The 5.29 Mega Thread!!

At this point, what do you guys think might be the best/affordable option?

I’m leaning towards buying a built unit from east coast gear supply. I think I can swap in the rear end, but I’d pay someone for the front.

 

I say at this point go with ecgs. Don't really know of any reliable places in socal. Plenty of places that say they can but reviews are mixed, including that group buy. Ecgs comes with an actual warranty and everyone that's done it has been happy

From what I've seen you post about wrenching on your Tacoma, I think you could do it easy. It's a bit of a hassle but completely doable. The only real issue I had was lifting it to reinstall it by myself.

 

Its super easy i did it in about 5 hours total. I ordered from ECGS and installed everything myself. I would def recommend going that route.

 

Yeah that group buy scared the hell out of me. Especially the dude who had two different gear ratios installed.

Thanks man. I could definitely do the rear end. I saw a video on the front end and it had me a little worried about doing it on my own. I have two jacks through so I think I can get by.

ECGS it is.

 

Yeah, I had my front regeared through the group buy shop. I delivered the diff to them in a cardboard box since I was doing gussets and other things and didn't mind doing the labor myself. It took them about 4 hours to regear the diff that was already removed and this was in Mar-Apr during the height of the pandemic fears so it was pretty dead in there. When they started churning out whole trucks with removal/regear/reinstallation in 1 hour it made me raise my eyebrows lol

 

It takes me an hour to break down the front diff and clean it, theres no way they regeared a single diff in an hour.

 

What? 2 different gear ratios?

 

they’re doing front/rear gears in like 1-2hrs lol which lead to someone getting 4.88 front and 5.29 rear. He noticed because he took it back to the shop due to 4hi not engaging. Shop told him they f*up the gear ratios.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...r-west-gear-so-cal-toyota-jeep.662069/page-86

 

And you'd be right, they aren't regearing one diff in one hour. Like @Taconator_ said they are knocking out BOTH diffs in just over an hour

 

The sound must have been....................interesting

 

Seems like they started off well, then it seemed like they were more interested in creating a McDonalds drive-thru mentality.

 

I got my truck done in that group buy, they had at least 4 guys tag teaming the trucks. Mine was done in about two and a half hours. Everything seems fine with mine so far, but they did over torque every bolt they touched though.

 

That's why I always check what's stamped in the gears. Holy cow.

 

Living down the road from them and doing business with them since they opened I agree with this. ECGS did mine and wouldn't take it anywhere else.

So I had ECGS do mine. They preassembled both front and rear housings I dropped truck off for install. The install took 4 of their guys a little over 3 hrs with already assembled housings ready to go. That's just for reference that the company with one of if not the longest warranty on gear work with a long history and a strong following doesn't even do them that fast and that's all they do. I've seen them warranty stuff other places would of said no way too definitely worth the extra $$$$ to use them.

 

When I follow my notes on previous gear set ups, get lucky on 1st try for pinion shim and carrier shims, have a nice clean diff, it still takes almost 4hrs to do the front clam, and that's just set up. Takes 2 hrs for me to remove and reinstall. Rear is about the same, maybe 30min to an hour less time overall.

 

I second ECGS. I had never touched a diff and did both front and rear myself. My father helped me when i needed a second set of hands and overlooking what needed to be removed to remove the front diff, but you should give it a shot. It's not too bad really.

 

Picking up my truck today for having the nitro 5.29 installed, this might sound like a dumb question but you do the break in period on 4x4 instead of 4x2 drive correct? Thanks

 

If you want to properly break in front diff, yes, 4wd. You can do em separately, tou just have to track 4wd miles.

 

Thanks for the infos.