I've been looking at new gears for a while now and all the reviews I've read point at Motive gears as being one of the best brands.

Anyone have these installed? Any problems? Better brand somewhere other than Motive, Yukon, Toyota etc?

 

I have never used Motive. I have had no problems with Yukons, or Precision. Invest in solid spacers though.

 

iv always used yukons, same will all my friends.

 

My buddy's TJ on 36" IROCS uses yukon, never had a problem.

 

I've had US gears in both diffs now for many years. Zuk used to recommend them, now I think he likes Precision better. I'd be leary of Yukon since they used to just be a reboxer. Now I think they do have an overseas company making some gears for them.

 

Brand of gears is not NEARLY as important as quality of install.

x2 for solid spacer

 

*laugh* I'm sending the gears to ZUK for the install when I decide which ones to buy. I think that takes the quality of the install out of the equation.

 

That's what I'd do to. Did he not give you any recommendation on brand?

 

then why don't you ask zuk??

ill bet he says motive or precision

x2 on tc's post, id rather have a cheap set like genuine gear properly setup, over some yukons or motives that weren't!

but, im glad thats not the case Ive heard allot of bad things about genuine gear!

 

I've been bothering him alot in the past few days with bunches of questions. I figured I'd hit you guys up for ideas and let him rest before he starts to see my email address and a demon spawned hint of doom.

 

Ask Zuk!

As for solid spacer vs. crush sleeve, I didn't understand what made the srush sleeve "the weak link" so i searched. Found this. Seems like I'm not the only one who is a little skeptical. From http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/crush_sleeve/:

"If I have an assembly with the third member housing, races, bearings, flange nut, etc. all clamped together.....what does the crush sleeve do for the assembly after the preload has been set?

As far as I can see.....nothing.

With the whole assembly clamped tight, the only "play" left should be that which is produced by bearing wear over time. This should be very little. Any such play due to bearing wear will be present whether a crush sleeve or solid spacer was used in the assembly.

Now, suppose the third member flange gets banged on a rock. Theoretically, the crush sleeve could crush further by the amount of freeplay now in the bearings and any "flex" in the whole assembly. So, now the crush sleeve is loose in the assembly. Does it really matter?

I don't think so because after any third member has been run for more than a few hundred miles, bearings will break in and preload will basically drop to zero. There is no need for anything to maintain a bearing preload within the assembly. The slight snugness initially imparted to the pinion nut is now gone, but IF it has been properly staked in place, all should be fine and the nut should not loosen.

I have heard of cases where pinion assemblies have developed play in them, but the pinion nut has not moved from its staked position. This could very well be due to the pinion bearing races not being fully seated within the housing during assembly. The races usually fit tightly and it is important to insure they are completely seated or the pinion stack will loosen over time.

If a pinion nut is not properly staked, it can loosen and cause all sorts of problems, including allowing the pinion to shift inward toward the differential carrier assembly. If looseness progresses, the pinion could contact the carrier and produce gear tooth marks on it.

Pinion setup is commonly misunderstood, and the idea of a "crush" sleeve is perceived as a weak link in the assembly. I have heard so many people talk about "banging it on a rock and crushing it more" but this does not make much sense to me. I have yet to hear anyone present a solid chain of facts to substantiate their claims that the crush sleeve setup is flawed."

 

Being that the cost is almost the same, why even chance it with a crush sleeve?

I may not have the hard data, but I am POSITIVE losing the preload on the pinion bearings is what resulted in my first set of gears going.

As for Genuine being bad, I find it HILARIOUS that people say they are so bad and Yukon are so good, when they are IN FACT the exact same gears the majority of the time.

 

i agree!

though IMO genuine gears are crap, regardless of what brand of box they come in.

and the last 3 sets of Yukon's that i have seen were not genuine gear, but i have heard of what your talking about.

got any links on that subject Tc?

 

I just know that the last set of "Genuine" gears I got said RICHMOND SPORTSMAN on the side, and talking to Alex at PORC, he said almost all the Yukon gears he's seen have said the same. He even had a funny story about somebody not knowing Yukon's were rebranded and demanding they sort through boxes to find him actual Yukon gears (which don't exist)

 

then you didn't get genuine gears, you got Richmond gears in a genuine box correct?
Richmond is good!

i think all true "genuine gears" just say "toy 529" or "toy 488"