Hello all.
I have an 05 QC 5.7 auto rwd with 3.55s.
I have spent a lot of time searching and reading on here and have decided to go with 4.56s.
I only found one place locally that would do the swap and it is a transmission shop for little over a grand. Sounds high to me for one axle.
He said he wouldn't gear any lower than 3.92 because the dealer told him anything above that would screw up the computer and the speedometer would not properly calibrate. I told him this truck should be using a ring sensor and he told me he thought they used the trans sensor. I told him I just had the same argument with the dealership and didn't feel like either one of them knew anything about these differentials. *sigh*

I need an installer that knows what he/she is doing in the Nashville to Mempis to St.Louis radius. Can anyone provide any recomendations? I have no idea who to call. I want this done right by someone who will stand behind his work and be reasonable.
Thanks
Mark

 

I believe there is at least one 4 Wheel Parts in Nashville. They do it everyday. But be forewarned - they are high! However, they will all wheel & deal and the manager has the power to price match any parts. You can also get them to come way down on the labor if you work them. It kinda sucks, but it's like buying a vehicle at a dealer dealing with them. But most locations I'm familiar with do good work and stand behind it if there is a problem.

We had a member round here who was very active, still pops in once in a while. He got a quote of like $2800 from 4 Wheel Parts out in Colorado (4x4 w/LSD) and I told him to do his homework, print prices on gears/install kit from Moes, etc. and go back and work them. Tell them no way you're paying that much for labor either. If I remember right, they came down to just over $1700 and he had it done there. They'll rob you blind if you let them!

Going rate at the local shop I send people to is $600 for gears, install kit & labor for the rears, or at least it was as of about a year or so ago.

BTW, good call on that tranny shop - the guy is CLUELESS! He'da f*cked up that install in a heartbeat. If you've never shimmed an AAM differential before, no way you're gonna get it right on the first shot!!!

 

fwiw, and echoing much of what Hammer said, here are the lessons I've learned about gears:

- re-gearing is the single most effective mod to these trucks..
- quality between actual gear makers is slight..
- quality of installers is massive..
- the install will determine the life expectancy, the noise level, and the peace of mind with your mod.

-complete sets of motive r&p's, and master bearing kits should run you no more than $600
-complete sets of Yukon's can run you in excess of $1k.
-the going rate for install, at most places familiar with gears (read: experience) is anywhere from $300 and axle to $500... if they quote more, they don't do them enough to risk allowing them to touch your rig.
-be inquisitive: the key questions to ask are 'what are the break in procedures?', 'should I expect any noise?', and once they are somewhat comfortable talking with you, and think you are a total dummy when it comes to this procedure, ask them this: "how long is this going to take, and how many times do you have to take the carrier out and put it back in?".. someone who knows this job, especially where related to AAM, will fes up something to the effect "a dang bunch of times, and likely 3~5 hours an axle from start to finish"..

one more thing: gears aren't cheap.. it takes patience to install them, and a little bit of magic to install them correctly.. this kinda sucks- but it suck a WHOLE LOT LESS than fragmenting a casing at highway speeds on a over the road trip.. wanna talk about expense? try THAT one..

take your time man.. choose your installer carefully... matter of fact, order the gears yourself- and install kits.. put them in your tool box, and wait until the opportunity presents itself.. you'll appreciate this in the end..

 

Thanks Hammer
Maybe I should just make the 10 hr trek to your shop. I could convince the wife that it is on the way to the beach anyway....lol

I had thought about the Nashville 4 Wheel Parts but didn't know if someone knew of a better place(maybe a speed shop or something along those lines). I have been in the Nashville 4WP store before (I also own a Jeep) and their prices were all over the board. Low on one thing and outrageously high on another. I have emailed them asking for pricing on this matter. I know there is a large 4 wheel parts in Memphis area that their Jeep club seems to think highly of, and I may check with them too.
I also noticed that Moe's is based out of St Louis and emailed them for recomendations in that region.

 

in most circumstances, I'd tell you to road trip in a heartbeat to find a good installer... but we're talking gears.. you'd hafta drive there, and drive back.. that defeats the break-in procedures..

 

Yep, you gotta break them in gradually over the first 500 miles and that starts with no more than 20 mins at relatively slow speed followed by a cooling down period (see the "How to break in your gears properly" in the FAQ section).
You'd have to plan on being away for a while. Even if you trek 100 miles to have your gears done, you'll have to avoid the interstates and take frequent "rest" stops on the way home.

What Drew says is 100% true, quality of gears from one maker to another in most cases won't make a bit of difference. This mod is ALL about the INSTALL!!!

But of all the mods I have or have had on any vehicle I've owned, it is the single best mod in terms of performance (now I've never done heads or had a blower or stroked out an engine). It is also the ONLY mod on my truck I did not do myself...

 

I got a quote from 4WP in Memphis.
Set of G2 Gears with master kit installed OTD for under $900.
Their shop is almost 2hrs from here.
In order to get a good reputable installer, I will have a 2hr trip no matter what. How long do these stops need to be?
I can take back roads and find a few things to do on the way back. As far as the rest of the break in, I drive 10 miles to work everyday so short trips is not a problem.
Thanks

 

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...new-gears.html

 

find a flat bed.. or remove the axles and haul them there..

second to the install, in terms of having it right, is break-in..

the R&P's will have a coating on them from the factory which will burn off in the first 500 miles or so.. that stuff won't mix well with your gear oil, and you'll want it out of there asap..

the gears themselves will break in- meaning tiny shavings- which act like a sandblast to the rest of the differential.. if and when it finds it's way in between moving parts, it will deteriorate the surfaces.. which cause chatter and improper tolerances.. which will cut drastically into the life of the gears.

the two most important things about break in are heat and friction.. heat removes the coating on the gears, friction marries the two gears for life.. to get it right, the gears have to be heated and cooled in cycles- but not to friction (speeds) that cause excessive wear before the parts and pieces have evenly married each other.

it's conceivable you could do this 100 mile trip in an afternoon- but I'd make sure and have refills of oil with you, and gasket material along with a catch pan.. stopping somewhere around mile marker 50~70 and allowing a good long drain, and swapping fluid.. being told to do this will likely enrage those that know, and cause me to be banned..

on an aside, I have often wondered why factory gears don't have to follow a break-in? do the gears they use not have the coating? are the axles 'pre-broken in' before installing into the truck on the assembly line?

 

If I can get it done on a Sat. The break in won't be a problem on the trip back, following the 20 on 20 off guidline. Just take my time and enjoy the countryside on the way home...lol
I have wondered about the factory gears myself. I drove over a hundred miles the day I brought it home from the dealership. I did take it extremely easy on the truck for the first 500 miles though.