As the title says I’m re-gearing my 2004 TJ Rubicon to revolution gear 5.38 master rebuild kit. I’ve taken the front axle apart and notice that the original pinion has an oil slinger and the new master kit does not have the oil slinger. I would normally just reuse the old one but I noticed from @Jerry Bransford post about re-gearing his same year rubicon to 5.38 he did not use the oil slinger. Is there a reason for this? Should I refrain from using it? Any help is appreciated!
Re-gearing 2004 TJ Rubicon to 5.38 Revolution gears: Do I reuse the oil slinger?
- Thread starter Corymi1
- Start date
Brianj5600
TJ Expert
My understanding is that slinger is more like an umbrella to shield the pinion seal from fluid slung by the ring gear. I see no reason to leave it out and I put them in both axles.
I'm going to be regearing my new 2005 Rubicon really soon and I've never regeared an axle. Is this something I can do myself or should I take it to someone?
Regearing is best left for the experts. It's a VERY exacting lengthy process that requires special tools and a good amount of direct experience. There will be a few who will jump in to recommend you go for it but few are up to regearing an axle. Done imperfectly the new gears will be toast in short order. I assisted in my last regearing process and was amazed at the process that I know I would have not gotten right the first 3-4 times.
This is true. I used to fix cars for a living, have a degree in auto tech and all that... It took me working under a master tech setting up a few diffs to really get a feel for it and get comfortable doing it on my own. But, I'm almost 20 years removed from that career and I bought a new set of gears with the intention of doing it myself and have since decided to farm it out to those that more practiced than me at this point. In my opinion there are very few places on a vehicle that require true expertise, and properly setting up a differential is at the very top of the list.
My Rubicon had been regeared when I bought it so I don't know what the factory included. There was no slinger in the rear and the front slinger was boogered up enough that I elected not to use it during its last regearing to 5.38. So there's no slinger in either of my axles and two years later it's still fine.