To all Ring and Pinion installers...

GONOVRIT

GONOVRIT

blue collar brotherhood
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Location
Dallas NC
Say someone brought you a set of axles, less the brakes and shafts with complete install kits and R&P for each-How long would it take you on average(go ahead and high ball it) to complete the install?

Yes I'm having problems and no I won't go into details at this time. Thanks.
 
with the right tools, no longer than one day (8 hours). Unless the parts didnt work out.....

Grant
 
x2
 
What kind of axles?

Toyota/9"...2-3hrs per

Anything with shims behind the bearings on the carrier (no adjusters like 14bolts/Chryslers/...)...more towards 5 per...

This assuming no pinion depth tool...just trial and error...
 
My guy is a Lexus master tech. It depends on how slow he is at work, as he does it on the side, at work, when he is not busy. He is cheaper (way) than a shop, and since 1996, when we worked together at Toyota, has set up 20++ toyota diffs, and not ONE has failed!!!! If he is a good ring and pinion guy, he is worth the wait. Broke ring and pinion on the trail is a nightmare, (obvoiusly).
 
Wow...either I must be too picky or too slow...I should just hire you guys with estimates like that...

4 hours complete for 2 diffs with carrier bearing shims and trial and error pinion depth?

Around 50 or so diffs under my belt with no issues...knock on...oh crap...gotta find a piece of wood...
 
Assuming everything is there, and I have dummy bearings for the axles already, I would say 4ish hrs. If it were my vehicle, 2-4 weeks. I pulled the D35 out of the back of my TJ at 8pm on a friday night, swapped from an ARB to open diff, and had it back in by midnight so I could go wheeling the next day.

Ive done about 25 gearsets, with only 1 failure: guy didn't put any oil in the axle, and then drove towards the trail.
 
72Rockcruiser said:
My guy is a Lexus master tech. It depends on how slow he is at work, as he does it on the side, at work, when he is not busy. He is cheaper (way) than a shop, and since 1996, when we worked together at Toyota, has set up 20++ toyota diffs, and not ONE has failed!!!! If he is a good ring and pinion guy, he is worth the wait. Broke ring and pinion on the trail is a nightmare, (obvoiusly).
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That's quite the time estimate...??...
 
I'm super picky AND slow. It would take me 6-7 per axle. That's with Pinion Depth tool and setup bearngs. I tend to do a bunch of extra cleaning and wiping down of the parts. Plus scraping the tubes out, inner seals etc.. I tend to do every job as it were my own. Thats also why I don't do many nor make enough to cover my time, they are typically done as favors etc..

It's nice to see so many gear experts...
 
I don't know how all you guys are throwing out numbers without knowing what kind of axles you are building. The type of axle makes a HUGE difference

For chrysler axles I could prolly setup both in 2 hrs. Prolly 6-8hrs for dana axles. Maybe 6 hrs for just the front of a IFS truck,(ford or chevy)

Also it matters if the gears in it are OEM gears or if they have been messed with

And assuming parts are correct, and you have all the correct tools and equipment
 
you should have brought it to me and you would be wheeling again:flipoff2:. It doesnt really matter how long it takes as long as it is right, the proper tools help alot. not one of them being a pinion depth tool you can measure and calculate all you want but the pattern is the proof, the original shim and expierence will tell you where and how far to go. 4 adjustments should be all you need on a more difficult install, usually 3, 1.stock shim, 2.make an adjustment beyond what you think the proper depth should be,3.back it off you have to be close now. 4. one final adjustment if you think you can make it better. If it takes more than 8 good long hours i don't care what kind of axle it is you got a cluster and your probably going to miss the good stuff like a perfect preload and pattern. Of course if its your first axle with not tools it can take a long time. if the shim is not behind the race with out the proper puller, pinion bearing damage is imminent, as with carrier bearings with shims under them. and set up bearings although usefull for getting close i have never used set up bearings and then installed new and not seen a noticable change, if using set up bearings i usually only use them for the 1st attempt, and then go to new, for final adjustments.


so anywho whats your problem post some pics and all the gear heros will get you squared away.
 
Cperry said:
not one of them being a pinion depth tool you can measure and calculate all you want but the pattern is the proof, the original shim and expierence will tell you where and how far to go.
Click to expand...

So should i not spend the money on one? Never used one but considering the purchase. What kind have you used?
 
Cperry said:
you should have brought it to me and you would be wheeling again:flipoff2:. It doesnt really matter how long it takes as long as it is right, the proper tools help alot. not one of them being a pinion depth tool you can measure and calculate all you want but the pattern is the proof, the original shim and expierence will tell you where and how far to go. 4 adjustments should be all you need on a more difficult install, usually 3, 1.stock shim, 2.make an adjustment beyond what you think the proper depth should be,3.back it off you have to be close now. 4. one final adjustment if you think you can make it better. If it takes more than 8 good long hours i don't care what kind of axle it is you got a cluster and your probably going to miss the good stuff like a perfect preload and pattern. Of course if its your first axle with not tools it can take a long time. if the shim is not behind the race with out the proper puller, pinion bearing damage is imminent, as with carrier bearings with shims under them. and set up bearings although usefull for getting close i have never used set up bearings and then installed new and not seen a noticable change, if using set up bearings i usually only use them for the 1st attempt, and then go to new, for final adjustments.
so anywho whats your problem post some pics and all the gear heros will get you squared away.
Click to expand...

