notanymore

so i am looking into regearing my truck to 4.88s and was wondering what would be a good brand of gears to get. iv heard that yukon gears are the best, but i have noticed they are a bit spendy compared to other brands of gears and i was wondering if they are really that much better to justify the cost? i plan on upgrading to 33 inch tires in the near future and i use my truck for light to moderate wheeling every couple of weekends. but are the more expensive gears really worth it or will the cheaper ones hold up just fine?

tc

Cheap gears with a great install will outlast great gears with a bad install EVERY time ...

NOTE: Yukon does not make gears. They simply rebox Precision, US, or Richmond gears.

Check out PORC or Randy's Ring and Pinion for good prices on gears.

chimmike

don't buy from PORC. They have a TERRIBLE history of sending out the wrong parts. I can't even be sure if the gears I got from 'em are right, but I know the two different master install kits they sent were WRONG.

mt_goat

X2, get a good installer that understands the extra stresses placed on gears in 4low... like Zuk or ORS.

True sometimes you get the good gears from them, but now unfortunately they also rebox import gears. And good luck finding out what you'll get before you open the box up. If you want to be sure of getting a great set of gears go to the source and ask for a distributor near you. http://www.usgear.com/ Or better yet buy 3rds already set up with the gears and lockers of your choice from a good installer, like http://www.gearinstalls.com/ or http://www.offroadsolutions.com/meetthestaff.htm and sell your old 3rds complete.

d0ubledown

JT's in WA has some good deals on Motive gear full kits...F/R + install kits. yukons are good..if you get the good ones. IMO, id get in order: motive/precision/yukon. since youre in WA, go either JT's or Randys. if you want trouble free gears, get them installed by the whomever you buy from, so that way they can warranty it if something were to go wrong. its all about the setup.


...or why not just try to locate some factory 4.88 or 4.56 diffs from junkers?

AlaskaToy

yukon is like a box a chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get.

some are reboxed/rebadged. But they definately do cut their own gears. Most people have fine success with them, some do not. I picked up a set of 5.38 Yukons for a GM 14-bolt FF. the pinion support arrived with gouges in it from cutter overrun. My gears were not an isolated case, shortly after the release of the botched gears, refunds were offered and shim kits were offered to do damage control. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...=456149&page=3

Yukon's reputation for standing behind their products is very good. But IMO, their overall quality/quality control is lacking.

My aftermarket gear order of preference is Richmond, Precision, motive, genuine, yukon

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

We have gears and complete thirds set up with lockers/gears.

Separately, I can get any gear brand you want.

notanymore

wow thanks guys, i guess this is why i post up here, i was under the impression that yukon was top of the line or something, im accually doing this for a friend and his 85, but is a budget of $1000 maximum and he wants a rear lockright or other lunchbox locker too, is this a realistic budget? im just starting the shopping around i can remove the 3rds but i will either be buying preset up 3rds or take them into a local shop, generally which is cheaper?

tc

Last time I looked, setup thirds from Randy's Ring and Pinion were awful comparable to buying the parts and paying for a good setup...

d0ubledown

i'd buy junker/spare 3rds, quality gears, and quality install kits...and mostly a quality install. i paid 2 bills per diff for an elocker regear, as well as a front regear+arb install. i also bought spare front diff & elocker and brought it all to my gear guy, and swapped em out myself.

ovrrdrive

You remain the only person I have ever seen bash PORC. I suggest the thread starter go search this forum, and a bigger forum like Pirate 4x4 and form his own opinion. PORC is a great company with great service, and excellent prices that gets recommended on every forum I frquent.

And I second the recommendation of Motive, Precision or Richmond above...

ovrrdrive

www.trail-gear.com has preset up thirds too and their pricing is almost exactly what you'd pay to piece it out yourself. I have a buddy that has one of theirs and it has worked flawlessly through some hard off roading...

notanymore

well porc looks like it has the right prices on stuff, how good are the PORC brand gears? i was looking at getting these ones, are they any good or should i buck up for like precision gears http://www.performanceoffroadcenter....oducts_id=2174

i like the idea of being able to get some other things in the same shippping, what are your guys opinions on the 130w h3 bulbs for putting in hella 500s?