• Notice for iPhone users: DO NOT use the image size reduction option when uploading photos to the forum. This causes portrait images to post as landscape. We have added a warning to the image insert pop-up as well.

Regear and Axle Question

cdvcj8

It's Not My Scrambler
Lifetime Member
City
West Friendship
State
MD
I currently have the stock Dana 30 and AMC 20 axles with 2.7.3 gears. As I've mentioned before I need to do a regear. I'm going to 4.11. That part is settled. However, I need advice on how to get there.

I got quotes from installers and they're around $2K just for the regear. However, I also asked about changing the axle shafts and bearings. Essentially a complete overhaul, except for the brakes. That brings it up to 4K. My Scrambler has 100K on it. My son only occasionally gets it muddy. No wheeling. I'm only on 31" tires. Should I bother with changing/upgrading the axles? I've researched around and I can get complete D44 axle assemblies for 7K INCLUDING brakes. That's a lot of coin, but I assume I would never touch the axles again. My biggest reason is that I'm planing on taking it on a very long trip this summer and I want to make sure it's as reliable as possible.

Thanks!
Chris V.
 

wm69

Scrambler Junkie
Silver Member
Lifetime Member
City
God's Country
State
AR
I have two CJ's currently running 31's with 2.73's. It's not ideal, but they do ok. I do plan on changing one to 3.31 and have the axles to do it.

4.11's are going to have your engine SCEAMING on the highway unless you go up quite a bit on tire size. Are you planning on going with bigger tires eventually?

If it's only on 31's and rarely off-road I'd leave it alone. IF you have problems it will likely be a spun axle in the rear, and if that happens simply install Moser or another quality 1 piece axle kit and you shouldn't have to do anything more. Again, this is assuming you are sticking with the 31's.

CJ axles need to be upgraded if running really big tires. 31's are only one size bigger than stock, so no worries.

If you're set on lower gears, keep an eye out for 3.31, 3.54, or 3.73 geared AMC20/Dana30 setup that someone is removing from a Jeep (either parting out or going with heavy duty parts to run 35"+ tires) and swap the whole assemblies in.

I got the 3.31 widetracs with one piece axles in the AMC20, lock-right lockers installed in both ends, and Warn 6 bolt hubs on the Dana 30, for $500 a couple years ago. Also picked up an extra 3.31 Widetrac with open diff for $75 early this year, just in case. Gears are already set up in them (from the factory) and if I have any major carnage I just swap in the whole assembly.

You can spend $$$$$$ in a Jeep, but overbuilding something and spending thousands to do it doesn't make much sense if you're only lightly using it and running stock-ish tires. Also remember you won't get .10 per dollar spent on upgrades if you decide to sell it.

If you're taking it on a long trip and want to make sure it's ready to go, put some one piece axles in the rear end (which will come with new bearings), and get new bearings in the front end as well. Change the fluid in both diffs, and hit the road. Moser 1 piece axle kits are about $300, and installation shouldn't be more than $100-200 on top of that.

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Drivetra...Kit.aspx?t_c=12&t_s=237&t_pt=5564&t_pn=GMECJL
 
Last edited:

cdvcj8

It's Not My Scrambler
Lifetime Member
City
West Friendship
State
MD
wm69: Thanks for the response. I have no plans to change the tires. I love the way it stands now. Yes, Jim was nice enough to reach out and he talked me down from the 4.11's. Maybe 3.7.3 would be a good compromise as you suggest. My biggest problem is that I was driving it in the hills of WV and my speed dropped down to as low as 35. I don't drive it faster than 55 on the flat so that should help a little with the RPM's. Jim was in agreement with you that it doesn't make sense to put much work into the front as I almost never put it in 4H. It won't go into 4L, but that's another thread for the future :) That would also bring my cost down as well.

You make a good point about dropping too much into it as well. Someday I may do a cha-ching build, but I'd probably do everything from scratch for that and keep this one for him.
 

wm69

Scrambler Junkie
Silver Member
Lifetime Member
City
God's Country
State
AR
The Scrambler in my avatar has never been in 4L. Dad bought it new and getting it into 4H was a major PITA for the first 1500-2K miles. Now it will go into 4H but we have never been able to get it into low. If you figure out what the problem is with yours please post it up. I have a feeling ours is still stiff from the factory (little over 4500 miles on it now) and there is probably something not quite right with the shift linkage.

I understand that in the hills the low gears make a much bigger difference. We're so flat here you can watch your dog run away for two days, so the 2.73's and 31's aren't a big deal on the highway.
 

