DIY Gear Swap - Step by Step Pic's - Rubicon 4.88

[MadDog27]

Off topic question, can you regear a tcase?

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[chevymitchell]

Re-read through this. I also purchased the regearing manual a while back and have read through that a few times. What was your trick for getting pinon depth correct? I saw you just kept the original shims, what happens or how do you know when/if that doesnt work?

How did you torque the front ring gear bolts? Love your idea for torquing the rear ones.

I didn't really have a trick for the pinion depth. I re-used the original shims and it worked out.

If the depth of the pinion is off, then you must disassemble everything and change the shim out. This isn't really a big deal, especially since the shims on this design go underneath the bearing cup. It would just eat up another 30 minutes of time or so.

 

[chevymitchell]

I guess “the regearing manual” wasn’t the best choice of words. It’s a regearing manual/book. Anyway just took a pic of the cover. It’s a good read and covers a great deal on regearing. I’ve never done it but have always wanted to try it.

Be careful using this manual. The DANA 44 in this manual is not the same as the DANA 44 in your JL.

I talked to DANA before I started on my gears and they're in the process of editing and releasing instructions for this axle, but it's going to be a bit before they do. The manual will certainly give you the right direction, but keep DANA's tech line number handy. Those guys on the other end of the phone are super helpful.

 

[chevymitchell]

Off topic question, can you regear a tcase?

The short answer is yes. However, the case design itself may not be able to hold the additional TQ required. You can find take off T-Cases from Rubicons for about $2k. Your money is best spent there. @ChattVol just went through this process himself.

 

[chevymitchell]

I saved this thread as well. Thats awesome you did it on your own....ive wanted to do my own gears for years. Ill hit you up if I ever have any questions. Or drive up your way and ask!

You're always welcome to stop by. I'll talk Jeeps, cars, bikes, drink beers anytime. I work from home when I'm not traveling, so my schedule is usually pretty open. Minus the days I have my daughter. She takes precedence over anything in this world, of course.

 

[chevymitchell]

How did you torque the front ring gear bolts? Love your idea for torquing the rear ones.

This is a good question because I had to do some creative work with wrenches. Once I swap out the front axle shafts for a set of RCV's, I will be cutting a front axle shaft and welding up a jig I can place in a vise.

I took a high performance 0 degree box-end wrench and placed it on the bolt adjacent to the one I was TQ'ing. I went around the ring gear doing this and it worked. It's a pain; probably the hardest part of the entire job if you don't have the right tools. I'm sure there's a way to use the CV Axle from the drivers side to hold it, but I'd have to play around with it to come up with something. I'll just make two new jigs when I swap out the front axle shafts. Keep one and then give the other away.

 

[chevymitchell]

I guess “the regearing manual” wasn’t the best choice of words. It’s a regearing manual/book. Anyway just took a pic of the cover. It’s a good read and covers a great deal on regearing. I’ve never done it but have always wanted to try it.

You're welcome to come try it up here at the garage. You can use my tools and lift. I don't mind. I can be around for most of it to help you if you reach a point where you're stuck.

 

[ChattVol]

The short answer is yes. However, the case design itself may not be able to hold the additional TQ required. You can find take off T-Cases from Rubicons for about $2k. Your money is best spent there. @ChattVol just went through this process himself.

@MadDog27 Magna powertrain makes the t-case and according to one of their tech guys, the sport t case can't be regeared due to not enough room for the bigger gearing. I searched salvage sites and didnt find one...finally found a rare takeoff jlur 6 speed rock trac 4:1 t case for $1475 delivered. I found they arent readily available and are very rare...probably bc the jl is so new and the Advance Adaptor Atlas jl version isnt out yet. America's Most Wanted 4×4 in Michigan has been selling new ones for $1950 delivered without a core charge.

 

[chevymitchell]

@MadDog27 Magna powertrain makes the t-case and according to one of their tech guys, the sport t case can't be regeared due to not enough room for the bigger gearing. I searched salvage sites and didnt find one...finally found a rare takeoff jlur 6 speed rock trac 4:1 t case for $1475 delivered. I found they arent readily available and are very rare...probably bc the jl is so new and the Advance Adaptor Atlas jl version isnt out yet. America's Most Wanted 4×4 in Michigan has been selling new ones for $1950 delivered without a core charge.

@MadDog27 There you go. Thanks @ChattVol I knew you had dug into this before spending your money. Haha.

 

[MadDog27]

Wow, thanks Chevy for all the responses. Ill definietly keep that offer in mind. Once i am able to put some funds together, id love to take you up on that and regear up at your place just to have someone around to bounce questions off of if i ran into an issue.

As for the tcase regear, good to know. I was wondering myself which would be cheaper, regearing diffs or tcase. Aside from the beneifts from each, money wise, diffs might be cheaper in the end and then you also get better on road manners as well.

The benefit of the rock trac 4:1 is it would be an easy swap id imagine and wouldnt require so many tools to do vs the diff regear.

 

[vavaroutsos]

I didn't really have a trick for the pinion depth. I re-used the original shims and it worked out.

If the depth of the pinion is off, then you must disassemble everything and change the shim out. This isn't really a big deal, especially since the shims on this design go underneath the bearing cup. It would just eat up another 30 minutes of time or so.

I thought Dana/Spicer marked the required pinion depth on the the pinion shaft. If so, you can compare the required depths of old and new pinion, and adjust the shim stack accordingly. Final adjustments should be made based on the wear pattern if needed.

 

[MadDog27]

I thought Dana/Spicer marked the required pinion depth on the the pinion shaft. If so, you can compare the required depths of old and new pinion, and adjust the shim stack accordingly. Final adjustments should be made based on the wear pattern if needed.

This is correct according to my manual and from what I understand. I just figure with my luck, it’ll be blank.

 

[MadDog27]

Be careful using this manual. The DANA 44 in this manual is not the same as the DANA 44 in your JL.

I talked to DANA before I started on my gears and they're in the process of editing and releasing instructions for this axle, but it's going to be a bit before they do. The manual will certainly give you the right direction, but keep DANA's tech line number handy. Those guys on the other end of the phone are super helpful.

Yeah, tracking that. I just figure it’s a good book to help explain the process but I do understand there are differences between the Dana 44 in the book and the diffs on our JLs.

 

[chevymitchell]

I thought Dana/Spicer marked the required pinion depth on the the pinion shaft. If so, you can compare the required depths of old and new pinion, and adjust the shim stack accordingly. Final adjustments should be made based on the wear pattern if needed.

This is correct and also why I buy DANA parts. Both pinions were Zero etch. However, I also take any depth markings with a small dose of skepticism because it's still humans writing that number on there. It's a good base line, but any error in the housing machining, shim, bearing cup, and bearings is all compounded. Like you said, those fine adjustments can be found while looking at the wear pattern. Just inspect for burrs and clean all debris from the housing and parts. A tiny spec of material can accelerate wear.

 

[chevymitchell]

I thought Dana/Spicer marked the required pinion depth on the the pinion shaft. If so, you can compare the required depths of old and new pinion, and adjust the shim stack accordingly. Final adjustments should be made based on the wear pattern if needed.

Also, in order to see the etch on the old pinion, you must take the extra step to remove the pinion head bearing from the pinion being removed.

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