck mod, but not my least favorite either.



Edit: OP, in many of the rear diff install videos, people recommend not disconnecting the brake lines and just undo the brackets and bend the hard lines. I highly recommend disconnecting the brake lines. This gives you tons of room to pull the axles and bleeding the brakes, at least on the OR, is a breeze.

 

Rear is stupid easy i did not disconnect the brake lines had enough room. Longest part was scraping off the old gasket off the housing also if its cold tech tip is to warm up some water in a bucket and drop in your gear oil jug. The heavy weight gear oil gets super thick and a pain to pump into the diff when cold. I broke it in with 85/140 but swapped it out with 80/90 these ecgs 3rd members make less noise than the factory diffs.

 

I would not have thought about that option, and would not have thought that to have been a doable thing.