Topic: RE-Gearing?

[HaloFan1]

Is Re-Gearing an axle very hard to do? I have an 1981 4x4 toy axle that I want re-geared to 5.29 gears. I asked a local 4x4 shop how much it would be for them to do it and they said 700 bucks for just the kit. This sounds outrageous! Any info would be helpful.

[BLACKDOG]

when I blew my gears in the rear of my 91, I took the third out and tok it to a shop.  It cost me $437 total for them to install the gears into the third.  THy told me it would have cost about $800 if they had had to remove the third themselves and reinstall it, mabye more.  figure gear set is about $150, and about 3 hours of labor for about $90 an hour (CA)

Hope this helps.  If it isnt your DD, and you have the tools available, I would recommend tryin to do it yourself.

[Anthony]

You will need a shop press to press the bearings. other then that it is just basic tools. 

[BLACKDOG]

You will need a shop press to press the bearings. other then that it is just basic tools. 

yeah.  I found out after the fact that my roommates parents next door neighbor has a press .  the dude has everything!!

[HaloFan1 [OP]]

ok so the set for the gears themselves is about 150 bucks. Ive seen in the catalogue "Performance Products" that I can buy the set of 5.29 from Precision Gearing. Does this re-gearing kit come with everything I need to get the job done? I would like to get my hub situation taken care of first but I just wanted to research this subject first. This will probably be the next thing I need to do to my axle before I start buying the parts for the SAS. So far i need new wheel bearings for the axle, new locking hubs,re-gearing,brake rotors,and a black paint job on it. Ive already purchased the knuckle rebuild kit from Marlin.

[Anthony]

ok so the set for the gears themselves is about 150 bucks. Ive seen in the catalogue "Performance Products" that I can buy the set of 5.29 from Precision Gearing. Does this re-gearing kit come with everything I need to get the job done? I would like to get my hub situation taken care of first but I just wanted to research this subject first. This will probably be the next thing I need to do to my axle before I start buying the parts for the SAS. So far i need new wheel bearings for the axle, new locking hubs,re-gearing,brake rotors,and a black paint job on it. Ive already purchased the knuckle rebuild kit from Marlin.

 I got my Yukon 5.29's from Randy's R&P  for the front and rear with master install kits for 480.00 plus shipping. I am doing my SAS now, look up the post are under 89 build up. I gathered all my parts to rebuild the donor axle and then i started putting it together. so make a list of what you want change or replace and check them off as you get the new parts then build it up. Good Luck

[HaloFan1 [OP]]

o yeh. I cant wait until is built and painted! I just want to start on the SAS so bad! Im going to check out Randy's ring and pinion for prices. What gears would you guys run for 37 or 38 in. tires?

[BLACKDOG]

o yeh. I cant wait until is built and painted! I just want to start on the SAS so bad! Im going to check out Randy's ring and pinion for prices. What gears would you guys run for 37 or 38 in. tires?

If you're gonna do heavy wheeling, I would stick with 4.88s you're gonna have higher RPMs on the road, but the strength oif the 5.29s is questionable.  Mine went out in a parking lot   when my gears go out again, or when I do my SAS I will be dropping to 4.88s myself, but I will be running 35s as well.  I run 37"s right now, and with 5.29s 70 mph is about 3100 RPM in 5th gear.

[HaloFan1 [OP]]

well that doesnt sound to bad. im think im going to be running either 37 or 38's. i think i will stick with the 5.29 when it comes time to order them. 3100 RPM at 70 doesnt sound bad at all. quite good actually. I heard that when you re-gear it can actually help with gas mileage. is this true? I also have a question about Marlins Vented brake rotors. it says that they fit a 82- 85 axle. I have an 81 axle. What type of rotors do I need to still be able to use the IFS v6 brake caliper?

[HaloFan1 [OP]]

i dont know if you guys have noticed my new question or not in the above post. if your now noticing i would love some feedback. thanks

[HaloFan1 [OP]]

I have another question. Where do you guys buy the re-gearing parts? Im thinking of buying them from the performance products magazine. If you guys know of any other places that sell them let me know becuase I would like to compare prices

[BLACKDOG]

I would just do a search on the internet if I was you.  Randys ring and pinion is one, and there are a couple more.  you may also consider sending them to bobby long to have them treated, to make them stronger

one of the reasons for regearing is to get the ratios to stock, so your engine doesnt feel like it is woking harder to turn more weight (bigger tires) 
basically
31" tires with 4.10 is about equal to 37"s with 5.29s, as far as your truck is concenred.  you wont improve gas milage over stock, but you will improve it over say 37"s with 4.10s or 4.56s, or 4.88s. 

[HaloFan1 [OP]]

so really gas mileage will be about the same as i have now. im running stock gearing with 33's. alright I understand now. I just finished paying for my truck today! So now most of the money I make will be going towards parts. I plan on buying wheel bearings this weekend then start saving on the gears.

[germ]

If you're gonna do heavy wheeling, I would stick with 4.88s you're gonna have higher RPMs on the road, but the strength oif the 5.29s is questionable.

check this site. Zuk has some good info on gear set-ups, and from what I can tell, disproves the theory that 5.29's are weaker than 4.88's (even though that's what I run) www.gearinstalls.com

Erik

[HaloFan1 [OP]]

cool thankyou for the site. ill check it out

[HFCRAOffroading]

Where do you live at?

 There is a Professional Shop here in So Calif that set's up gears for a reasonable price.

