Gear install shops (2 Viewers)

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Sandy, OR
I'm looking at installing 4.88s in my D60 front and 14 bolt rear. Debating on whether to do this myself or not. Thought I'd look into some local shop's prices. Anyone have a shop they used that did a good job? Does 4wheelparts do decent work?
 
Thanks Chad for the confirmation. Dan has come up a couple of times in my recent research.
 
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I'm looking at installing 4.88s in my D60 front and 14 bolt rear. Debating on whether to do this myself or not. Thought I'd look into some local shop's prices. Anyone have a shop they used that did a good job? Does 4wheelparts do decent work?
Hey Mike, I sent you a text. I have a guy who's priced very well and does great work.
 
Hey Mike, I sent you a text. I have a guy who's priced very well and does great work.

Can I get that contact too? I need gears and an ARB installed. Great timing, I just pulled the rear apart today.

My rear bearings has no grease, none, looked brand new, coated in gear oil. This isn't normal, right?
 
So after a little more investigation I’ve determined that I don’t have outer axle seals or grease in the rear hubs & bearings, both sides. I think someone did this on purpose, trying to make oil bath bearings. If they forgot seals I think I’d still have some signs of grease.

It appears to have worked, I guess. I’m going back to seals and grease.
 
I'm continuing to research this and from what I've read 80 axle seals are prone to leaking, allowing gear oil to mix with the wheel grease. As a result some have adopted the oil bath method, permanently removed the axle seal and skipped the grease. Bearing are lubed with gear oil migrating from the diff. Some claim running this way 8+ years.

I've read that most (not Toyota) Full-Floater axles are oil bath and run this way, not sure if that's true or not.

My truck ran this way for at least the 5 years I've owned it, trips to baja and back, etc. with no issue. Bearing look ok. I'm going to give them an through inspection tonight see what the wear look like.

So now, I'm considering skipping the grease and seals.

Curious what other think about all this.
 
Yep. Those Marlin double seals are great, especially if you have grooves from the old seal on the axle shaft. Keeps you from having to sleeve it to get it to seal right.
 
My 14 bolt is oil bathed wheel bearings. It was designed that way so maybe that's the advantage but oil bathed bearings are doing great.
 
Just ran across this and wanted to add Dan Sudol of Dan's gears is a great guy. One of the best diff guys theres ever been. He's been a friend for 25 years and taught me everything I know about setting up differentials and even gave me some tools when I got started on my own. Dan is mostly retired now and living on the East side of the mountains now.

I don't have any gear shop recommendations. Nobody does it like Dan did.
 

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