What did you do to your JK today?

[WSS]

Did a small project that I hope has a good return. I put some air dams on the side of the radiator. The OE rubber dams were rotted and from the original radiator (has a big Ron Davis now) I have a slight heat problem when on the freeway and climbing.

The new air dams are not as flexible and cover the gap/holes at the sides. I used .080” kydex for the project.

Before:

After:

I used cardboard for a template the cut and formed the piece

 

[Speartip]

Did an oil change. Ordered new tires and a new interior fan motor resistor . Second one in three years ?
Was able to get sone wheeling in before the snow hit the mountains .

 

[Danarch]

Not today, but Tuesday. Our daughter rear/ended a car that just slammed on their brakes. The cops said if it wasn’t for the dash cam they would have put her down at fault. Also insurance saw the dash cam video and also said not her fault. She swerved in hopes to avoid it. Shoved the axle back about 3”. Been at the shop since Wednesday and haven’t heard a word.

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Found out late last week the Jeep is totaled. Damage front axle, frame bent and damage to the transmission. Now waiting on the settlement.

 

[pc1p]

Did an oil change. Ordered new tires and a new interior fan motor resistor . Second one in three years ?
Was able to get sone wheeling in before the snow hit the mountains .

If you're burning up resistors, it's likely that your fan motor is going, causing excessive amperage through the resistor pack...

Great photos btw!

 

[Cimmerian]

Just ordered a Motive master install set in 5.13 for my (automatic) JK. I'm excited for this thing to finally stop being a pig.

What is the average price to get these installed since I'm not doing it myself. I'm guessing around $1000.

 

[Flipx99]

Just ordered a Motive master install set in 5.13 for my (automatic) JK. I'm excited for this thing to finally stop being a pig.

What is the average price to get these installed since I'm not doing it myself. I'm guessing around $1000.

I live in TN and see between $700 and $1,000 in labor per axle. I'm looking to just get the rears done w/ TrueTracks and it is ~$2,500 out the door parts and all. For me, it is cheaper to buy a junkyard Rubicon axle in 4.10 than it is to have a non-Rubicon geared to 4.88.

 

[Cimmerian]

Wow, $700 to $1000 per axle. That shop must have a monopoly in your area.

I already have 4.10s in mine but really no desire to swap my D30 to a D44 in the front. The off roading I do just doesn't justify it.

 

[Flipx99]

Wow, $700 to $1000 per axle. That shop must have a monopoly in your area.

I already have 4.10s in mine but really no desire to swap my D30 to a D44 in the front. The off roading I do just doesn't justify it.

Yeah I thought so too but I got three quotes and $700 in labor on the low end and $1,200 in labor on the high end. In 2021 I regeared my TJ front and back with TTs for less money. I wanna say it was $1,800 OTD.

 

[pc1p]

Wow, $700 to $1000 per axle. That shop must have a monopoly in your area.

I already have 4.10s in mine but really no desire to swap my D30 to a D44 in the front. The off roading I do just doesn't justify it.

Agreed - that’s about double the rate that I’ve historically seen…

Heck, prior to COVID, LetzRoll (Mesa, AZ) had $1200 regear specials - that included all labor, gears, and supplies. They were charging ~$400/axle. I’m sure things have gone up a bit, but I thought the $1000 estimate was fair. Maybe I’m wrong though, I’ve always done my own… I’ve never actually paid a shop.

 

[Cimmerian]

I’ve always done my own… I’ve never actually paid a shop.

I don't have the tools, time, or expertise to do it myself in my tiny one car garage. I'd love to be able to but outside of regular maintenance and stuff that doesn't require a massive amount of disassembly, I'm out of my league.

 

[Flipx99]

Agreed - that’s about double the rate that I’ve historically seen…

Heck, prior to COVID, LetzRoll (Mesa, AZ) had $1200 regear specials - that included all labor, gears, and supplies. They were charging ~$400/axle. I’m sure things have gone up a bit, but I thought the $1000 estimate was fair. Maybe I’m wrong though, I’ve always done my own… I’ve never actually paid a shop.

I’ve thought about it. But I understand the bearing set tool is something like $800.

 

[pc1p]

I’ve thought about it. But I understand the bearing set tool is something like $800.

If you do A LOT of axles, the bearing puller tool is convenient, but for only a set of axles, you can simply cut off the old bearing races and use a clamshell puller (around $60). You'll want a 12T shop press though, which is ~$150-200 nowadays. You'll also need a dial indicator, but those aren't too much $$, and well as a decent set of digital calipers or micrometer (which ever is your preference).

 

[Flipx99]

If you do A LOT of axles, the bearing puller tool is convenient, but for only a set of axles, you can simply cut off the old bearing races and use a clamshell puller (around $60). You'll want a 12T shop press though, which is ~$150-200 nowadays. You'll also need a dial indicator, but those aren't too much $$, and well as a decent set of digital calipers or micrometer (which ever is your preference).

Based on your comment, I went down the YouTube hole and if you are replacing the carrier then I’m not even sure you need that tool. It seems like you could have a machine shop press on the pinion bearing and one on the carrier, correct?

 

[pc1p]

Based on your comment, I went down the YouTube hole and if you are replacing the carrier then I’m not even sure you need that tool. It seems like you could have a machine shop press on the pinion bearing and one on the carrier, correct?

I mean, if you take the time to prep your old bearings (as “drivers”) and make a matching new set of “setup” bearings, you could install everything you need with a heavy hammer and race installer.

Depending on the axle, on something like the JK44, you don’t even need setup bearings for the carrier since the shims are outboard style.

 

[Flipx99]

I mean, if you take the time to prep your old bearings (as “drivers”) and make a matching new set of “setup” bearings, you could install everything you need with a heavy hammer and race installer.

Depending on the axle, on something like the JK44, you don’t even need setup bearings for the carrier since the shims are outboard style.

Am I correct about the pulling of the bearings? It looks like that was only required because the carrier was going to be re-used. In my case, the carrier will go in the scrap bin and so no puller would be needed. Is that correct?

 

[Karlow]

Well, kinda,
To pull the bearings you a $120 tool and a 1/2" impact.
You can use a toaster oven to install them.
The most important tool is the impact.
You need the dial indicator and mag stand.
A set of jack stands, Torque wrench and misc tools.
You will need to R&R the gears 5 or six times or more.
I was quoted $1100 for the labor in So Cal last year,

It seems to have come out OK except the seals r leaking dam it.
I ended up putting a cheep posi in both ends. I don't know if that was a good idea yet.

 

[pc1p]

Am I correct about the pulling of the bearings? It looks like that was only required because the carrier was going to be re-used. In my case, the carrier will go in the scrap bin and so no puller would be needed. Is that correct?

That is correct - if you’re not reusing the carrier, you really don’t need to pull the bearings. There IS an advantage in having the inner race of the used carrier bearing since it is handy to use as a “pusher” when installing the new bearings, but there are plenty of ways around it.

Now that I think about it, when I regeared the axles on the Islander, even the D30 had outboard shims, which means there would no need at all to pull the bearings on either the front or rear axle.

One note: although plenty of people don’t use a case spreader, they make set up with outboard shims much easier. They also make it much more reliable to get to the proper carrier preload at the final setup.

Again, if you’re only doing one set of gears, if may be hard to justify some of the tool costs. That said, you’ll still come out ahead $$-wish even if you need to buy a press, puller, dial indicator, etc.

FWIW, I bought this puller a while ago and have used it dozens of times. It makes like easy if you did decide to reuse a carrier.

https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/606...0eFcHSzF6bCBO8xDGQqLHjkdeVm23B6MaAlxbEALw_wcB