Gears, gears, gears

[JFordBronco]

2015 Power Wagon

NO SHOP IN MY AREA WANTS TO MESS WITH GEARS!!

4 Wheel Parts down in Baton Rouge tells me gears aren't available.

I want to go to 35's(or metric equivalent) and at least 4.56 gears, would like 4.88 gears, but beggars can't be choosers.

Has anyone done the gear swap? You got a list of part #'s????

[laramieskibum]

These guys won't do it?
http://searchers4wd.com/new-page

Don't let anyone touch your truck that hasn't done a late model ram. Here is the test I used: have you done an AAM 11.5"? If they say huh. Or studder, put your guard up. Listen to the response and ask to talk to the guys on the shop floor if you don't like the answer. Then ask what year the truck was and if they had any issues with the size of any of the parts (pinion gear is different on the later model 11.5" trucks.). I was one of the first in my area to regear and it took a month of calling around then driving 350miles to someone who had done one before...non power wagon, ARBs).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JFordBronco]

They are several hours away from me, but I'll call them tomorrow and see. I appreciate it! : )

[laramieskibum]

Dupelicate

[laramieskibum]

They are several hours away from me, but I'll call them tomorrow and see. I appreciate it! : )

What area are you in then? To the north there was another 4x4 shop. Google Map: Louisiana offroad shop

Maybe ask around and see what these guys are like

http://www.golto.com/Mobile/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JFordBronco]

I live in Alexandria/Pineville area, its right in the middle of the state. The few shops around here that allegedly do gears don't want to mess with them, the dealership here won't even do them : (

[laramieskibum]

I live in Alexandria/Pineville area, its right in the middle of the state. The few shops around here that allegedly do gears don't want to mess with them, the dealership here won't even do them : (

I know the feeling. Same thing happened to me. Trust your gut if you find someone who agrees to do it.

Try cumminsforum, someone on their has to be from your area and regeared.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[laramieskibum]

Check this thread. South of you but maybe some ideas. Reputable Shop in Southern Louisiana (Baton Rouge)

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?share_ ... are_type=t


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[laramieskibum]

I'll post s thread asking for any ideas you can watch it and see what happens.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JFordBronco]

I live in Alexandria/Pineville area, its right in the middle of the state. The few shops around here that allegedly do gears don't want to mess with them, the dealership here won't even do them : (

I know the feeling. Same thing happened to me. Trust your gut if you find someone who agrees to do it.

Try cumminsforum, someone on their has to be from your area and regeared.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

awesome, I'll try them too!

[JFordBronco]

I'll post s thread asking for any ideas you can watch it and see what happens.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank You

[laramieskibum]

Regear shop in LA? Anyone?

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?share_ ... are_type=t


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Colibri]

It's a long drive for you, but I know a very reputable shop in the Houston area that will do gears on late model rams. Been using him for years for fab work, king of the hammers finisher, and all around skilled Offroad guy.
Brave Motorsports

[OffroadTreks]

Yukon & Nitro make 4.88's for your truck. You need to make sure you get the correct parts however. I thought it was posted here, but I cannot find the thread. A friend Chris who was with us at Power Wagons in Moab did a write-up on his gear swap recently to 4.88's using Nitro gears.

I'll post it here for reference:

GEAR CHANGE NOTES

Complete Gear change kit PN# NG-GPRAM-4.88

Kit included the following;

Nitro 4,88 R&P Rear PN# AAM 11.5-488-NG
Nitro 4.88 R&P Front PN# GM 9.25-488R-NG

Nitro Master install Kit Rear PN# MKAAM11.8-B  
(Note this kit will include the conversion bearing required to run the aftermarket gears in the new housings)

Nitro Master install kit Front PN# MKAAM9.25
The bearing install kits included new crush sleeves, pinion shims and pinion nuts as well as gear marking compound/brush and a small pouch of assembly lube

