Setting up new ring and pinion

[Heckraiser]

I absolutely love the on-road and highway characteristics of my stock 3.70 gears and 33x12.5 tires, but after tackling a good 4-banana trail last weekend (and denting the heck out of my fender), the low range gearing just is not cutting it. Too much abuse to the clutch and not nearly enough control at a crawl.

So I've decided to get some 4.11 gears for the diffs. Calling around to the various toyota junkyards, used fj62 3rd members are fetching close to $400 apiece, which seems nuts for junkyard parts, and I'm definitely not willing to spend $800 on r&p gears when I don't know how long I'm going to stick with my current drivetrain. A new gear set from cruiser outfitters is $225 a pop, which I'm much more comfortable with.

So my question is this: how difficult is it to install your own ring and pinion gears rather than just swapping out the 3rd? What special tools are required (if any)? I am reasonably mechanically inclined, but certainly no master mechanic. I'd say the closest job I've done is installing an aussie locker in my old mini truck.

Thoughts?

 

[Lost]

stop looking at scrap yards and find some local mudders who whore parts.

swamping third is the cheapest fastest way for what you want.

on top of your 225/per side, you need new bearings another 200, and if by chance you dont set it up youirself a shop will charge 200-500 per diff for install.

find local diffs for cheap, by a cheap locker to throw in the rear too

 

[KLF]

Here ya go:

Toyota Gear Installs

Go grab a cold one, find a comfy chair, clear your schedule, and start reading.

 

[Heartworm]

Have you looked into buying an entire FJ62? A beater or parts truck of course. Could end up with the 4.11s plus the mirrors, and set up for a 2FE if you got lucky.

 

[EUROTECH1986535]

i got both complete hub to hub axles (fj62) for $350 pulled out from my local u pull and it was the only cruiser i have ever seen there

 

[chesshircat]

Read up on Zuk's site. I did my 1st gear install last year and it went fine. You'll need a inch/lb torque wrench that will read down to 7inch/lbs, a press, and a dial indicator, you can make the rest of the tools. As long as you research, research, then check, re-check and re-check everything you do you'll be fine. Its really not that bad, just takes patients. the 1st one i did i just replaced the pinion bearings in a mini, so there was no need for any shimming to get my pattern correct. I have since changed bearings & r&p in a trd rear, a lot more involved but still just took patients and had to set it up a couple times to get the correct shims