Hey all. Been contemplating my path of front gears and am ready to buy parts but just want to check that my mechanic's idea will work.

I have a 92 4x4. Swapped in 4.10 gear ratio set in the rear axle. Now it's getting cold out and I need to swap out the 3.42 in the front for 4.10. My mechanic that swapped the rear gear set. Told me to find a factory carrier with the gear ratio I need. And that swapping out the whole carrier for one with the gears I need already in it would be cheaper and easier than buying new ring and pinion and install kit. And of cource replacing the seals and all while refurbishing the new carrier.

Now I know that some of the 1st gen 4x4's with 4 cyl. engines came with 4.10 gears. And the RPO code for that ratio is GT5, IIRC. I'm gonna call up the local yards and see if I can find a front carrier with the RPO code and all that I need. My question is, will the carriers swap out like he is suggesting? I know that 3.42 and higher number gear sets fit the same carrier, and that 3.42 and lower number gears have a diffrent carrier size. Is this "split case" carrier something that could be pulled from one axle and swapped into my axle?

As always guys, thanks for your help and input and I will keep this thread updated untill I complete the job for anyone else that may find this thread and is doing the same thing. (Looking foreward to having solid 4x4 agian! )



EDIT: 5 days later; No one? Really

 

Welp, been 13 days and no responces so I figure I'm on my own, lol. I guess I'll find the carrier in question and see what happens. If all else I'll have some parts for CL.

I'll post back once I get somethings going and answer my own question since no one else seems is gonna do it Oh well

 

not possitive but I am pretty sure it will be the same.
different sized carrier/gears but the actual housing should be the same size.

when I switched to 3.73's I just removed my fron differential carrier and put in the one with 3.73's. pain to get out/in but I managed it without to much stress.
same with the rear, just swapped rear ends seeing as the g80 gernaded in the old one

 

Great man, I so appriciate that responce. NO ONE I have talked to has been able to give me a yes or no answer cause none of them has done it before. I figured since the housings with 3.42 and # higher gears were the same I was good.

I'm dropping it off with my mechanic this weekend, but not for the gears. Got a oil line leaking, upper ball joints I feel are bad and I suddenly got a squeak in my front breaks and don't see any lines in the rotors. All three I found at the same time, lol. Thanks agian!

 

no problem. I had 3.42's originally by the way, forgot to mention that.

my oil lines are leaking as well, I'm just going to CAREFULLY remove the old crimps, clean the metal lines up nicely and use 1/2" oil cooler hose and hose clamps, will lengthen them for my 3" body lift as well so I can route them a bit differently, kill 2 birds with one stone.

 

HA HA! I've got hose clamps right where the lines go into the metal base that the oil filter sits on! Been on there for a lil over a year and no problems. My leak is right where the lines connect inbetween the engine block and fender. If I move my gap cover on the drivers side I can see the leak and the oil on the gap cover and frame.

Once I get my oil lines, couple other problems and my shackles in. I'm gonna start really cracking down on finding the front end I need. Every time I pick up the phone to call my favorite salvage yard, something breaks or something needs my attention and/ or money. lol

 

Got my carrier! Found it in a local ad paper for $75. Came with the 4wd actuator and a drive shaft. But the shaft is pretty rusty so I think I'll ditch it and use my old one. Main thing is it has the 4.11 gearing I need. Next is to clean it up this weekend. Then drop it off at my mechanics house and let him replace the seals and all that. Then swap it in and enjoy some 4x4 agian .

 

not bad!!! I wasn't able to find a set with 4:11's or I would have snatched them!
I got stuck with 3.73's but for 150 for both w/ disc rear and a g80 locker, wasn't about to complain

 

Hey you didn't get a bad deal on all that! So far I've got $660 or so in my gear swapping so far. That's the ring and pinion for the rear plus install kit and labor on the rear, along with new axle seals and a couple other parts that were worn out once we cracked open the axle.

You could'nt find a set with 4.11? I'm kinda surprised. There's a decent number of 4wd blazers in the salvage yards here. I figure I know a place that would have the diff I needed but wasn't sure what they would charge to get the vehicle in the air and pull it for me. 3.73 isn't a bad upgrade at all. Plus getting the rear discs and posi and all is a huge plus. I'd love discs on all four wheels. Looking at a few limited slip posi/lockers for the rear when spring comes.

 

all the ones by me are 3.42's, but mine is a 98+ so disc in rear is stock. and my cv's slid in the front, 1st gens are bolted
I didn't rebuild mine when i Installed it, was a 1 day swap and I didn't have any cash at the time.... what a mistake... seals leaked, so drained the new fluid, put new seals in, through it back together, thought the left rear rim was bent, put a different one on, still wobbled.... drained the new fluid again, popped out the new seals, replaced bearing, put in another set of new seals and all was good.... Lesson learned.... although I can have my axle shafts out in about 5 min now haha

and there is only 1 decently priced wrecker here, the rest wanted 600+ just for the rear. got mine off craigslist

I'm cheap haha, I only buy stuff if it's noticeably cheaper then it usually is. hence why I drive an 01 jimmy and my grand total with purchase of truck is still sitting around $1,000 Canadian