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4 Wheel Parts Installation Deal

FightinTXag

FightinTXag

1/2 ton status
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Apr 11, 2006
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Location
Fort Worth, TX
I got a mailer yesterday advertising that on May 20 and 21 only there will be a 50% off installation special going.

Whoever ordered my truck originally spec'd 2.73 gears with 700R4 trans. It won't hold OD with the teensy 235/75/15 tires on it now. So I'd like it regeared with 4.11s. Plus the rearend has about 1/8 driveshaft turn worth of slop in it.

I called up there and they regularly charge $350 rear and $385 front for regearing. I asked if they'd honor the coupon and they said sure and if I wanted to get it done before that weekend, they'd make it happen.

Sounds like a pretty good deal. Buy the parts and get both my 10 bolt axles rebuilt and regeared for $370 or so in labor.

Thing is, I don't trust anyone to change my oil. When it comes to setting up a diff correctly I'm wary of these do-everything guys at 4WP. They can probably lift a IFS Z71 like nobody's business, but regearing a diff? Normally I'd go to a reputable drivetrain specialist for this kind of work. Anybody have any experience with the techies at 4WP? - Especially @ the Fort Worth store or with regard to rear end work.
 
I purchased a 4" lift from them and asked for some tech help on installation. I asked which way the fat part of the pinon wedge so face. They told me the wrong way and then when I noticed it wasn't right several weeks after installation I called them back and just for fun asked them again. To my suprise they told me wrong again so I told him that the pinon agle is not right and to draw it on a piece of paper and see if you get the same answer. He then said oh ya it goes the other way. I informed him that he told me the wrong way twice and and he just said we only give advice and recommendations not guaranteed instruction.

This was the second bad dealing with there tech installers. The first was on that same lift order they provide that raised steering arm (as you can tell Im still learning terminology) and it didn't fit. They checked the part # and said it should fit. The installer came from the back and said that my bolts must be bent. I showed him that the holes on the new arm don't match the old arm. Finally after 1 hour of drama the store manager opened another new arm and the bolts lined right up with the old one and slipped right on the truck.

The thrid time, I had new wheels ordered and I needed lug nuts. The told me the book said it was some metric # but I told him that I needed 9/16 because thats what the ones on the suburban were marked. He said that I had the wrong studs on and the metric ones were the right ones. They wern't as you can imagine. So I had to drive back and get the 9/16 lugs. With a smile he told me that the 9/16 lugs were quite a bit more. I asked to see the manager and explained the issue and that I wasn't paying a dollar more for lugs. He said that ok fine but he had to order them and he would call me. I quickly asked why were they in stock when the sales desk was trying to charge me $18 more. He magically mad them appear. I think the manager just wanted me gone so he didn't charge me anymore. That was the last time I had been to 4 wheel parts and never intend on going again.

That was my experience here in California. I cant say they are all that bad but If you do have the work done there I wish you all the luck in the world.
 
Don't get suckered into buying Genuine gears. I have seen plenty of shops that charge 200-250 per axle for regearing. I wouldn't let anyone at 4WP come within 10 ft. of my truck.
 
I wouldn't let anyone at 4WP come within 10 ft. of my truck.
Click to expand...

Guess that pretty much says it all.

Side note - the guy did say I'd have to buy the parts from them to get the 1/2 off installation deal. Unless they carry something else, I think it means I'd have to go with those Genuine Gears.
 
3.42 and 3.73 f/r 10 bolts are a dime a dozen, I'd pay nowhere near what your regearing costs would come out to.

Sound like 10 bolts will work fine for you, I'd seriously consider just doing that. Not the 4.10's you want, but with 235's, I can't imagine the 3.73's will make your truck a slouch. :)

4.10's, if ever available in the 10 bolts for our trucks, are going to be pretty hard to find, other than 3.73, you'd be better off going with beefier axles to get 4.10's. But it doesn't sound like you need beefier axles.
 
You're right about not needing beefier axles. Call me a poser or whatever, but this truck will probably never see a trail or 35s as long as I own it.

235/75/15 tires and 2.73s have me turning 1550 rpms at 70 in OD, and the truck won't stay in 4th at all. (What the hell were they thinking in '85 when the national 55 limit was in effect?)

I figure I need to get to where I'm turning around 2000 rpms or so at 70 to get it to hold OD better. 3.73's would do that with my current tires. But these tires look pretty ridiculous. I'd like to go to 31's or maybe a small lift (2.5" maybe - not 4" I like the factory look) and 33's.

So with that in mind I had come up with the following:

Tire Size / Gear Ratio / RPMs at 70 in 4th
235s / 2.73 / 1550
31 / 2.73 / 1450
33 / 2.73 / 1360

235s / 3.73 / 2120
31 / 3.73 / 1980
33 / 3.73 / 1860

235 / 4.10 / 2330
31 / 4.10 / 2180
33 / 4.10 / 2050

3.73s would probably work for me, but I felt like the 4.10s would be sure to eliminate highway gear hunting even if I went all the way up to 33s. But if 3.73s can be had that much more economically then I may have to look that way.

I should also mention, fuel mileage really doesn't matter. I've got a 92 S10 for commuting.

There's a gearshop here that'll regear my axles for $150 in labor if I pull the axles and bring them in. He estimated with R&P and bearing kits, I'd be $850 out the door. He couldn't recall if I'd need new carriers to go 4.10 though. If so he said it'd be more like $1100.

I could get somebody's used 10 bolts with 3.73 and just slap 'em under my truck for $3-400, but it seems like I'd be compromising on ratio and who knows what I'd have as far as bearings and seals. I guess that's the trade off for saving $$ though.
 
Even though the carrier break is 4.10 and lower you can just buy "thick" gears instead of replacing the carrier (thick gears are the same price as normal). There is no real reason to replace the carrier. I would pull your axles and get the 4.10's.
 
There may not be a carrier break for 10 bolts, honestly I am not sure. Just ask whoever you order your gears from. They will know for sure.
 
I run 33's on a 2 1/2" lift with 4.56 gears on my '88 K5 and absolutely love it. I plan on going 35's next year though. I probably won't regear but I don't drive my K5 daily either. The setup I have now is great for wheeling and driving around town. At about 70mph I'm doing about 23-2400 rpm's. I got one hell of a deal on the axles under my K5 too. I paid $400 for both of them and they were only about 6 months old after being completely rebuilt. The PO totalled the truck they were under and needed the cash. That was about 2 1/2 years ago. :D

Rick
 
Hey Rick,
You're setup sounds like exactly what I'm aiming for. 4.56's with the 33's would put you about 2280 per my calcs, so given that 33's never actually measure 33" 2300-2400 is probably more realistic.

That wouldn't be bad for highway driving. But for me 4.56's wouldn't work too well on the highway in the meantime while I'm wearing out these 235's (2600-2700 rpms) or if I only go to 31's (2450-2550 rpms).
 
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