5000 mile road trip on fresh gears... bad idea???

[Ryber]

I've been pricing getting my truck regeared and an ARB in the rear, and have found eastcoast gears to be a grand or so cheaper then here in canada.
So i figured why throw away a grand why not use it for gas and go on a road trip to eastcoast gears.
Then i got to thinking why stop there, i've always wanted to go to colorado and utah.
So the plan is head to eastcoast gears, get my gears done, then head out to Colorado.

Only worry I have is going on a 5000 mile return trip on fresh gears. Somewhere along the way im sure i will have to drain and fill my diffs with fresh fluids. Which i can do in any autoparts store parking lot.

But do you think it is a bad idea to go on such a long trip with fresh gears. If the gears have been installed by e reputable company do I still have to worry about them blowing up on me on my trip at all???

 

[corax]

You'll have to spend some time making sure they're broken in properly, and forget about towing for the first 500-1000 miles. It's all about heat cycling and and NOT overheating the diff fluid (which can get mighty hot during break in). First fluid change should be at about 500 miles.

here's how to break in a new set of gears per 4crawler

read this about oil during gear break-in

 

[Ireland]

If they are done properly I don't see much of an issue, every car truck on the road has done 5000 clicks on fresh gears

 

[Desert Dan]

Break them in around town and change the fluids before hitting the road on your big trip.

 

[Chris85xlt]

You'll have to spend some time making sure they're broken in properly, and forget about towing for the first 500-1000 miles. It's all about heat cycling and and NOT overheating the diff fluid (which can get mighty hot during break in). First fluid change should be at about 500 miles.

here's how to break in a new set of gears per 4crawler

read this about oil during gear break-in

x2

 

[Ford Prefect]

You know,

I think you would be wise to contact the folks you are thinking about doing the install, and just ask them what they think...

Yeah, the gear oil will need to go a few times on your trip, but that is not that big of a deal if you have the time. Stop at wal-mart, buy the oil, pop off the cover and go inside wal-mart for an hour. Then you can come back put on new gasket seal and put it all back in there... I do not foresee that as an issue.

I am not sure I would personally want to do that type of a trip, but I guess you could.

 

[CJCA]

If they are done properly I don't see much of an issue, every car truck on the road has done 5000 clicks on fresh gears

Ditto

I wouldn't hesitate to do it and I've set up more than a few differentials. Driving conservatively for the first 500 miles ain't a bad idea.

 

[Dave Bennett]

You'll have to spend some time making sure they're broken in properly, and forget about towing for the first 500-1000 miles. It's all about heat cycling and and NOT overheating the diff fluid (which can get mighty hot during break in). First fluid change should be at about 500 miles.

here's how to break in a new set of gears per 4crawler

read this about oil during gear break-in

Yup.

 

[Ryber]

alright guys... thanks for the tips. I wish I could take the time to break them in before going, however I will already be 1500 miles away from home.
So i was thinking theres no difference in driving 1500 miles back home or continuing on and driving 4000 more.
As I said I will already be there so might as well take advantage of it.


What about the front diff??? Was wondering.. do the gears still turn as I am driving or do they not turn until the transfer case is engaged.

If they are turning the whole time do i need to change the front diff oil at the same intervals as the back even if they arent doing any work and just spinning or not until i have driven with them for awhile.
I'd assume if they are turning they'd be wearing and would need fluid changing

Or there not turning at all and don't need to be changed until i have drivin on them for a few miles

As someone has mention already I will be contacting eastcoast gears and asking there opinion as well,, was just looking for other opinions from people who have had experience with breaking in gears as well

Thanks again for all your replys

 

[DaveInDenver]

It won't necessarily take a lot of time, but the first couple of hundred miles are critical to the gears. Most of your work hardening happens in the first 100 miles. They will be hot, too, so your lube will break down if you let them get too hot.

I broke in my front diff by driving around in front wheel drive. I dunno if that's possible in newer trucks but in my old junk you just remove the rear driveshaft, lock the hubs and bingo, front wheel drive. You need to load the gear faces, just spinning them isn't going to break them in completely. If you can't do front wheel drive only, then driving in 4WD high on dirt roads is an option.

I did the same procedure on the FR and RR, 50 miles of driving slow with accelerations and decelerations (deceleration is important, that's how the coast sides mesh) in 10ish mile spurts, stopping to let the diffs cool completely to ambient temp. That took a few hours. Drain the lube (plain old 80W90), refill and gentle daily commutes for another 150 miles and fresh lube again. I drove normally from then and did another lube change at 1,000 miles and this looked fine.

It's important to take the time, so if you can find a way to build in a day to break them will save you from doing all over in a couple of years. Also doing a couple of changes early will give you an idea how the gears are meshing. You want to see a fine pixie dust on the drain plug and nothing that looks like metal flakes or shavings.

 

[AndrewP]

Just to add a bit more to break in lore.

The first drive is the most important. Drive 10 minutes and stop. On new gears I drive to a local eatery, have lunch and drive home. Then I run errands locally with frequent low power starts and stops. Change gear oil at 100 miles. That's 99% of your break in right there and can be done in a strange city.

After that, go easy for 500 miles or so, and consider them broken in.

You might ask the gear shop if you could return later the same day or the following one and have them change the gear oil. Then you're covered and they have done all the work if there is an issue.

I would not just install new gears and drive 5000 miles at freeway speeds. That's asking for long term trouble.

 

[DaveInDenver]

You might ask the gear shop if you could return later the same day or the following one and have them change the gear oil. Then you're covered and they have done all the work if there is an issue.

I would not just install new gears and drive 5000 miles at freeway speeds. That's asking for long term trouble.

I agree and something that occurred to me is that jumping in and driving 5,000 miles on a brand new diff set-up is risky not only because of break-in but workmanship. Wrong bearing pre-load, wrong pinion depth, forgotten ring gear bolt torque step, things happen that you really want to build in time to take a day to make sure everything is right.