How hard would it be and what tools would i need to do a gear change
i have a 44 rear and the 30 front
i have done everything on my jeep and put 3 other lifts on trucks and jeeps
i have done transmission change but never touched a differntial and was wondering how hard it would be

 

It's very precise work, so hard on a technical level, though it is doable with the right tools and knowledge. Not recommended/

 

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-write-ups-39/gearing-82262/

 

X2 on blacknorthern's writeup.

It's definately doable but you're gonna drop $300-$600 on tools. I figured I was gonna drop alot more than that on a gear change so I bought em. I love excuses to buy tools.

The list:

press
bearing splitter
calipers or micrometer
dial indicator with magentic base
1/2 impact
Special tool to hold pinion flange during final torque
in-lb torgue wrench (not ft-lb)
35 mm socket
setup bearings
various pullers to remove pinion flanges
brass punches to drive pinion out
seal drivers
slide hammer (most JKers don't need em, as most report them sliding right out, but I needed some seriously heavy wacks to get my rear axles out)

last but not least . . . get a case spreader . . . this seems optional until about 1 AM when you've done the 4 or 5th reading and you're still way off. Maddening! Though spendy, this will make time fly and you could always resell it for just about the same price as you bought it.



If you don't have alot of experiance (like me) then do alot of reading. I read 4-5 different sources on how-to. I read and reread until it seemed like it might be easy. It's not, but I gotta lot more tools now!

The happy moment!

 

good job RC. that had to feel good seeing it ride there in the paint finally.

 

x2 ! I never saw your pattern before, great job dude!

dlincoln, you can totally do your own gear change...providing your willing to do like RC says, read, read and re-read...and providing you have at least some mechanical know how (and some tools)
Really once you understand what pinion depth and backlash are, and how they're adjusted it'll all come together...when the two marry up to provide you a nice contact pattern like RC's then your golden

 

My father in law build transmissions for fire trucks, and when I asked him to help due mine... he said " I wouldnt touch that with a 10 ft pole ! "

 

Tools are nice and make the job alot easier.

No doubts

Gerry

 

Thanks blacknorthern and bigblue.

Just last night I pressed the tone ring, bearings and collar onto some new alloy rear axles. Wished I had gottan a bigger press (got one of those little 12 ton harbor freight jobs) and had to jiggle things all around to get the longer axle pressed. Still, it's nice to handle jobs like that at home with the tools from the gear job.

 

Grats on a great job RC. Gotta to you...I just on a job like this and let the pros handle it . Just the thought of a slight miss step can destroy a set of new gears scares me.