Brand and Ratio for Ring and Pinion Gears?

[Ricko1966]

@Ricko1966 thank you so much for the explanation. I will certainly look into the salvaged axle option, I am not to far from three or four yards, so that might save me some money, time and headache. and thank you for pointing me to that site, I have never been on carparts.com before, that is super cool!
@Turbo4whl Yes this would be my first time working on a third member. I think I have the tools required, dial indicator, calipers/micrometer, and straight edge, but know-how is what I am lacking. I will definitely be looking for advice on here if I go that route.
I Know that the stock gears are sufficient for their purpose, but like I want the truck to be capable of standing in as a back up, if my "new" rig is in the shop, without straining. But I really like the idea of the axle swap.

Those are not actually the correct tools some are some aren't. That's why I said I can tell you how to do it with those,but whether you can is ? ...

 

[Velder]

@Ricko1966 If I can't find a good axle, I will most certainly want you to walk me through it. I am half tempted to go that route just to learn how it's done. Are there any other specialized tools that I would need?

 

[Ricko1966]

Vedder you are in luck,unbelievably stupid luck. I googled pinion depth setting tool,saw a crappy,crappy one. But the price point was right,it had a video link,I took it because I was skeptical it would even work. What a joke of a video. But
The next video was the one I'm going to link. I didn't watch it all just skimmed and when I saw was finding centerline the same way I was going to tell you. I'm sure you'll learn what you need from this. Really good video for anyone wanting to learn.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[CalSgt]

Yes this would be my first time working on a third member. I think I have the tools required, dial indicator, calipers/micrometer, and straight edge, but know-how is what I am lacking.

Gear set up is most definitely an “art” of mechanical know how, skill and a little luck doesn’t hurt. I normally tell people they’ll be money ahead to just pay a shop to do them but not just any shop, a specialty shop that focuses on driveline and gear services.

I don’t have one of the fancy set up tools, I’ve had good luck setting everything up with the previous shims, adjusting for backlash, TTR and pattern from there. It’s a game of trial and error that way but you really get to learn what some shimming can do.

I wouldn’t dare tackle one without an inch pound torque wrench for measuring pinion TTR and Total TTR. A righteous breaker bar and cheater pipe may be needed to set pinion preload on final assembly, and a deadman to hold the yoke can be made with some scrap and a welder.

Tips that may save some time and headaches:

Water down the patterning paint with some oil or ATF. It will last a lot longer and give a better read.

Gears need to be under load to leave an accurate pattern. I lightly tap a chisel between the housing and the edge of the carrier, the switch it to the opposite side to check coast pattern.

Here’s my dead man:

You must be registered for see images attach

ETA: I’m on vacation with the family & had a few beers, there’s a good chance I’m making no sense.

 

[Ricko1966]

Velder,there are lots of little tricks and tips if you want to do it,we'll teach you the best we can. Another suggestion I have is pick up a solid spacer kit instead of a crush sleeve. Tighten the crush sleeve too much and you need a new one,and that are a b!tch to get to start to crush.

 

[Turbo4whl]

Gears need to be under load to leave an accurate pattern.

This is very important and it is a step many people miss.

I use a different method, but usually requires another person. I use a large pry bar against the edge of the carrier. If the carrier edge is not machined smooth (rough casting) I will use the pry bar between the housing and right on the ring gear away from the teeth.

Many times, right on this truck forum, people post pictures and ask, "How does my pattern look?" Well if you have to ask, then I wonder if they know what they are even looking for. Even worse than that, someone will post 3 or 4 pictures of the gear coast side and one picture of the drive side, I don't comment.

 

[Bextreme04]

@Ricko1966 If I can't find a good axle, I will most certainly want you to walk me through it. I am half tempted to go that route just to learn how it's done. Are there any other specialized tools that I would need?

You will need a press and bearing pullers unless you just swap the gears and don't rebuild the axle at the same time. Getting the bearings off the carrier housing without the correct specialized tool is an absolute pain in the butt. I also grind out the old pinion bearings a few thousands so that they easily slide onto the pinion shaft without binding, but are still snug. These then get zip tied together and set aside as my "check bearings" for any future work. I now have a 10 bolt set and a 14bff set. This allows you to figure out what pinion shims you need without ruining new bearings or trying to press on/off the old ones a bunch of times. a Harbor freight 12 ton press is BARELY enough to do the job, but has worked for me. It can get sketchy at times though. I did have one bearing that I just COULD NOT get off my 10 bolt rear carrier. I ended up taking it over to a shop that rebuilds rearends and giving the guy a $20 to zip it off with the right tool. Took him 30 seconds as he laughed at me.

A 10 bolt rear end uses the same carrier for 4.10 and lower gears and a different one for 4.56 and above, so as long as you don't go above 4.10, you should be fine to reuse your current carrier.

 

[Ricko1966]

What I use for carrier bearings,and pinion bearings. I may use a different jack,but this has worked fine for me.

 

[festina_lente]

The higher the number, the more fuel you will use.

To a point …
I have an old 7.3 Ford diesel that serves as an everything vehicle: around town, hwy, heavy towing. I swapped the 3.73 to 4.56 when I went up to 35" tires. My mileage improved by about 15%. It also tows like a beast!

I also have an old TBI 350 / TH400 Burban with swapped 4.10s (also to compensate for 35s). It averages about 14 mpg. I'm swapping in a carbed 383 right now, so we'll see how that holds up, but I've been happy with it.

The key is to get your revs in the right range for the vehicle and your driving.

 

[Craig Nedrow]

I used Yukon in a D60, excellent. Also used other Yukon parts, very good stuff. I also use Strange engineering, top of the line. I bought a good set of pinion tools, and yes you can do it, it is a learning curve, and first time you will question your stupidly in doing it. But here the thing, you LEARN, and you will have to take it apart a few times for shimming even with tools. Next time will be easier, you will have the knowledge. I thought C10 had a 12 bolt? My K10 does...

 

[Ricko1966]

Where is that Damn cat at!!!! Some of you know what I'm talking about. Seriously the first one is terrifying all the rest are easy. I still think you'd be time and money ahead to throw a 250.00 junkyard rearend with the right gears in it. Even if you had to bearings and seals,all the set up is done.

 

[Craig Nedrow]

Ah Harry Bugger the Shop cat, and aspiring square body owner.

 

[Velder]

@Craig Nedrow , and @Ricko1966 Thank you both, I figured it would be a learning curve, and it would not be the first time that I had questioned my sanity. I am on the lookout for a salvage axle, mainly because of cost, but if I can't find one I will be back to the rebuild option. I do have a hydraulic press, and a bunch of different bearing pullers, but can't justify spending $500 if I can do it for $250.
Love the cat, for me it is a alpine goat, that was a bottle fed. She loves "working" on the car with me, and is just perfectly content to watch whatever I am doing.

 

[Ricko1966]

Ah Harry Bugger the Shop cat, and aspiring square body owner.

Barn kitty, my shop cat