installing gears

How hard is it? I'm not afraid of turning a few wrenches. I've done motor,tranny t-case swaps just never gears. I'll be getting my gears from east coast gear supply. thanks in advance for the help.

 

Anybody install there own gears

 

Quite a few (like me) pull the third member/front clamshell diff and have the gears done by a diff specialty shop as a bench job.

Personally, I don't weld and I don't do jobs where the difference between success and failure is measured in thousandths of an inch.

But over on TTORA there's a thread that describes setting up the gears in the rear third. Not so sure where to find a thread describing a front clamshell setup.

 

looking for a step by step myself. I have a 2010 sport so there is no LSD per-se, the electrical LSD just applies the brakes making my diff open i guess. anyone have a pictorial? moving up to 285's and 4.10's, and the 1200-1300 dollar price to have a shop doing it is depressing.

 

It's not terribly difficult but it's complicated and not a job most are able to take on, on their own.

You can definitely buy everything needed to do it for the cost of labor you'd pay but like I said it's complicated.

You'll pull everything. Put in new ring gear, with new bolts, and new pinion, also bearings (so you'll need a press). Then you'll need to set bearing pre-loads on the carrier and pinion. Then you'll need to set backlash which will require adding/removing shims and then re doing your preloads etc etc.

That's basically it but ain't quite so simple.

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/4Runner/tech/regear/
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/gear_setup/

Never done a toyota but from what I've read they're very similar to most semi diffs.

 

Another thing to consider if you fuck up or need to order more parts etc... or if it just takes too long

is this your daily driver or do you have alternate transport? Can you leave your truck sitting wherever it's at while you work out the problems, for several days?

If you're determined, might be worth it to buy another 3rd and build that one in your garage or wherever and then once you're sure it's correct just swap them.

 

I meant to do a write up when I did mine (twice). It's not hard if you write down your tolerances and have a ton of shims. You might need to put it together/take it apart 2 or 3 times to get your pre load just right. IIRC your pinion pre load will have to be between 9-12ftlbs. Your gears will come with directions as far as proper pre load. As a word of warning you will have to pre load the crush sleeve as well. Not doing so will lead to either a ton of drive line vibration, a leaking pinion seal, or both (which is what I need to fix).

In all honesty your best bet is to pull the third member yourself and have someone set up the gears for you. The most expensive quote I've ever gotten was $120 bucks to set up a ring/pinion. It is a pretty brainless process to pull it and for me that's saying something because I am NOT a great mekanick. Good luck

edit: my third go at re-gearing I chose the option to have someone else do it. They didn't listen to me when I told them to pre load the crush sleeve and that is what lead to my issues. I've gone from 4.10, to 4.88, back to 4.10, and finally got what I wanted with 4.56's. It was a nightmare.

 

I've done gear set-ups many times on harder units than a Toyota. the first one I ever did took days but came out great. The more you do the better you get. When it came time to do my Toyota I just said screw it and paid to have a good Toyota smart shop set them up.

There are only two reasons to ever do this work yourself IMO. One is if you just really want to know how things work. The other is if you do not have access to a reliable gear man. This is very much specialty work. With the removable thirds and people like ECGS and JT, you don't have to worry about the limitation of finding a local expert. I don't plan to ever set up gears on my Tacoma.

 

Don't do it yourself!!!! You really have to know your shit with re-gearing and can't just wing it. Pay a specialist to do it and have piece of mind.

 

ordered my gears and arb locker last wednesday. the gears are gonna be set up from ecgs and all ill have to do in remove my old 3rd member and install. same with the front clamshell talked with chase about it cost a little more this way but he said its the best way to go.

 

Yep, this is one of those projects you're better off leaving to another.

 

ok max you talked my into it

 

I'm sorry, did I offend you? Did you miss my other two posts? I thought those were pretty helpful and specific to your questions.


I've set up gears and also had them set up by ECGS. But hey what do I know?


Or did I read your reply wrong? :/

 

Here ya go, cancel your order and do it yourself. I'm sure it's something you'll get right the first time.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Gear_Setup/

 

I think he simply meant it was already a done deal?

 

If that's the case my apologies and I mistook his post.

Edit: Yep, I'm a dick. Sorry, haha.

 

no max you didnt offend me. i did read you other 2 posts. i already ordered the stuff from ecgs 4.88's front and rear with a arb air locker in the rear already set up. from what i understand from chase at ecgs is that the set up i ordered is drop in ready.

 

as someone who has just spent the last three months going over the basics and premise of setting up gears as a part of a technical education program, taking it to a shop is the best thing you can do. Backlash, bearing pre-load, shimming, and patterns. All things you need to figure out perfectly, preferably the first time, because pulling things apart sucks.
The process is not hard. The technique is. That's where the issues lie. But a re-gear is awesome, and well worth it if your trying to make up for tire changes, or hopes of improved economy, at the loss of power.

 

My mistake I misunderstood your post. My apologies sir. Glad you have it figured out and I think you'll be happy with the new 3rds. Make sure to check out Monkey_Proofs sticky at the top of the 2nd gen forum for an install write up. I also posted a couple links of other write ups in there.