Alternate options for the bearings from Yukon Gear are as follows, both of these kits contain the conversion bearing also;
Master install kit Rear PN# YK AAM 11.5-CONV (Complete bearing and seal kit for the 14+ housings)
Pinion only bearing kit Rear PN# PK AAM 11.5_CONV
(Pinion seal and inner/outer bearings only)
If you want to buy the front conversion bearing by itself the Timken part numbers are;
Bearing HM807035
Race/cup HM807010

Misc fluids/chemicals
8 qts of synthetic gear oil. (I chose Royal Purple) Book says 7.2 qts to fully service both differentials.
Brake clean for cleaning the housing and part and to remove the shipping/storage coating (cosmoline) from the new gears.
A good quality silicone sealant for the axle shafts when reassembling. (A thin layer is sufficient to allow the original gaskets to seal) If gaskets tear or are in bad shape replace them.
White Lithium Grease
PTFE Sealant for the splines on the pinion
Red locktite for the Axle flange bolts, ring gear bolts, pinion nut, and driveshaft flange bolts.
Tools:
Basic mechanics hand tools (Wrenches, sockets 3/8" and 1/2" drive, screwdrivers etc)
36MM 12 point impact socket for the pinion nut (Autozone # 25206 $19.99) 
1/2" and 3/8" drive impacts if available or 1/2" breaker bar
Pry bar
Allen wrenches
Brass punches multiple sizes.
Parts/wire brushes for cleaning housing
Pinion depth setting tool (these can be expensive) Nitro does not require this in their recommended set up and expect you to set pinion depth based on the contact pattern.
Dial indicator for setting backlash
Bearing splitter and press if available (some shops will do this for you for a small charge)
3 jaw puller for removing the pinion flange (&in depth reach works nicely, its what I had on hand.
Jack Stands rated for your vehicle's weight at a minimum.
Floor jack (dont rely on that factory jack use something stonger and safer)
Wheel chocks
Shop light/flashlight
Creeper
Drain pan
Floor dry (in case you spill your drain pan like I did!)
Shop towels
The job begins...
Before beginning the disassembly clean your axle. Either pressure wash it of get down there and clean all the loose dirt, mud, grime etc. Much easier to work on when clean and easier to keep the internals clean once you have the diff open.
Park the truck on a flat hard surface if you do not have access to a garage. Chock the front wheels and set the rear axle on jack stands. 
Remove wheels. 
Remove the 4 bolts holding the rear sway bar to the axle and tie it back out of the way. Remove the driveshaft flange bolts and pull driveshaft away fron the rear axle. I left mine in the T-case and tied it back out of the way against the skid plates.
Remove the diff cover make sure you have the drain pan in place befor you start removing the bolts. I leave atleast one bolt in at the top to hold the cover in place until it has quit draining. Several of the bolts at the top are behind the track bar but can be accessed with a wrench rather than unbolting the track bar. The gasket on the 2014+ is reusable. Clean the cover and gasket and set them to the side where they will stay clean.
Go to the front of the axle. This is where you will need that 12pt 36MM socket. Set the park brake to hold the pinion from turning and get ready to grunt if you do not have an impact wrench. Remove the pinion nut. Using the 3 jaw gear puller remove the pinion flange. Once these are removed the park brake can be released.
Remove the bolts holding the axles to the hubs. Even though you have drained the diff you will still have a bit of oil that will come out when the bolts are removed. The axles do not need to be completely removed but they do need to be pulled far enough out to clear the carrier.
Unhook the rear locker wiring harness.
It is located on the upper left of the diff housing when looking at it from the rear. This plug does not have the red lock tab like the front diff plug does. Tuck the harness to the side.The bracket surrounding the plug now needs to be removed. This is an allen head screw. Mine stripped out immediately on a 1.5 year old truck. I ended up having to shear the head off of the bolt with an air hammer to remove the bracket. Once the bracket is removed you can push the plug assembly inside the differential and pull it though the back next to the ring gear. At this point I had to remove the remaing piece of bolt from the bracket. It will be replaced with a hex head bolt on reassembly.
Time to remove the carrier and gears. 
