Story Time,
Spoke to Bob at Moe's about the 2wd kit he is selling and ended up with the kit using 4:10 OEM gears. Looked around for someone qualified for the install. This proved a little more difficult than I first imagine. First I went to a off road shop and got the no problem routine. Price was very high. Checked with a large local service center. Again got the no problem answer. Price was ridiculiously low. Service manager said Oh I think we might need some special tools for that. Went to a shop I had work done at before and the owner was retired and new blood had taken over. They spent 10 minutes telling me why it couldn't be done. Then went to a defunct Dodge dealer that is now a service center for mostly Dodges. This place had the right answers. I asked when was the last time they set up a 9.25 rearend and the Manager said, yesterday. I spoke with the mechanic and he sounded like he knew what he was doing. Price was a little high but you get what you pay for. It took the young man four hours from start to finish with me standing just far enough away not to interfere. Instead of just doing the calculations from the old pinion and the markings from the new he set up his tools and measured from scatch. Loaded the pinion to 27 inch pounds and set the ring to .006 backlash. Finally did a blue check which checked good without any further adjustments. Asked him about break in and he said just drive it. I go back Monday to dump the fluid and refill with synthetic. Drove it home and checked the temperature it was 140 degrees (F). The old gear ran at 127 (F). Launched it hard a couple of times. Got two perfect 20 foot strips with only a slight blog with the final hookup. These gears are perfectly quiet at all speeds. This is how it is suppose to be done. At 60 mph with 30.4 inch tires I gained 300 rpm (1850). I go back Monday to have full service done on the transmition and have the new Edge converter installed.

 

Nice, but i don't think your suppose to run Synthetic in the DTT???

 

And I don't think you're supposed to be launching it for the first 500mi or so?? But, It's your truck, have fun!

 

synthetic is fine in the DTT, BUT NO LAUNCHING!!!! make your starts nice and easy for 500 miles. its imperative for proper break-in

 

Outta curiosity... What'd it end up setting you back?

 

they def. need to be heat treated with a few hot/cold cycles. Local driving in city doesn't get the rear that hot, so taking a few highway runs is in order and then let fully cool. Like 10 of those and then burn away..haha

 

If the temperature had been running high I would have given it more breakin, but the temps are good so the ring and pinion have mated. IMO, OEM gears are much better than the aftermarket sets. However, I do appreciate your input.

 

Actual temps have no bearing on the integrity of the gears/carrier. The heating up and cooling down during the break-in actually strenghtens the components, so in all actuality, the gears will be tougher and stronger at the end of the break-in period. Whether or not your temps are high or low does not prove how strong or weak those components are. It is something you cannot see.

 

$800 (usd) for the kit, +$30 for express shipping and $485 labor. Plus I gave the kid $20 for lunch.

 

^^ very reasonable price for labor IMO for what you had done as long as the job was quality. I would have donated $20 too just for standing over his shoulder...lol