I'll be looking for a cheap stock rear 3rd to swap in for a couple weeks so if anybodies got one they don't want anymore let me know.

 

Good point about the sales tax. My real point was why not get US Gears from US Gear, why play that shell game with Randy's? Buying Yukons is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.

 

yea, I played something more like Roulette with Randy's and I ended up with the chambered round! that'll never happen again.

 

I went with Randy's as well, the gears I got worked out fine (thank god) but the bearings that came with the install kit went to crap in like 2 months. So I didn't have 4wd all winter Finally got them replaced a couple weeks ago.

 

yep, I'm noticing the same thing with the bearings. but I bought the complete from them. Problem they gave me is 1st they sent out a 2nd gen front and then a number of other stuff happened to the build of the correct front 3rd. Next time I pull them I'll check for markings. I basically am going to pull the rear and replace all the bearings and check the arb for damage.

 

Just got back from Tellico with the new 4.88's and I love them. All went great with towing my new 3700 lb popup camper for about 450 miles round trip, with of course wheeling at Tellico in between. I averaged 12 mpg while towing and was able to tow most of the way in 5th gear, with just a few shifts to 4th on long hills and one really long hill that required a shift to 3rd b/c of a stoplight at the bottom of the hill. I could run 70 to 75 on the interstates with no problem. I highly recommend 4.88's if you do a lot of towing.

 

I wanted to add:
i have 99 limited 4r with factory e-locker and 4.30's(think) w/ 285s. stock 265

I just went 251.3 uncorrected highway miles on 15.4 gallons towing a 10' open motorcycle trailer w/ sportbike(350#).
i do have a bit of a lead foot. avg. speed 65-80

Much better mileage,obviously, when driving 55-65. Not bad though. I can live with 17.5-18ish mpg.

 

i'll have one, but it won't be cheap. i'll probally just e-bay it since it's got less than 10k on the factory setup - it was a warranty replacement that i got...

 

ok then. I'm not sure when I'll need it anyway. I sold mine to a coworker here in Houston who wanted it for a "just in case" situation so it's just been sitting in his garage for the last 2 years. he'll let me borrow it for as long as I need.

 

sounds like a plan to me....

 

I'm having my rear diff replaced today, last week four of the ring gear bolts backed out and the others sheared off. Yes, they were set up by a reputable shop and there was plenty of red loctite applied. The tab locking washers were also used, but after a call to Randy's R&P they said they had had some problems with those so they recommende not to use them. Of course this is after the fact and NO the will not warranty them...they are YUKONS. It took out the R&P, the carrier and all new bearings. I only had 12,000 miles on them. The shop is doing the labor for free and splitting the parts...I'm out a Runner and 350.00 bucks all while driving the father in laws Cherokee!

 

Randy's does not recommend Yukon gears?

 

I guess they finally got smart.

 

uhhh, that's kinda funny since Randy's IS Yukon Gear.

Randy's buys up all the manufacturer overruns for cheap, puts them in a Yukon box, and sells them as his own. I have "Yukon Gears", but they are actually Richmonds in the Rear and Precisions up front. There is no such thing as a "Yukon" made gear. It's simply a rebranding operation that is owned and operated by Randy's Ring & Pinion.

 

Great info, should be useful when/if I re-gear.

 

Precision Gear is just a rew-boxer too.

 

Man, this is brought back from the dead. I went through so much crap that I don't even remember what gears I have, it's in this post somewhere though!

 

Wow, so you're the one that started this thread? It's a good one

 

Precision is a reboxer? Didn't know that.

 

Yep. And when the world ran out of FZJ-80 reverse rotation 5.29's both Randy's and PG ran out. As soon as the one go them, so did the other.

Cheese determined by talking to both that the same cutter makes the LC gears, the normal V6 5.29's were out as well at the same time and both restocked at the same time.

There are only a few gear cutters in the US.