The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 1/2 ton Tourquetube ring and pinion swap

If i swap my 4.11 gears for 3.50 gears,do i have to change the old bearings and seals they seam ok.I can save about $400.00 this truck is not special.I may still go open driveshaft ,just checking out my options.thanks

You do not need to buy the additional installation set when ou buy the 3.55 R&P set.

You could inspect the bearings/bushings/seals and see if any look like they need to be replace.

I used the installation set when I did the 3.55 conversions on to trucks, but I had the $$, and I did not want to go inside the rear-end again, and I was doing my work on a vehicle that will go to offspring.

I did not think that I needed new bearings and bushings, and they did not look bad, but after replacing them my already quiet truck became even more quiet at highway speeds.

Just thinking out loud so someone else may come in and correct my statement but if you are installing the 3.55 gears in a pre 54, you will be using the same carrier so the carrier bearings need not be disturbed. I cannot imagine however getting the pinion bearing off of the old gear and on the new gear and it still being sound.

If you are short the money for the bearing kit, I would strongly suggest you save up your $$ until you do. Like Tim said, bearings that look ok are not always ok.

I have done 5 of these gear swaps and I don't think I have ever gotten all the bearings removed without damaging them.

Installing the ring gear without damaging the carrier bearings would be quite a challenge