[HaloFan1 [OP]]

Well im in georgia. I don't really know of any places around here. Im just going to have to call around. I imagine it will be cheaper for me to go ahead and buy the gears and have someone install them for me if I can. When Ive been searching for the kit all I can find is the Ring and Pinion kit. Is this a complete kit to do the gear change? I thought that it would be alot more parts than that.

[mudaddict]

get yukon gears from marlin! or from randys! just call shops and see if any of them do it i went to a transmission shop and they do regearing so you never know.

[HaloFan1 [OP]]

hey guys ive been looking up some gears for my axle and im not quite sure what type of axle i have. i don't know if it is a 8 in. axle or what. i have a 1981 axle from a 4x4 toy pickup. if anyone knows or has any ideas please let me know.

[Rockdiver]

Should be a 8"   Get your gear sets    and a install kit for each  The Install kit has new bearings, Bolts for gears, seal , a new crush sleeve, and shims to set it up proper

[HaloFan1 [OP]]

I was told if I re-gear to 5.29 and run 37's than my top speed in the truck will be only about 40 mph. Is this true? If it is there is no way im going to gear it that ratio becuase i am often on the highway and need to be going anywhere from 65 to 70 mph.

[Rockdiver]

5.29 and 35 inch tires = close to stock   I drive 65 to 80 in my 85 fifth gear no problem   if i had 37's i believe fourth would pull those speeds too but I would be in third pulling hills . I can pull steep hills now 50 -60 in fourth with my 35's

[bluetoy84]

I was told if I re-gear to 5.29 and run 37's than my top speed in the truck will be only about 40 mph. Is this true? If it is there is no way im going to gear it that ratio becuase i am often on the highway and need to be going anywhere from 65 to 70 mph.

Thats a bunch of  :bull crap:    I re-geared a truck for a guy one time and he hadn't bought his bigger tires yet , so I put 5.29's in it and drove it back to his house with 30 x 9.50's and it would run 60mph no problem. I have had mine well over 85mph with 5.29's and 35's. I have drove mine from my house (northeast Alabama) to Tellico and back 4 times running 70 to 75mph on the interstate and every time it got around 20mpg's. It get's about 15-17 mpg's around town. Go with the 5.29's 

[germ]

I was told if I re-gear to 5.29 and run 37's than my top speed in the truck will be only about 40 mph. Is this true? If it is there is no way im going to gear it that ratio becuase i am often on the highway and need to be going anywhere from 65 to 70 mph.

If you install 5.29's, and run 37's, you will be within 1% of stock gearing. Assuming your truck came stock with 4.10's and 29" tires from the factory.

Based on this assumtion, your gear set will give you a 29% reduction, and your tires will be 28% oversize, which trnaslates into 1% reduction in gearing from stock.

Erik

[BLACKDOG]

I was told if I re-gear to 5.29 and run 37's than my top speed in the truck will be only about 40 mph. Is this true? If it is there is no way im going to gear it that ratio becuase i am often on the highway and need to be going anywhere from 65 to 70 mph.

That is a load of :bull crap:  I have 37"s and 5.29s and I drive the freeway at 70-75.  going that speed, my tach reads about 3100

check this site. Zuk has some good info on gear set-ups, and from what I can tell, disproves the theory that 5.29's are weaker than 4.88's (even though that's what I run) www.gearinstalls.com

Erik

cool site.  interesting about the 5.29s being stronger than the 4.10s.  I also noticed he said it was the ring gear that usually breaks.  Not mine, it was the pinion that broke off. 

[blackdiamond]

...one of the reasons for regearing is to get the ratios to stock, so your engine doesnt feel like it is woking harder to turn more weight (bigger tires)
basically
31" tires with 4.10 is about equal to 37"s with 5.29s, as far as your truck is concenred. you wont improve gas milage over stock, but you will improve it over say 37"s with 4.10s or 4.56s, or 4.88s.

My advise would be to make sure you get good quality gears (Yukon and Richmond are two that I know of), stay away from Genuine Gear I have heard that they are poor quality, and make sure they are installed correctly or you might end up doing it twice.  Paying a litte more the first time could save you a bunch of money in the long run.

As for tires, gearing and gas mileage, my truck has 4.88s with 33" tires and it is geared almost perfectly stock (speedo is dead on)  Gas mileage is affected by several factors including tire rolling resistance, aero dynamics, tire balance, tire/wheel weight and tire diameter.  Basically, perfectly balanced tires running max air pressure that are narrow, balanced, with light aluminum wheels will allow for the best gas mileage for a given diameter.

Running a modified gear and tire package that is mathmatically equal to stock still puts a greater load on the engine because the tires weigh more, likely are more difficult to balance, are wider which means less aerodynamic and have more leverage on the axle.  The difference between a stock 30" tire and a 37" tire is about 3.5" effectively.  Try playing with a lever arm and see if 3.5" makes any difference for a significant weight, you will find that it does.

My highway cruising rpm in 5th is about 3,300 at 70 mph and I don't have enough power to hold going up grades.  I know that different motors have more power, but I can't imaging the power loss if I had 37" tires and equivalent gearing to match.  The bottom line is I wouldn't expect to have the same mileage with equal gearing because you will have to push the pedal more to make it go.

[BLACKDOG]

I guess I could have phrased that better. 

I was tryin to say that your gas milage will be better with 5.29 and 37s than say 410s and 37s cause the gearing is closer to stock ratios.

[blackdiamond]

I guess I could have phrased that better.

I was tryin to say that your gas milage will be better with 5.29 and 37s than say 410s and 37s cause the gearing is closer to stock ratios.

That is absolutely true BD.  I just didn't want him to get his hopes up too high

[HaloFan1 [OP]]

hey guys thanks for the clarifications. if i have any more questions i know where to come