Lots of Axle Talk
 

JK Masters,

I am at the beginning of my journey, but I am a planner. I know that eventually I will lift my Rubi, likely to make room for 35" Rubber.

I know that isn't big enough for some, but it's good for what I want, namely a bit more beef and the ability to garage her.

All of that said, two things limited new inventory during my search. I was locked in on a 2016 and my need for an automatic. My wife won't learn, and she needs to be able to drive it if we are out in the RV.

My narrow parameters and immediate need cost me the 4.10 gears. I want to rebuild my D44s with bigger gears.

When I do it, how hard is it, what parts are actually required, and do I need any "special" tools? Last question, should I think about something a little bigger than the 410s?

Thank you, man that was fast...I think I searched poorly...or was just overwhelmed. Thank you again.

You can special order a 2016 with an auto and 4.10s. However if you want 35's I would save that money and regear to 4.56.

As far as doing your gears yourself I have to ask, how comfortable are you working with your hands? Because on a scale from 1 to 5, doing gears would be a 5 due to all the measuring and calculations that are required to do it.

Special tooks
torque wrench
dial indicator
marking compound
grease
RTV
vise
press
case spreader
a punch to mark your bearing caps so you don't mix them up hit the top of one side with 1 bump and the top of the other side with 2.
various sizes of hammers and a brass punch.
A lot of time.
^These are just some of the things that I can think of off the top of my head.

If this post intimidated you a little that is fine. Many don't do their own gears. It is very typical to goto a shop for this.

Thanks for the info bl17z90.

I had intended to special order, but my Silverado was totalled by a red light runner a couple of weekends ago, so I had to buy a little faster than planned.

After reading the details on this, in the referenced post, that nthinuf shared.... I decided it best that I leave this one for the pros. That said, you answered my question on the ratio. I knew I may need to go bigger, so that is why I didn't sweat losing the 4.10s on the inventory vehicle that I bought.

It will be a while, but I want to learn as much as I can, before I pull the trigger on any mechanical mods.

Consider yourself lucky you didn't waste $595 or whatever on the 4.10 upgrade as you probably would want to move up to 4.56 anyhow. It varies by location, but you're probably looking at $1500-$1800 for a regear at a shop, and that includes the parts (gears, master install kit, diff oil). If you ended up with 3.73 in your rubi, you also wouldn't notice any difference moving to 4.10.....like a fart in the wind. It wouldn't be worth the cost.

This....3.73 to 4.10 isn't a huge difference. However all farts are valuable regardless of how windy it is....

lol. I had 3.73s and swapped to some rubi axles with 4.10s. Really couldn't tell at all. Went from 4.10s to 5.13s......LOL, now there was a change!

I just went from 3.73s to 5.13s

35" rubber is easy on JK Rubicon Dana 44s. You might want to get some C gusset reinforcements welded in and maybe even as far as a truss on the front axle unless you plan on upgrading to a beefier axle down the road. I have been driving with 4.10 ratio and 35" tires for over a year now and will fully admit I could use taller gears. 4.56 for just a mall crawler is great, 4.88 puts it in the rock crawler range and could be equipped with 37s down the road.