I was looking into getting a new gear ratio (Changing from 3.08 to 4.10) and wanted to know how much time and how hard it is to do. I'm not very car knowledgable, but I can turn a wrench and figure most things out! I just didn't want to pay the $450 install charge that 4 Wheel Part asked! Any help?

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1997 Ford F-150
4.2 L V-6
Thrush Turbo Tube catback exhaust
K&N Air Filter
Window Tint
Pioneer 7000R CD player
2 Rockford Fosgate DVC HX2 10's
Rockford Fosgate 500a Amp
Lund bug shield
Vent Shade Vent Visors
GTS headlight blackouts
Bedliner
Chrome Toolbox
3" Body Lift
305/70R16 ProComp Muds
16x10 Eagle 589
Chrome Westin Nerf Bars
Custom Key racing stripes down both sides thanx to some a**hole in the HS Parking lot.
My WebPage

 

Pay the money. It'll be cheaper in the long-run. If you have a 4x4 (w/3.08 gears??), then it's well worth the money to not fight the IFS. Otherwise, you may want to shop around. For just the rear, $450 sound a little high.

 

mav-i agree with nomo. i live in houston too and there aren't a whole lot of people that do it and do it right. no one guarantees crap. i am going to the 4.10 and they want $638 drive out. It's worth it. I think I may buy the gears from Ford Motorsport over at Tommy Vaughn and bring it to 4wheelparts to install. I've been told a few times that they are a little better than the US Gears.

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F150 V6 5spd 3.55
Custom True Dual Exhaust
Tonneau Cover, Westin Side Steps, Draw-tite Class 3 Hitch, K&N Filter
FUTURE? chip, intake, 4.10 gears

 

I installed a set in a 9" nodular carrier several years back. I thought it was easy & worked great. The bad news is these 8.8" rear & front are totally different

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97 Lariet-sc-4.6-4x off road-auto-3.55 LS-
superchip-K&N-3"
pvc air box mod-Granetelli MAF

 

Well, I called up B&C Offroad and since I've done most of truck stuff through them, they offered me a damn good price. $450 for everything. Thats $169 for the gears. Plus $40 for the master install kit. Thats about 210. Leaving only $240 for install. That sounds like a good price for me. I've had a couple problems with them before, but nothing major and nothing they didn't fix! The only thing they really did wrong was not weld my body lift. But when I asked, they did it for free, so i guess I haven't really had any big problems! What do you think? Should I do it, or go with the safer 4 wheel parts for $200 more?

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1997 Ford F-150
4.2 L V-6
Thrush Turbo Tube catback exhaust
K&N Air Filter
Window Tint
Pioneer 7000R CD player
2 Rockford Fosgate DVC HX2 10's
Rockford Fosgate 500a Amp
Lund bug shield
Vent Shade Vent Visors
GTS headlight blackouts
Bedliner
Chrome Toolbox
3" Body Lift
305/70R16 ProComp Muds
16x10 Eagle 589
Chrome Westin Nerf Bars
Custom Key racing stripes down both sides thanx to some a**hole in the HS Parking lot.
My WebPage

[This message has been edited by Mav07 (edited 01-31-2001).]

 

Smart move, its a tough job to get right even for experienced people. Make sure after you've gone through your break-in session take it on the highway and try to get to say 90 MPH and listen closely if there is no whining or sound from back there they did good, if you hear something take it back asap, lot of people don't realize its wrong for months.

 

damn mav, that's a great price. what kind of gears. put a post if you do it there or email me at dan.hartman@alltel.com I want to know if they did a good job.
dan

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F150 V6 5spd 3.55
Custom True Dual Exhaust
Tonneau Cover, Westin Side Steps, Draw-tite Class 3 Hitch, K&N Filter
FUTURE? chip, intake, 4.10 gears

 

My misunderstanding- I thought they were going to charge $450 for installation. If that's everything, then go for it!

