Need advice please. Looking to regear and upgrade axle shafts.

[PalmettoMike]

Mods please move to different section if posted in wrong one.

Hello all. I have a 18 JLUR with 3.5 metalcloak gamechanger w/metalcloak front driveshaft on 37's with Hutchinson Rock Monster beadlocks. Obviously the setup is heavy. I've lost power and I need to regear soon and I'm also worried about future breakage on the trails. I've been looking at Yukon's 4.88 or 5.13 front and rear ring and pinion sets. I'm also looking to do the axle shafts at the same time to reduce install costs. (RCV 2-peice front axle shafts). As for the rear axle, the RCV is expensive so have been looking at chromoly shafts from Dana Spicer or yukon. I'm not as mechanically inclined on the internals, so I'm wondering if I'm going with the correct setup or are there better options out there? Is there is anything else I should be concerned about? Upgrading Ball joints, knuckles etc. ?

Also, if anyone has done the same or could point me in the right direction on a fair/ballpark install price to look for on what I'm wanting to have done, I'd appreciate it! Thanks!!!

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[Sheepjeep]

i think you have your head in the right space, the 5.13 will give you a little better crawling performance offroad

agree with rcvs in the first i think the piece vs 2 piece is a personal choice thing, i think i recall seeing the 2 piece being slightly weaker but not by much but you will save wear on your front driveshaft and some mpgs but not spinning the front

with the rear i think you will be happy with a yukon or dana chormo

there is not much out there right now for upgraded ball joints i think dana makes a set but how much better they are idk, the knuckles i do not even think anyone is making upgraded ones right now

 

[Headbarcode]

Mods please move to different section if posted in wrong one.

Hello all. I have a 18 JLUR with 3.5 metalcloak gamechanger w/metalcloak front driveshaft on 37's with Hutchinson Rock Monster beadlocks. Obviously the setup is heavy. I've lost power and I need to regear soon and I'm also worried about future breakage on the trails. I've been looking at Yukon's 4.88 or 5.13 front and rear ring and pinion sets. I'm also looking to do the axle shafts at the same time to reduce install costs. (RCV 2-peice front axle shafts). As for the rear axle, the RCV is expensive so have been looking at chromoly shafts from Dana Spicer or yukon. I'm not as mechanically inclined on the internals, so I'm wondering if I'm going with the correct setup or are there better options out there? Is there is anything else I should be concerned about? Upgrading Ball joints, knuckles etc. ?

Also, if anyone has done the same or could point me in the right direction on a fair/ballpark install price to look for on what I'm wanting to have done, I'd appreciate it! Thanks!!!

I recently posted in a thread asking if regearing is needed on a Rubicon with 37"+ tires. I mentioned not feeling a need for it at the moment, but was interested in upgrading to rcv axles and arb air lockers in the future and would take advantage of a regear while i was already in there. It was suggested that for the price of those parts, I'd be better off looking into a pair of Pro Rock 44's. I checked prices and he was right. Add the cost of labor, not doing it yourself, and it makes even more sense to end up with more bang for the buck.

 

[Halstem1]

I think you’re on the right path, at least based on what I’ve found. I’m planning a very similar plan. I already purchased my Dana chromoly rears since those seem a no brainer with the gears since everything is apart. I’ll do my RCV later and may do ball joints then since like someone said not many options are out now. I’m also sticking with the 2 piece RCV for my purposes.

 

[Xtremetj]

I recently posted in a thread asking if regearing is needed on a Rubicon with 37"+ tires. I mentioned not feeling a need for it at the moment, but was interested in upgrading to rcv axles and arb air lockers in the future and would take advantage of a regear while i was already in there. It was suggested that for the price of those parts, I'd be better off looking into a pair of Pro Rock 44's. I checked prices and he was right. Add the cost of labor, not doing it yourself, and it makes even more sense to end up with more bang for the buck.

Now you got me rethinking things.

 

[Xtremetj]

Mods please move to different section if posted in wrong one.

