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

[chevymitchell]

So no issues with bearings? My installer had to use a press for the pinion bearing. It wouldn’t come off.

So that’s the only bearing I had to buy

I think a portion of this I didn't catch the first time was maybe you were thinking I re-used the bearings and were curious if I ran into issues re-using them..?

I used full master kits with new bearings, races, and seals. My JL had ~15,800 miles on it, so I wanted to replace everything. Also, new gears will change the load and wear pattern for the bearings so it's best to start fresh. Do you have to? No, but my philosophy is different and errs to the side of caution.

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[Brian0128]

This is incorrect. Please see my post above.

Thanks, I corrected my post. I was told to use the high fill hole on the JK that had a high pinion angle with aftermarket driveshaft due to my pinion being pointed up and the lower fill hole being lowered by 1.5 inches. It worked for that application as well as the high pinion front.

 

[b1er]

There are no stupid questions... well, there is, but this isn't one of them.

The front differential is a high pinion. This means the pinion rides higher on the ring gear. The rear is a low pinion differential. If you look at them both, you can see what I'm talking about. In the front, you will fill to the top hole and in the rear you will fill to the bottom hole.

Well let me tell you what I found out after I posted yesterday...

1. Called Dana/Spicer: fill to top hole both ends since the Jeep is lifted.
2. Shop that did the gears: fill both to the bottom hole...
3. Me just looking at it... like you said, top front, rear bottom...

So at least there's info out here now... Thanks for the help!!

 

[JP18]

Just a quick tip... When pressing bearings, heat them up in a ziploc in boiling water, and chill the pinion in a ziploc in an ice bath. Makes life so much easier. Put a dab of grease on the inside of the bearing to ease it down.

JP18

 

[MojitoJLUR]

Since you already had the 37s on with the 4.10s.... How did your mpg change when you went to the 4.88?

I've been running 37s without regearing but I need to do it now because I just bought a camper.

 

[chevymitchell]

Since you already had the 37s on with the 4.10s.... How did your mpg change when you went to the 4.88?

I've been running 37s without regearing but I need to do it now because I just bought a camper.

I never really paid attention to MPG. I just fill up up when it’s get low. The math says it should have gone up 1-3, but I didn’t pay any attention to back that up with real world data. Sorry man.

 

[MojitoJLUR]

I never really paid attention to MPG. I just fill up up when it’s get low. The math says it should have gone up 1-3, but I didn’t pay any attention to back that up with real world data. Sorry man.

No problem, I'm the same way, was just wondering if it got better or made it worse

 

[b1er]

I have the same gears and tires... 16ish highway and 14ish in town... before the swap, 14 hwy and 12 in town...

 

[Roky]

Haha...Yes.

Between taking pics, writing things down, DANA having the wrong bearing in the rear Mast Kit, and my Vehicle Battery having a bad cell... I probably could have done 2 sets of gears.

I just stumbled on to your write up, it’s excellent, and is very much appreciated as I’m gonna take on this myself soon. I may bend your ear a time or two, hope that’s ok. Again... great job!

 

[chevymitchell]

I just stumbled on to your write up, it’s excellent, and is very much appreciated as I’m gonna take on this myself soon. I may bend your ear a time or two, hope that’s ok. Again... great job!

Thank you. You’re very welcome to hit me up. You can PM me and I’ll share my phone number and that way we can text or FaceTime. I’ve helped several others this way and seems to work well.

 

[Roky]

Thank you. You’re very welcome to hit me up. You can PM me and I’ll share my phone number and that way we can text or FaceTime. I’ve helped several others this way and seems to work well.

Great thanks!

 

[MadDog27]

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!

 

[MadDog27]

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.

 

[Outlaw]

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.

What "regearing manual" did you purchase and where?

 

[MadDog27]

What "regearing manual" did you purchase and where?

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.

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