Before removing anything mark the bearing caps with a paint pen or stamp them so they can be placed back in the same position and orientation when reassembling. Remove the adjuster locks and bolts from the center of the bearing caps. Move the locker harnes out of the way. Loosen the brearing caps but do not remove the bolts yet. Now the side bearing adjusters can be backed off easily. I have the special tool for turning these adjuster however a small brass punch can be used to rotate the adjusters as well. Once the preload is off of the side bearings they will turn easily. These need to be backed off far enough to allow the carrier to be rolled out of the housing. A second set of hands is very helpful at this point. Now that the side adjusters or loose there will be nothing holding the carrier in once the bearing caps are removed. Having someone to pull the caps while you hold the carrier makes this much easier. The carrier is VERY heavy and if you are not prepared and have a good grip it will fall. This could injure you or do damage to the gear set, locker assmbly/harness all of the above!
Next is the pinion removal.
Again having 2 people here helps but is not necessary. If working alone I will typically reinstall the diff cover loosley with a few rags in the bottom of the diff. This is to catch the pinion when it is driven out. Reinstall the nut on the washer and screw it on by hand as far as it will go to protect the threads during the next operation. Using a large tapered brass punch centered on the pinion shaft drive the pinion out of the front bearing. The bore on the bearing is large enough that the pinion nut will pass through it allowing the pinion to fall out of the back of the differential. This is why the cover was temporarily reinstalled. Or you could have a helper holding the pinion from the back to catch it as it comes free. Once the pinion is out of the housing you can use the brass punch to drive the bearing races and the seal out of the housing. This is a good time to clean and inspect the housing. Clean up any burrs or tool marks you may have made while removing the internals.
Remove ring gear from carrier.
remove the 12 bolts holding the ring gear to the carrier. The ring gear fits very tightly to the case. It will be necessary to use a punch and hammer to drive it off of the case. I set my case on the ground on cardboard with a ring of shop towels to catch the ring gear once it came off. Alternating side to side as you work your way around drive the ring gear off of the case.
Remove and replace the side bearings and install the new ring gear..
This will require a specialty puller or a cut off wheel to carefully cut the old bearings free. A local shop may remove and reinstall the new bearings for a charge or if you have access to a press install them yourself. As the AAM axle utilizes side bearing adjusters in the case there is no shimming required here making set up easier. Clean the case and inspect the ring gear seating area. Clean up any burrs or damage that may be present. The new ring gear is going to be very tight going on. My preferred method is to heat the new ring gear in the oven to around 325-350° F (Wife is not a fan of this) and then wearing heavy welding gloves placing the ring gear on the case.It will require using a soft face dead blow hammer (Plastic or rubber) to drive the ring gear down. Make sure your bolt holes are lined up as it will be part way on the case before you can get a bolt to thread up. It is not recommended to use the bolts to pull the ring gear up tight. Nitro recommendes getting several bolts started to keep it lined up and then driving it into place with the soft face dead blow hammer. Once in place using the new ring gear bolts, locktite (some bolts will come with locking compound already on the threads) and torque the ring gear bolts to the specified torque for the ring gear set you are using. Nitro recommends 110 ft/lbs Yukon recommends 175 ft/lbs for the AAM 11.5 Set the assembled case to the side where it will stay clean.
Pinion bearing removal and replacement.
The pinion bearingshould be pulled off of the old pinion so you can retrieve the old shims for measurement or reuse. The original shim measurement is always a good starting point for setting pinion depth. The "default or recommended" shim set up for the 11.5" from the factory to start is 0.055" You can use either thickness as a starting point but I prefer the original shim thickness and have done quites a few diffs where this ended up being the correct shim for the new gears too. Once the shim and bearing are installed you will need to install the races in the housing. Again make sure everything is clean. Once races are installed it is time to install the pinion without the crush sleeve or the pinion seal. Apply a light coating of clean gear oil to the races and bearings before instalation. Install the flange and tighten just enough to reach the desired bearing preload. New bearing preload is 20-30 in/lbs.