 

Mav07, I have changed gears 3 times in the new f-150 trucks. They are very simple to do. They are like body lifts just time consuming. It takes me an average of 6 hours to do it on my back. They are idiot proof now, not like the old ones with shims and everything else. If you do decide to do it you should get new front and rear pinion bearings. Checker sells them for like $20 for the set. You will need to rent a Bering puller, impact wrench, and a torque wrench. Then you also need to get service book for it. Pep boys has them. They show you how to take apart and reassemble your truck. You will pretty much put it back together the way you took it apart, with the new gears of course. I use superior gears on mine. They were $171 for the rear. So that will cost you like $250 to do it yourself with parts, oil ECT. This is only for the rear if you have a 2 will drive. If you have a 4x4 it gets a little tricky on the front diff. You will have to get a reverse cut gear and they are a little harder to get to. Well I hope this helped you. Don’t be afraid of the job. Take your time and pay attention to detail. When you buy the gears they do not come with instructions so you will have to refer to the service book. Good luck!

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2000 F-150 sport 4.2 v6
Jacobs Ignition
K&N
Superchip
Throttle body spacer
cat back exaust
Custom Seat Covers
Dash Mat
Ford Floor Mats
Cd player
pioneer Speakers
Rockford Amp
Truck Box
Rhino Liner
Grill Gaurd
Nerf Bars
custom graphics
tail light covers
Vent Visors
Driving Lights
tinted windows
Fabtech spindle lift
3 inch body lift
lift lips
33/12.5/17 Procomp A/T

 

nomo, you didn't mis-read. AT 4WPW it was 450 for install + 200 parts. So 650. At B&C it's 450 all together. I was just looking in the 4WPW catalog and they have a gear ratio chart. It says that 4.10 gear would work well, but that I could even do 4.27 gears and that would give me better specs if I ever chose to do more lift and go with 35's. What do you think? Are there any drawbacks? Its still in the green (Best overall performance) area!

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1997 Ford F-150
4.2 L V-6
Thrush Turbo Tube catback exhaust
K&N Air Filter
Window Tint
Pioneer 7000R CD player
2 Rockford Fosgate DVC HX2 10's
Rockford Fosgate 500a Amp
Lund bug shield
Vent Shade Vent Visors
GTS headlight blackouts
Bedliner
Chrome Toolbox
3" Body Lift
305/70R16 ProComp Muds
16x10 Eagle 589
Chrome Westin Nerf Bars
Custom Key racing stripes down both sides thanx to some a**hole in the HS Parking lot.
My WebPage

 

have it done... the shops have all the dial indicators to do the job right the first time

 

technically 4.27 gears would be better for your application, but unfortunately (correct me if i am wrong) the only size gears you can get in the 4 range for a 8.8 rear end are 4.10 and 4.56...i'm hopin to add some 4.56's but it depends how the nxt couple months go, and whether i decide to get a new electric guitar instead...i might just stick w. 3.55s their not that bad...hope this helps

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-Brandon Warford
97 F150 4x4 Sport Brt. Red SuperCab
4.6l Triton V8
3.55LS
3" Performance Acc. Body Lift & lift lips
1-1.5" torsion bar adjust. so it sits level
Clear Corner Lenses
315/75R16 Yoko. Geolander MTs
American Racing Atlas 16x10
Pioneer 8000 3D series
Boston Acoustic 5x7s
Sony Xplode 4ch Amp
(2) 8" RF XLC Subs
True Dual Exhaust
--(2) Stage 3 Flows (Exits like the Lightning)
Custom 4x4 Sticker
Viper Alarm
FUTURE MODS:
4.56 gears
Repaint around Headlights where clearcoat is coming off >=(
Possibly a Manik Brush Guard and Roll Bar--we'll see
Thats about it for now!
Killintime4fun@aol.com
"THROUGH the river and OVER the woods to grandmother's house we go."

"...the road curves to the right and there are a lot of signs that say you cannot turn left...TURN LEFT."