I'm in a dilemma. I have a set of 4.88's in my living room and want to get them installed before a road trip. I can get them put in and then it's a 160 mile trip back to my house. Problem is the day after I get back I want to make a 1000 mile trip. I know that you only have 500 miles before your supposed to drain the diffs. Would the 160 mile trip back from the installer at speeds under 60 be sufficient to break them in properly? I could do that, drain the diffs and then head out on the 1000 miler...All on pavement BTW with no towing. Think this will work or am I toying with disaster?

 

Should be fine to do that in my opinion. The reason for the early diff draining is to get any metal shavings and stuff out of there. I've only ever heard of it with new axles (and it's important for new axles,) but not after regearing.

 

I wouldn't recommend it. The first 100 miles or so should be little short trips with cooling time beween to keep from over-heating the gears. During the break-in time the gear teeth are not smooth yet and get hot fast. The worst thing you can do is take a long trip on brand new gears. When they over-heat it destroys the heat treatment of the gear teeth and they will not last long. Ask me how I know.

Here is one break-in procedure http://www.precisiongear.com/pgtechbreak.htm

 

Trips right after big mods leave a chance for big problems.

When you break the gears in, it is slow speed, short trip for 500 miles.

I would not put the gears in until after the trip.

Set up is the most important part, then break-in. Screw up one of those parts and you are pissing money away.

My bro took it easy with mine. 15 or 20 minute drives, then a couple hours of cool down.

 

I guess I should have been more clear. I am going to do the 15 minute drive and cool down cycle several times and then drive the 160 miles, drain the diffs and then do the 1000 mile trip. I talked to the installer and also Randy's R&P tech and they both thought I should be okay. As long as they don't screw up the install I think I should be okay.

 

I wouldn't think 160 miles would be long enough to cut gears. Maybe half way thru the road trip stop at a jiffy lube or something simular and have them change the diff oil?

 

Yikes. A little late for me to read this post, but I just had my gears re-done a couple of weeks ago (4.88). I did some around town for a couple of days (300 miles, or so -- it's a big town), and then took a 1200 mile road trip. Just took it back in yesterday to have the fliud drained and replaced -- no problems on the trip and I've been very happy with the new gears, but man, I really hope I didn't throw myself under the bus.

So, Goat -- how do you know? I'm guessing there's a tragic loss-of-well-earned-money story in there somewhere, huh?

Ed

 

Well, I did everything wrong on my first gear change. The shop didn't tell me anything about breaking-in gears. I had the gears installed 150 miles from home and drove straight home, nonstop, 150 miles at about 75 mph (speed limit on turnpike). As if that wasn't bad enought I wasn't told to change the gear oil either so about 20,000 miles later it got changed. The gears only lasted about another 20,000 miles before they were trashed and making lots of noise.

My last set of gears I changed the gear oil at 100, 200, 500, and 1000 miles. Switching to synthetic at 1000 miles. The first 500 miles were all short trips. I'm not saying that was required, but it worked out that way. Gears and installation are too darn expensive to do every 40,000 miles.