newbie installing gears (2 Viewers)

[RE2RO]

Anybody have any thoughts on a novice mechanic installing new diff gears? I bought a pair of 4.11's w/install kits from SOR (they are Motive Gears) but can't find anyone I trust to install them - I am in Wenatchee, WA. I have heard of some good shops in Portland OR but that is 8 hrs away so I have been contemplating doing the job myself. I am intimidated by all the SST tools listed in the FSM that I do not own and how to either obtain the ones I need or good substitutes. (e.g can you really do this job without a large expensive bearing press) Time is not really a huge issue as I have another car I can use while doing the job. I also plan on replacing all the axle seals / wheel bearings / doing the knuckles etc. as I bought the kits for those jobs too. Any advice?
I have the FSM to help guide me.
For reference I have done mostly only tune-up work previously although I did rebuild the carburetor with good results.

 

[KLF]

You don't absolutely HAVE to have a press, but it really helps. I did a few installs without one, but it sucked, so I have one now. The hardest part is getting the pinion bearing off, you need a bearing splitter at least. You could also get REALLY lucky and get the shims perfect the first time and not have to pull it back off, but that's unlikely.

You'll also need at decent torque wrench, and another one for setting the pinion bearings preload. You'll need a dial caliper with a magnetic base, and a very strong bench to hold the diff while you torque the pinion nut to crush the sleeve.

The FSM shows heating the new ring gear up to get it installed on the carrier. I use an old electric skillet, with a temp probe on my DVM to monitor the temps. Once you get it up to about 180-190 deg, it'll drop right on, but then you need to be fast about getting the bolts in before it cools.

You also need a spanner wrench to turn and torque the carrier bearing adjusters, to set the backlash. I made my own.

And you need a lot of patience.

 

[YODA 88 62]

take your third members and the kit to a racing shop or the most reputable shop you know of. I had both of mine set up for $300 total.

You need an impact wrench for the pinion nut.

 

[nuclearlemon]

fwiw, i've never had to heat a ring gear to get it on. i've done four diffs so far. never done any outside of early -90 cruiser diffs though. never needed a bearing splitter for the pinion bearing either, but did need one for the side bearings.

 

[RE2RO]

OK I think I have a spanner tool that will work, I found a dial caliper and magnetic base for pretty reasonable price and I'm sure I can find a measuring torque wrench. As for the bearing splitter - assuming I WILL need to pull the pinion bearing off several times - do i need to buy the SST or can I just go down to NAPA and find one that can do this without trashing the bearing when I take it off repetitively, and any recommendations on where to find a press.

As for patience well that may be the biggest hurdle.

 

[lovetoski]

There are quite a few threads on mud about setting up gears yourself. One of the best by far is by Pin Head. Do a search and find it, it's awesome.

However, another option is to pull the thirds and take them to Randys Ring and Pinion in Everett. If you schedule a time, they might be able to do it the same day, so you'd only have to drive there once.

 

[Elbert]

I would not recommend this as a job for a novice, even if you have good instructions. A lot of what is required is experience and judgement based on that experience. The guy I pay to do this for me uses Randy's Ring and pinion for parts and I know they do "in-house" work based on their web site.

Its worth saving some additional money to cover the labor costs on this one. Since if the rear or front ends fail you are going to be out some $$.

 

[erfworm]

If you sit down and relax, it's not that hard, just need to be anal. As far as the SST to hold the pinion flange, I just got a long piece of 2" angle iron and drilled two holes in it, lining up with the flange holes and put 2 bolts in to hold pinion while messing with the nut. You have to notch out the angle iron so your socket will fit in (makes sense when you see it). The SST for the bearing nuts can be made with a12" piece of 1" flat stock with two 3/16 machine screws bolted on at about an appropriate spot to grab the holes in the adjuster nut.
The 4 diffs (FJ62), I have messed wth used shims between the pinion bearing race and the 3rd member housing so once I had the pinion bearing on, it never had to come off, just pop out the race and adjust shims, then pop bake in race to check depth.
If your diff uses a crush sleeve, get a couple extra, because they are really easy to screw up, just take your time.

Oh and you really should get and inch pound torque wrench for setting bearing preload, pretty cheap and usaully ready available from bike shops (Park Tools) good luck, try it if your not sure you can take one to a shop and they'll let you know if you've done it right.

 

[RE2RO]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm making a list of tools I need to buy so I can try to start tackling the axles (rebuild). For the gears I guess I'll try to pull the third's sometime in the next several weeks - unfortunately I'm getting a lot of heat about "time spent on the truck" from the wife so that may factor into this whole deal as well. Perhaps Randy's ring and pinion would save me several days of work.

 

[RE2RO]

OK. Me and the five year old took the rear end apart this weekend. I now have the third member sitting on the floor wondering whether I should tackle it or not. What concerns me is how can you get the bearings off (as well as on) multiple times if need be without completely buggering them up. When I pulled the wheel bearings out of the axles they were totaled - I used a sliding hammer style puller. Any tool recommendations to mount / dismount pinion gear bearings without trashing them?

 

[Pin_Head]

There is no reason to remove them and replace them repeatedly. You install the bearings and you don't have to fool with them again. Carrier bearings come off easily with no damage with a claw type gear puller. To get the inner pinion bearing off with no damage, you will need a plate type bearing splitter. If you have to replace the pinion depth shim, you only need to knock out the outer race, which is a piece of cake.