Carrier/case initial install.
Now the carrier can be reinstalled. Be aware of Locker magnet assembly and orientation when reinstalling. Replace the bearing caps in their original positions and orientation and tighten just enough to snug the assembly into the case do not torque to full spec yet, it needs to be just loose enough to allow the adjusters to push the bearing races side to side in the case. Using the dial indicator to measure begin adjusting the side bearings till the gears have the correct backlash and bearing preload. Backlash settings are different for the style of machiining. 2 cut gears require a backlash setting of 0.005"-0.007", 5 cut gears require a backlash of 0.006"-0.010". Now it is time to check the gear contact pattern. spread the marking compound on both sides of several teeth with the supplied brush. Using a rag wrapped around the pinion flange to apply a bit more drag rotate the marked gear teeth across the pinion going both directions. This will leave a patteren in the compound. Compare your pattern to the acceptable patterns as described by the manufacturer of your gears. They will typically come with a picture chart. Make adjustments as necessary to the pinion shims to achieve the desired pinion depth and the side adjusters. Once pinion depth is correct it is time to install the pinion crush sleeve and seal. Set bearing preload to recommended setting. Do not over shoot this setting as the crush sleeve is a one time use item. If you over tighten you will need to replace the crush sleeve and inspect the bearings for damage. Reinstall the case and set backlash and bearing preload one final time apply the PTFE sealnt to the splines and locktite the nut. Torque the bearing cap bolts to 184-230 ft lbs (AAM Specs) Recheck the contact pattern one more time also. If all is good it is time to complete assembly.
Final assembly.
Reinstall the adjuster locks and torque the bolts to 14-25 ft/lbs (AAM Specs). Route the locker wiring back up and through the housing and install the lock plate on plug. Perform final inspection and cleaning before reinstalling cover. Cover bolts are torqued to 23-34 ft/lbs (AAM Spec). Reinstall axle shafts fully into the hubs after cleaning and appl coat of silicone to the sealing surface. Axle shaft flange bolts are Locktited and torqued to 30ft/lbs then turned an additional 37° (AAM Spec). Reinstall driveshaft locktite and torque bolts to, I believe 80ft/lbs (I will need to verify this one). Do a good once over on everything. Double check all bolts, Locker wiring/plug all tools accounted for (I have seen guys lose a small socket or screwdriver only to find it was inside of the piece they just assembled. Don't be that guy! Fill the diff to the proper level with gear oil. I personally like to rotate the assembly by hand both directions to spread the gear oil across everything before I will spin it with the engine. Check for leaks. Reinstall rear wheels. Start truck and place in gear. Listen for any unusual noises when switching to drive and reverse if all sounds good release the brake and let the motor spin the rear wheels at engine idle speed. No need to rev it. Listen for unusual noise from rear diff. If all is good its time to set the brakes, Return to park and get it back on the ground. Follow the gear manufacturer's recommended break-in procedure. Do not subject the gears to hard accelleration or heavy loads during the break-in period. After your first test drive check again for leaks, check gear oil levelcheck wheel torque again.
This is the basics so far. I will update this post when my correct bearings come in. I will do a second post for the front differential. Hope this answers alot of the questions the 2014+ owners have about a gear



Rear diff finally complete. Received the missing bearing and finally was able to assemble. Pinion depth ended up perfect on the first shot with a 0.047" shim pack. Initial backlash was set at 0.0075" and pattern looked good. On the initial test drive I noted a bit of gear noise so apart it came again. Rechecked pinion depth and bearing preload, both were good. Recommended backlash is 0.006"-0.010" from past experience with other aftermarket gears I know they tend to like a little more backlash. Opened it up to 0.010" and rechecked the pattern. The drive side imprint move slightly back from the toe of the gear but otherwise was pretty much unchanged. Reassembled again and have had her out for 3 heat/cool cycles to break the gears in. They are noise free with the bigger backlash! Even with the light throttle and gentle driving I can tell a difference with the 4.88 ratio. Can't wait to get the first 500 miles down so I can mash the skinny pedal and see what she does. Not it's time to start the front...