I've done 3-4 gear set-ups on my own So I'm talking with some SERIOUS EXPERTISE and personal experience here! :lol:

But Cperry sounds to be the most accurate to me. I watched several gear sets be installed, helped on several, then did a few and then did my own. Those last few were with someone watching over my shoulder, but not helping. and it didn't take me more than 2-3 hours per axle.

Now we ran into some that did take all day, but that's due to a tweaked housing or something stupid like that.

IOW, I'm with Cperry on these estimates.
 
Will@Rockbottom4x4.com said:
So should i not spend the money on one? Never used one but considering the purchase. What kind have you used?
Click to expand...
mine was a central I would sell it to you but i sold it on ebay. they are said to be accurate with in .001 i believe, but there are so many variables when setting it up, and it uses a standard # for each axle 4.0000something, every axle is different depending on if pinion bearing damage was bad enough to adjust housing, so its off a .001 to start probably .003 to start you make a small measurement error or its tweaked a hair when installed, theres another couple .001's, and the housing is off of standardized #a couple .001's now your off like .006-.010 and you haven't seen a pattern. not to mention the time to set up the tool you could already have the stock shim in there and be with in .010th looking at a pattern,k unless you have a crappy gear set or the housing has been tweaked, or this is a regear after regear and previous installer got shim happpy and its way off. PDT is useful if no factory stock shim is available, or last rear end blew up b/c of poor set-up and you need a starting place. However on a toy axle a good starting point is .078 or abouts there. 8.8 is .035. so really if you have done some you know where to start
 
Just depends. Typically I try and schedule a day and then bring em by, drop em off and pick em back up that day. Just depends on what it is. things happen. gear installs are pretty straight forward if you know what you are doing, especially if you tore it down for him.......

Sorry this isn't working out for you. Cperry or I could have done it on a saturday for ya.
 
I usually tear down, pull carrier bearings, mount ring gear, and clean out housing in two hours the first day. Then another 3 hours the next day to finish. I also use the depth tool, usually only takes 3-4 tries to get happy pattern. I NEVER get in a hurry. These are out-of-vehicle estimates.
 
Aight, I'll tell a little.

A guy I've wheeled with offered to set my gears up for me at a fair price. I've been to his shop and done buisness there. Since he was the closest in driving distance(-$$$) and has a very reputible buisness going on I figured I'd give him a try.

I did tell him I wasn't in a hurry to get them back and warned him that the axles will be taking some unthinkable abuse so take your time. That was on the morning of Nov. 9th when I dropped the 60/10.25 off.

Even with what I told him I thought this time period was a little overboard. I called him just to "check in" around 2wks later and he stated that he had them tore down, just needed to do the install now:rolleyes:

Called him last wk and he said, "you need a yoke for the rear, you get us that and we'll have'm fixed right up for ya". I called Randy's and had it shipped next day. That was last Wedsnesday. I still have yet to recieve 1 phone call from the beginning of this deal.

It still isn't THAT big of a deal to me. I've been waiting on a STAK for 2mos now, Stazworks for a month, Shaffers Offroad for close to a month. Anyone I know that has built something has had to wait a stupid period of time for their parts. It's just that I know this one doesn't make sense.

Thanks for the replies.
 
GONOVRIT said:
It still isn't THAT big of a deal to me. I've been waiting on a STAK for 2mos now, Stazworks for a month, Shaffers Offroad for close to a month. Anyone I know that has built something has had to wait a stupid period of time for their parts. It's just that I know this one doesn't make sense.
Thanks for the replies.
Click to expand...

You'll never finish it anyway. When the stak gets in, I'll give you $1500 for it. I may be interested in some other parts too, just let me know what you got.
 
what was the fair price?, heres my problem with your situation, say he is busy so he doesn't have time to get to it, unacceptable but at least an excuse, second, why tear it down and not put it back together immediatly now you have parts and shit strown all over your shop, he probably lost your yoke. i hate having unfinshed things around the shop, difficult to stay organized that way.
 
So a good/reputable shop can do good gear work ?

Would you have the same good shop rebuild an auto tranny ? Manual tranny ? Paint your car ? straighten your frame etc..

IMHO as clearly stated above by many.. Nothing replaces experience.
 
CYJKrawler said:
John < Tired Of All The Negative Crap In The World!
Click to expand...

Someone is groggy in the morning...

I didn't know if he was trying to judge for himself on doing a job or something...maybe he wanted to know how much time to alot...I could have said 18-20hrs...cause that's how long I probably spent on my first gear install in my 4Runner when I was 18 (2002)...and then, at that time, I would have also stated that I had 1 install under my belt (not around 50)...just giving some background info...

Experts?...I thought if I had a pinion depth tool I'd be set! Kinda glad i haven't dropped the cash on one.

Nothing negative so far in these post...??...
 
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