Hello all. I have a 18 JLUR with 3.5 metalcloak gamechanger w/metalcloak front driveshaft on 37's with Hutchinson Rock Monster beadlocks. Obviously the setup is heavy. I've lost power and I need to regear soon and I'm also worried about future breakage on the trails. I've been looking at Yukon's 4.88 or 5.13 front and rear ring and pinion sets. I'm also looking to do the axle shafts at the same time to reduce install costs. (RCV 2-peice front axle shafts). As for the rear axle, the RCV is expensive so have been looking at chromoly shafts from Dana Spicer or yukon. I'm not as mechanically inclined on the internals, so I'm wondering if I'm going with the correct setup or are there better options out there? Is there is anything else I should be concerned about? Upgrading Ball joints, knuckles etc. ?

Also, if anyone has done the same or could point me in the right direction on a fair/ballpark install price to look for on what I'm wanting to have done, I'd appreciate it! Thanks!!!

I believe you are on the right track.

I’m in the middle of this right now and am going with 5.13’s but I’m going to run the 39” BFG KM3. Even if I were staying with the 37’s, I’d have went 5.13.

I’m going to upgrade axle shafts as well since they aren’t charging because they are already pulling the shafts. I’m going Dana in the rear. For the price it’s a no brained for me ($380) through Northridge 4x4. As far as the front, I was torn between RCV and Yukon 1 piece set up. At this point I’m going to go with RCV. I can’t tell you how many people (shops) I talked to and 98% of them told me to go with RCV.

Now the question is 1 piece or 2 piece. I was set on the 1 piece in order to eliminate the FAD. It’s just another potential failure point that I can eliminate. However, I am rethinking that decision and considering the 2 piece since I have a couple weeks to decide. The shops I talked to said most guys do the 1 piece if you’re not worried about fuel mileage.

Keep us posted on your decision.

 

[Headbarcode]

One more thing i forgot to address is ball joints. The factory ones have a plastic lined socket, whereas Dana, Synergy, and some other companies are offering a heavy duty metal on metal direct replacement with grease fittings. The youtuber JL Life did a recent comparison and install video that i found interesting.

 

[PalmettoMike]

Hey thanks everyone for the replies/advice. Apologies for taking so long to reply, have been in the field for work. I think I'm set on the 2 piece RCV shafts up front due to researching and having hearing that the one peice FAD delete has caused some weird vibration issues with some. For the rear I'm still torn between Dana and Yukon chromoly shafts. I've also been looking at Artec's axle truss kits for additional protection. I plan on wheeling pretty hard the rest of the summer with trips to Uwharrie, NC and Windrock, TN so would like the additional piece of mind.

 

[PalmettoMike]

One more thing i forgot to address is ball joints. The factory ones have a plastic lined socket, whereas Dana, Synergy, and some other companies are offering a heavy duty metal on metal direct replacement with grease fittings. The youtuber JL Life did a recent comparison and install video that i found interesting.

Appreciate it! I'll look into the video. I hadn't found any reviews on aftermarket ball joints so this will definitely help!

 

[Headbarcode]

Appreciate it! I'll look into the video. I hadn't found any reviews on aftermarket ball joints so this will definitely help!

Just a heads up, I'm seeing ball joint kits that some mention being "knurled" and others not. I've yet to delve deeper into that aspect, but it would definitely be nice to know which to get before tearing it apart. I don't know about you, but downtime is not an option for my daily driver. Some of my parts are in hand in a week but most are taking 5-7 days, 14-21 days, and even 2+ months to ship.

 

[Halstem1]

Hey thanks everyone for the replies/advice. Apologies for taking so long to reply, have been in the field for work. I think I'm set on the 2 piece RCV shafts up front due to researching and having hearing that the one peice FAD delete has caused some weird vibration issues with some. For the rear I'm still torn between Dana and Yukon chromoly shafts. I've also been looking at Artec's axle truss kits for additional protection. I plan on wheeling pretty hard the rest of the summer with trips to Uwharrie, NC and Windrock, TN so would like the additional piece of mind.

I bought the Dana rear shafts. When I was looking a couple months ago, they were significantly cheaper than the yukon. I paid 360$ for the pair. I was told chromoly is all the same so fuctionally they should do the same thing. Also, when I was looking, the dana shafts are all preassembled and ready to install. If memory serves me right, the yukon had some assembly needed or a a bearing that was needed... something like that.

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