Graveltravels

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Red Deer
State
AB
Definitely no to 4.11's!!! As mentioned, just mild regear, and one piece axles. You won't have problems with your axles. I have a CJ 7 sitting in the garage waiting on its turn to be reborn, once I finish the CJ 8 over build. Jeesh. That's a build that's gonna drain me financially!! I'm planning to run 35"'tires, on scout D44's, which I have already, and with the 258, I'm looking at 4.11's being more than enough for my purposes. And this one will see the bush too. Definitely keep an eye out for a set of CJ axles from a 4 cyl. That should net you the gearing you want. That's what I've done for my sons YJ. Bought a 4 cyl YJ for parts with the 4.10 ratio.


 
Last edited:

craveman85

CJ-8 Member
City
Dolgeville
State
ny
That sounds like a very high estimate. I got quoted 650 from one shop and 600 from another to change gears. Both said that includes all new bearings. Shafts for the rear would be 300. Hell for 4000 I'd bet you could get some custom axles built that will handle a lot more power and maybe even 4 wheel disc brakes.
 

Doc Savage

Basic User
City
Greenville
State
TX
I regeared my Scrambler when I rebuilt it. Went from 2.73s to 3.54s. I was considering 3.73 like I had in my LJ, but from the 3.54 to a 3.73 you have to swap carriers also. I found some NT axles with the proper gears that set me back about $250. I had one buddy offer to do the swap for me for $600. I thought that was high and contacted another friend from WAY back in high school who works at a shop back home. He came over told me what to do (pressing bearings, shims, etc.) then when I'd done that he came over and measured the patterns and we tweeked some things and were done. Gears worked great. He also didn't charge me anything and he only spent a couple of hours working on it. It really isn't that hard, we got good patterns quickly. The AMC 20 was easier to set up as the shims were outboard of the bearings. On the D30, I took the old bearings and races and took the dremel to them to get them to slide on and used those as "setup bearings" to check everything before pressing the bearings on for the final setup. Really the tricky part was having the proper measuring tools and knowing where to set them at to measure. It really wasn't that hard.

I did make it a point to read several articles on doing it to have a clue about what we were doing. My buddy had never setup Jeep axles, but did Spicer axles before.
 

cdvcj8

It's Not My Scrambler
Lifetime Member
City
West Friendship
State
MD
That sounds like a very high estimate. I got quoted 650 from one shop and 600 from another to change gears. Both said that includes all new bearings. Shafts for the rear would be 300. Hell for 4000 I'd bet you could get some custom axles built that will handle a lot more power and maybe even 4 wheel disc brakes.

@caveman85

Actually, after checking back I forget that the quote included new diff covers as well. Here is the breakdown for JUST the front axle without the diff covers:

Labor Service - Regear Front Axle 530.00
Yukon Master Overhaul Kit w/ Timken Bearings 125.00
- Dana 30, Front

Yukon Ring & Pinion Set - Jeep, 125.00 # This price seems like a mistake as it's way under the internet prices I've seen
CJ5/CJ6/CJ7/CJ8, Dana 30, Standard Rotation,

Gear Oil & Gasket 30.00

Taxes and shop supplies around 90.00
=========
$900

However, I know I might need a new carrier as well, which I assume they would hit me for later and would add another $130 per axle.

Another shop here quoted me $2200 as well so they seem on par with each other. Maybe your guys are using cheaper parts and your labor prices are lower??

I was thinking the same thing about just getting built axles, but the only place I've talked too so far was almost 7K for two new DANA 44 axles. As you say, they would be much tougher and would have disc brakes in the rear as well. It I could find some completely built axles for 4K I'd probably do it, but I haven't seen anything like it yet.

@Doc Savage
A part of me is thinking for $1000 in labor I should do it myself (new tools required don't count in the cost equation :smokin: ) I wise man said it's not what you buy, but what you build. More than the money it guts me to take it someplace and have someone else do. I enjoy learning how to do these things myself. I'd make mistakes and have to rebuy some parts, but I have plenty of time and with the new lift I'm getting it should be a little easier.

I though about 3.54 as it would be on the right side of the axle carrier break for the front. I've been doing some research and it looks like that would be a big enough change to make it worthwhile and it would save some money.

Thanks for the responses!!
 
Last edited:

craveman85

CJ-8 Member
City
Dolgeville
State
ny
I don't know if it's the same with the amc 20/ Dana 30 axles but I used a homemade pinion depth gauge, a basic magnetic mount runout gauge, el cheapo bearing separator and a small harbor freight shop press to do my rear in my ranger. I think it took maybe 4 hours and didn't cost very much. If you can convince my girlfriend to buy me arbs then you can have my carriers and 3.73s. Hell I'll even pay shipping.
 

GreatCJ8

Charter Member
Gold Member
City
Lynchburg
State
VA
If it's only on 31's and rarely off-road I'd leave it alone.
x2

However if your axles are still original (2 piece with the keyway to join them) I'd recommend Moser 1 piece axles fwiw
Back in the late 80's I spun my left rear axle half (in Germany- pre internet. Getting parts was a major PITA!) & a year later I spun the right rear half.
It was at that point I upgraded to 1 piece axles & haven't looked back!
 
Top