Got my Gearing Appointment Set..

[Dweeberman]

So I scheduled my appointment with one of the local Differential Shops (River City Differential in Rancho Cordova, CA)...tomorrow after I get off of work i need to run to the DMV (registration for my ATV) then i take it in to have 4.56's installed Now I called around to the local 4x4 shops and other Differential mechanics and man was i surprised by the quotes I was given (in a bady way.. :thumbdwn First shop told me $1560.00 out the door (including tax). I was caught off-guard thinking around $1100-$1300. So i called another shop, $1750!!! I started sweating prefusely thinking i will never have gears installed! (lol maybe a little exageration) Another shop quoted me $1575 before taxes then i found one for $1375 (before tax...around $1490ish after taxes) and he said it would be a 1 day install. Now i looked around this site to see prices for others and I am still wondering why they charge so much around here. My pops got a quote for his F-250 @ $900.00 if he took it in...i know the front IFS is a pain, but do these amounts seem right?? Plus I am unlucky in the fact that i do not have a garage to take my pumpkins out and bring them in...and this is my only vehicle :roll:

Now the shop I am going to is owned by 1 man/mechanic, Sean, and he has been given many thumbs up for his work. He does provide a 1 year warranty and unlimited mileage for his work. I think he has 2 mechanics that work with him too...unsure though. Either way, I am excited for this!!

Another question, has anyone (speaking to whomever reads this lol) done a gear change from 3.73's to 4.56's (riding 33's...and i am sure a lot have)?..What driving performances and/or differences should i expect (besides the increased highway RPM's)? Is the off the line takeoff drastically changed (sadly i tend to be an "above average accelerator" but not a speeder lol). I like to get to the speed limit quick, and then coast after that...AND yes i am still young dumb and full of...well you get the point (hopefully)

I will keep you updated once they get installed and the time it took him and blah blah blah... Thanks!

 

[2TimingTom]

I paid the Mad Scientist (stang5lgt) something like $850 to get mine installed- and that included the cost of the gears themselves.

He made the front look relatively easy- there was some grunting and cussing involved but fairly easy. He took the right side drive axle out, unbolted the axle/diff housing and pulled out the left side drive axle out as he lowered it the housing. Then he took the whole thing over to the bench and swapped the gears over. Install was the reverse of course. The rear seemed to give him more issues with setting the backlash- had to remove the diff at least once to adjust the shims. The install did take most of a day- some of that did include a lunch break. But that was him working by himself on his garage floor.

I went from 3.55 on 30" tires to initially 4.56 with those same tires. Once I got the right speedo gear in, it was a racecar. Took off like a scalded dog and seemed to be very touchy with the throttle. On the highway, going faster than 70 seemed to be out of the "comfort zone" but it would sit just below 70 all day long. I didn't drive mine much without towing or 4wheeling, but MPGs weren't effected much (if at all really). Then I added 33" tires. The larger tires have certainly calmed it down a bit, but I can climb Loveland Pass (paved mountain highway up to 12,000 feet) at 55 mph (I think the speed limit is 45) with no problems. With those gears and those tires, the effective ratio is basically the same as 4.10s on stock tires.

If nothing else..... road trip. I'll take you wheeling after the install is done.

 

[Turdle]

Agreed. Stang5lgt is a wonder to watch, and knows well what he's doing.
So it's decided then, road trip, wheeling ---woo hoo!! Is this a private party or can anyone come along?

 

[bronchole]

You might try pooking around over on Pirate 4x4 and see if there are any local private mechanics that are willing to take this project on. I'm too far South to help out.

 

[Dweeberman]

Sadly my next road trip is to Missoula, MT where i will be moving next July (got accepted into the University Of Montana - Missoula). So I doubt i will be able to make it to CO anytime soon. But if I am able to have someone tag along with me and share the gas cost, then I will be out there!

 

[slickemhoundd]

Thats pretty steep if you ask me. i dont know if thats including gears and install kits with price or just install. My buddy that build boggers (44's-tractor tires) was going to charge me 350 an axle OUT OF TRUCK BROKEN DOWN! Called a buddy of a buddy at 4130 fab he said 300 and axle and lastly my buddy phil at lincoln motorsport said he'd set me up 200 an axle and hes set me up for a couple of drag cars so unless your getting parts included it sounds outrageous. That two speedshops and one offroad shop i got quotes from, granted im a familiar.

 

[Dweeberman]

You might try pooking around over on Pirate 4x4 and see if there are any local private mechanics that are willing to take this project on. I'm too far South to help out.

That is very true...when i have a little more time this evening i will check it out. Thank you for the advice/direction!

