watch a bunch youtube videos of people doing it, for your specific type/kind/size of diff, to see how the whole process goes, what to do and what not do to, and what special tools you may need.

 

Go to a junk yard and dissemble a rear end/differential the same as yours so you get familiar with how things are and aquainted with any curveballs so you can hit them, in a "safe" environment before taking a whack at yours. I sometimes do this with transmissions that im not familiar with. I'll buy the core and tear it down/reassemble it before taking on the "live" job.

Dremel out the inner diameter of your old pinion bearings until they have a slip fit over the new pinion gear so you can use them as placeholders to take on and off quickly while you swap shims to get the pinion depth right.

Pick up either your vehicle's factory service manual or equivalent for the axle. Also replace your axle bearings and seals while you're at it.

Are you keeping the factory ratio or changing it? If so what do you have now and what ratio are you going to be installing?

 

I'm
going from 3.42 to 4.10

 

Watch a couple of these for ideas. There are a few tools that you need you might not have. I remember the first one I did my torque wrench didn't go high enough, just as a small example. Also, talk with people about who's gears, some are louder than others. I happen to like Yukon Gears, for example, but that's just me.

 

The only tool that I don't have that I know for sure I need is the one used for measuring pinion depth.
I've watched a couple of videos and it doesn't look too bad, I could probably do it in a full day.

 

a shop is expensive.

There is a reason it is expensive.
It is not an easy job.
I garauntee it'll take you all weekend to do it, and then youll second guess yourself for years if you did it right.
Transmissions and reagers are 2 things i wont mess with.
It's not worth it in the end.
Not one bit.

 

There is a reason it is expensive.
It is not an easy job.
I garauntee it'll take you all weekend to do it, and then youll second guess yourself for years if you did it right.
Transmissions and reagers are 2 things i wont mess with.
It's not worth it in the end.
Not one bit.

exact same here.

 

Weenies

 

100%.

but it's also cuz I don't want the wife complaining about a slippery smelly garage floor, as we know, i am talented at spilling lube.

 

Yall ever heard of the 6Ps motto?
I plan to take a whole weekend to do it and to have everything I need on hand, as well as a friend of mine who has experience as a mechanic.

 

We talk about this in Product Management:
Prior Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

 

its doable, its not super complex. If done wrong though, it can be expensive and mentally crushing. I messed my one and only attempt up once. I won't try it again until I have my full home shop with lift done, and a spare car hehe

 

I hear ya, I have a vehicle on hand if I mess up. I may also get me another diff in a higher gear just to have in case.

 

back in highschool i did a 4.56 gear swap in my 67 mustang right in front of an autoze.
borrowed all the tools, removed the carrier, used their back room and swapped the gears.
Drove there with probbaly 3,23 s left with 4.56s'

It can be done, but, I prefer to let someone else do it.

 

Trucks in sig. 275/65r18 tires. 3.08 to 3.73/4.10. leaning towards 4.10 and getting 285s.

 

It's entirely up to you, but in going for 4.10s as it will give better than stock performance than a 3.73. And I plan to put on 275/65/20 a/ts on it later which is about 34"-35".

 

right on! lemme know how you like the change up!

 

I wish I had 4.10's for my '13 (5.3, 6-sp, 3.42, 33" tires).