Gear brands

[ohiopatriot]

Don't want to hijack this thread, but still pondering my rehearing. My local shop believes the pinion on the 5:13 is very small and recommends the 4:88. 2004 Rubicon, 33s, automatic. Thoughts?

5.13 pinion is plenty strong.

 

[mrblaine]

Don't want to hijack this thread, but still pondering my rehearing. My local shop believes the pinion on the 5:13 is very small and recommends the 4:88. 2004 Rubicon, 33s, automatic. Thoughts?

Your local shop is just wrong. The size of the pinion has exactly zero to do with what matters.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Don't want to hijack this thread, but still pondering my rehearing. My local shop believes the pinion on the 5:13 is very small and recommends the 4:88. 2004 Rubicon, 33s, automatic. Thoughts?

They're clueless, repeating a false rumor, and just plain wrong.

 

[ac_]

You're local shop is just wrong. The size of the pinion has exactly zero to do with what matters.

Funny when I put 4:56's in I got my master kit from a reputable trans shop and they told me that 4:56 pinion was too small and I should go 4:11. I didn't listen to them (this was my YJ) and put on 4:56's in and wheeled the living piss out of it and never had an issue.

BTW I used Yukon Gear with ARB front and rear.
Just for perspective here is a picture of my YJ with Yukon Gear and ARB's front and rear and 4:56 and a Ford 8.8 in the rear.

Nice view huh?

Please forgive me for posting a YJ pic in a Tj forum, I promise I won't do it again. Just wanted to show perspective.

 

[DC0046]

Thank you gentlemen for your responses. I think I will go with the 5:13s. I appreciate your expertise.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Thank you gentlemen for your responses. I think I will go with the 5:13s. I appreciate your expertise.

Good decision providing you're willing to stick to your guns and not let some clueless shop guy talk you out of them.

 

[CNYJeeper]

Currently looking at replacing gears with 5.13 for the Dana 30/35 I have.

I've seen "Elite" brand (new) from Michigan. Any thoughts or comments or experience(s) on them??

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Currently looking at replacing gears with 5.13 for the Dana 30/35 I have.

I've seen "Elite" brand (new) from Michigan. Any thoughts or comments or experience(s) on them??

Will you or a friend be installing them? If so they're likely fine since we're not seeing posts complaining about bad gear quality. But if you're going to have a shop install them, have the shop provide ALL of the gears and parts needed and have them use the brand of gears they prefer. The reason is simple... if a shop installs everything and uses their preferred parts they provided, their warranty will cover everything no questions asked or post-install problems.

But if you provide any of the parts they install, that gives them an 'out' if something goes wrong during or after the installation. And you know they'd blame the parts you provided and not their installer. And make no mistake, problems with gears are usually always caused by the installer, not by the parts themselves.

 

[CNYJeeper]

Will you or a friend be installing them? If so they're likely fine since we're not seeing posts complaining about bad gear quality. But if you're going to have a shop install them, have the shop provide ALL of the gears and parts needed and have them use the brand of gears they prefer. The reason is simple... if a shop installs everything and uses their preferred parts they provided, their warranty will cover everything no questions asked or post-install problems.

But if you provide any of the parts they install, that gives them an 'out' if something goes wrong during or after the installation. And you know they'd blame the parts you provided and not their installer. And make no mistake, problems with gears are usually always caused by the installer, not by the parts themselves.

Not 100% sure on which route I'll be going. Good reasoning though. Thanks!!

 

[CNYJeeper]

Will you or a friend be installing them? If so they're likely fine since we're not seeing posts complaining about bad gear quality. But if you're going to have a shop install them, have the shop provide ALL of the gears and parts needed and have them use the brand of gears they prefer. The reason is simple... if a shop installs everything and uses their preferred parts they provided, their warranty will cover everything no questions asked or post-install problems.

But if you provide any of the parts they install, that gives them an 'out' if something goes wrong during or after the installation. And you know they'd blame the parts you provided and not their installer. And make no mistake, problems with gears are usually always caused by the installer, not by the parts themselves.

Also, went with the "Elite" gears that use the Timken bearings. They had the option for Koyo, but what I've read on this forum moved me to spend the higher price for the Timkens.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Also, went with the "Elite" gears that use the Timken bearings. They had the option for Koyo, but what I've read on this forum moved me to spend the higher price for the Timkens.

Whether Koyos are better or worse than Timken is now debatable with many respected members here now saying Koyos are better. I dunno, I installed Timken bearings with my RGA gears and they've been great.