 

[Dweeberman]

Thats pretty steep if you ask me. i dont know if thats including gears and install kits with price or just install. My buddy that build boggers (44's-tractor tires) was going to charge me 350 an axle OUT OF TRUCK BROKEN DOWN! Called a buddy of a buddy at 4130 fab he said 300 and axle and lastly my buddy phil at lincoln motorsport said he'd set me up 200 an axle and hes set me up for a couple of drag cars so unless your getting parts included it sounds outrageous. That two speedshops and one offroad shop i got quotes from, granted im a familiar.

Yea that includes gears (i need to confirm which ones they were looking at putting in..i just got a quote over the phone and i said book me). So $1490ish out the door..no more than that. I wish i had more connections, but I don't know any mechanic who works on diff's..all i know are family members who built there own cars but way back in day (10+ years ago) and their contacts are no longer in the businesses. I live next to Central4wheeldrive & 4wheelparts and they referred me to West Coast Diff. (who quoted me $1750) and then River City who quoted $1375 (the lowest in my area). I know when i see him in person i will do my best negotiate, so hopefully i can get a bill or 2 knocked off. I had a good buddy take his to to 4wheelparts and they chaged him $450 an axle on his 6.0L F-250 and they quoted me $780/axle...i knew these prices were high! FML...i will look around at the local forums/clubs to see if they have any referrals..

 

[slickemhoundd]

I paid somewhere around 680 give or take (have to find receipt) from east coast gear supply, thats including front and rears gears as well as both install kits. Great customer service as well as shipping time

 

[Dweeberman]

I paid somewhere around 680 give or take (have to find receipt) from east coast gear supply, thats including front and rears gears as well as both install kits. Great customer service as well as shipping time

Tell your shop to come out to Cali LMAO!!! Everything is ridiculously over-priced here!

 

[slickemhoundd]

Sorry pulled the receipt out of my tool box, $660 shipped. So add $400 to that and its my grand total including trak lok rebuild and tig front spiders

 

[Dweeberman]

Still that price is much lower. For the extra 300-400 i could throw an aussie up front....

 

[slickemhoundd]

Id ask around for strictly install prices. Pulling the axles takes next to no time and itll save you some dollars all around. I lucked out and was scrapping a 96 at work so i yanked the axles and t-case so ive got them all cleaned up painted shafts and seals pulled just so my truck doesnt sit

 

[Dweeberman]

I went and checked around on the Pirate website but no luck. I called a few more differential shops and found to my surprise that the cheapest person was the one i got mine done at. Everyone around here is charging $100-$150hr for labor and advised minimum of 8 hours of labor. I went to River City Differential (RCD) and Sean, the owner, knocked it out in 7 hours. I am in the break in period but I can say that there is no noise/winding sound at all and i can tell the difference big time. Just on a casual acceleration it feels SOOOO much easier to drive. I did shift 3 gears going through one intersection lol as oopsed to 1 maybe 2 shifts. Now my speedo is really off lol...but it ended up being a total cost of $1386.xx out the door. They installed some Motocraft OEM gears in the rear (4.56) and the front were some Dana Spicer 4.56's. I also found that California is a lot more expensive to get these things done...cant wait till i leave this hell hole!

 

[jenren81]

i need to get this done badly myself.. i once got a quote a year or two ago from a local colorado shop and it was about that high. sounds like we have the same truck set up, it would be nice to have that kind of get up and go.. hopefully soon!!! need new tires first though, my xploder is a money pit

 

[2TimingTom]

Hey Jen, that I guy I mentioned lives in Parker. A fairly easy drive for you.

 

[jenren81]

Hey Jen, that I guy I mentioned lives in Parker. A fairly easy drive for you.

Yeah right after I made that post I found him on here, already hit him up Thanks!

 

[slickemhoundd]

If you got the front gears in were they reverse or standard rotation?

 

[Dweeberman]

If you got the front gears in were they reverse or standard rotation?

Sadly i am not sure...i know they were confused about the front end and had 2 different thoughts of what it was. I told them it was a Dana 35 but they thought it was something competely different. And it turns out that i was right, but I there is a different gear set for a Dana 35 SLA (what mine is) and just a regular D35 IFS. I believe he said reverse but again, not for certain.

So far, my truck drives amazing. I am no speedy rocket but the get up and go is much better than before. The in town driving is just plain EASIER. I have yet to fill my tank up (thanks to carpool for work ) So i dont the mileage on my first tank. But i cant really count this one, i need another tank or 2 to see any difference in MPG if any. My speedo ends up being about 10mph off when crusing the freeway and about 6-8mph off in town. If i took a video of just the speedometer while accelerating, you would think i had this thing supercharged and meant for racing haha.

 

[Maniak]

The Dana 35 TTB axle is reverse rotation gears. The Dana 35 IFS is standard rotation..

~Mark