So I bent my front D30 axle housing on my 09 JKU this past weekend. If I can find a replacement, how hard is the gear relocation in the pumpkin? I have already pulled the front axle and stripped it down except for the internal gears. I have read enough to know that a gear swap is not something I want to try. Would the same be said about moving the gears from one axle housing to another?

Thanks for any advice.

 

I am pretty sure swapping gears requires the same skills needed in changing them.

 

Unfortunately yes the same set of skills is required.

I wish it weren't true, or I'd have stuck in a set of 3.73 or 4.10 in my Jeep already.

 

Bummer. Sorta on that same boat too floating up shit creek without a paddle,

 

Tools

You will require a good, complete set of regular hand tools including the usual hammers, punches, wrenches, sockets, and the like. Air tools are not a must, but will certainly make the job a lot faster and easier. You will also need the following:

Foot-pound torque wrench - you need one capable of reading at least 250 ft-lbs for torquing the pinion nut, which affects pinion-bearing preload. You can try to do without, and use a “calibrated-by-feel” cheater bar or impact wrench but you will seriously compromise your set-up if you do.
Inch-pound torque wrench – needed for reading pinion-bearing preload. “Experts” sometimes claim to be able to set this by feel. Those with a great deal of experience or a gifted touch probably can - but it's not a recommended approach for most. I certainly can’t and wouldn’t want to make do without this tool – again, it directly impacts one of the four major settings you’re trying to get right. Because you need to use the tool to measure torque while rotating the pinion, a “click-style” torque wrench will not work – you must use a beam-style or better yet a dial indicating torque wrench.
Dial Indicator – needed to measure run-out, backlash, and carrier shim stacks. It might be possible to get backlash close simply by reading the contact pattern, but with specs in the range of four to ten thousandths of an inch, you’re going to get a pretty rough job without a dial indicator.
0-1” micrometer callipers – needed for measuring both old and new shims. You simply cannot do the job without this one.
Set-up bearings – needed to avoid damaging real bearings and/or going insane while pulling and pressing the bearings on and off the dozen or more times you’re likely to need to while making adjustments to shim stacks. Take my advice – don’t even think about doing the job without set-up bearings. Besides, you can easily make your own set-up bearings from the old bearings – which also gives you all the reason you need to use new bearings when setting up gears – something I recommend anyway.
Gear marking compound and brush – for reading the gear tooth contact pattern, the most critical part of the entire job – you simply can’t do without it.
Bearing pullers and/or bearing separators with a press. Depending on their size, you will need one or both of these to remove the old bearing cones from the pinion and carrier. I have seen folks attempt the work with hammer and punch (ahem, cough) and the results are predictably disastrous. Don’t ask why I have a large pile of ruined bearings in the corner please!
Bearing / seal drivers and/or press – appropriate drivers are required to install the carrier-bearing cones on the carrier (a press is much preferred, but it can be done carefully with hammer and driver), the pinion cups in the housing (a driver must be used), and the bearing cones on the pinion (press preferred for inner pinion-bearing cone, driver must be used for outer). You can often fabricate your own drivers, or at least the shafts, from scrap pipe or tube; but the face should be soft (aluminum or brass) to avoid damaging the new bearings.
Pinion-nut socket – a 15/16” socket is required for the Dana 60 pinion nut, with a sufficiently thin wall to fit in the yoke.
Pry bars – required for removing the carrier from the housing in most cases. A case spreader would be better still, but is not essential.
Dead-blow hammer – needed for seating the carrier and/or pinion in the housing, especially if a case spreader is not used. A dead-blow hammer is like a combination of a mallet and a hammer: heavy like a hammer, soft-faced like a mallet to avoid damaging components. It also has a moving weight inside to reduce “bounce-back” when a blow is struck (hence the name “dead blow”).
Punch or stamp – for marking carrier-bearing caps so that they can be reinstalled correctly.
Assorted wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, oil drain pan, silicone RTV, thread-locker, vice, hammers, parts cleaner, rags, and a 3-foot breaker bar or large impact wrench.

 

Thanks for the replies. I think my best bet is to find a used D30 with 3.73 to avoid touching the gears.

 

That's my plan. It will be tons cheaper that way as well. You should be able to pick one up for $150-$300.