The rear axle on my truck is whining as i drive down the road. I know it is the axle because ive jacked it up and it still does it. I would like to regear the truck to 3.92's instead of 3.55. I didn't know if just a ring and pinion kit and all the seals and bearings would make it quit whining though. I wasn't sure if Id need new spider gears too. I also was wondering if anyone has ever regeared a 4x4. And if so what kit did you buy for the front and rear. Where from and how much. I also wasn't sure if this is something I could do myself.

 

If you haven't done gears yourself before, find someone that has, or, pay someone else to do it. Granted, between parts and labor, you are looking at right around 1500 bucks or so. (varies by location) That is still cheaper than doing it yourself, and munching up those expensive gears and bearings.

If you do both diffs, replacing gears and bearings, you are pretty much assured of getting rid of the whine. (usually caused by bearings going bad.)

As re-gearing IS expensive..... what size tires do you eventually want to run? Figure that out, and gear accordingly. Do it once, it ain't a cheap endeavor.

 

I only want to run 35 inch tires someday but for now I just would like a little lower gear. Do I need to replace the spider gears too. Or just the ring and pinion. And where should i get these parts from

 

You really want to do 4.56 gears then.... with 35's, that will keep the engine at right around the stock RPM vs. speed. With the 3.92's, the engine will struggle to get the truck moving, and it will be hard on the trans. (which are weak to begin with....) With smaller tires, RPM will be higher than what you see with your current combo, but, not by a heck of a lot...... (maybe 500 RPM at 65 with stock size tires.) Around town, you will LIKE it. On the highway, not so much..... till ya get the 35's on there.

 

I wasnt gonna put tires that size on for a while. Like a few years. This is still my everday driver and I was just gonna put a slightly bigger tire on it sometime soon. I don't have the money to go out and buy that big of tire. Also if i do put different gears and tires. Is there a speedometer i can get to match the gear setup i have on the truck, so it says the right speed. Where would you recomend getting these gears from. Also in order to fit a 35 will i have to lift my truck and if so how much. Would spacers do the trick.

 

to fix the speedometer your looking at a $20 gear...I just did the girlfriends jeep for 16 bucks on saturday... theres just one bolt to tremove...

But if you get the right gear ratio for the right tire the speedmoter will be correct... for example I have 35" tires and 4.56 gears so my speedo is right on without changing anything but the diff gears... the whine is likely from either a bad pinion bearing like I had of damaged gearing...

If you cant afford bigger tires than bigger tires and regearing really isnt for you... its just going to cost you more gas money to have them...
and it would be a huge waste of money to do it twice... It sounds like this is one of your first vehicles so I understand you thinking your gonna have it a while but this is likely to change...especially with gas prices just rising
and throwing the bigger tires on it without the gearing to move them right will cost you much more in gas and transmission repairs in most cases... you could go with 4.10 gears and that would work for either 33 or 35" tires... or just wait and do it right, once..

 

Okay. I will probably go with 3.55 gears again then. I just need to know where to get a whole kit for the rear end at. I know my dads rear went out on his truck and they told him the whine was from when the bearing went out the gears ***** a funny pattern which caused the whine. I was also wondering if there was a kit for the rear end that also came with a locker. And if I did do a locker, what would be the way to go. It isnt my toy yet, but Im gonna save the truck to be a toy for when Im older because it is a short bed single cab with a 360 so it would make a nice small mudder for me. That is why I am looking for some things to put on it that is gonna benefit me for when Im ready for it to be a toy.

 

Since im going with the stock gears can I put them in my self. Im not afraid to try it. I just want to make sure that it isnt something that i have no chance of getting in on my own. I also have a front axle seal going out on the drivers side of my truck and was wondering if that was something elso i could put in myself

 

If you take your time and use the intrenet you can about do anything. I be better if you could find a buddy or something to help you that knows what he's doing

 

Are there any special tools i will need to do it myself and is there a place that anyone recommends getting a rebuild kit for the rear end.