Canadian Nissan Truck Club

I bought a set of 4.9 xterra gears from a guy on npora. Is this something I could do myself, or am I better off having a shop set them up? I would rather only pull that b*tch of a front diff once, lol.

I would have a shop do it.


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Scotto, where's your sense of adventure?

Adam, it's pretty easy to install gears.

It takes experience and careful measurement to install them correctly.

You could install them, and they could work perfectly. 20,000km from now you might end up with a bowl full of metal filings.

Don't mess with gear setup's. We don't even do them at the dealership, I send them over to Milton Transmission.

Like I said.....


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Thanks for the input guys. I will start looking for a place that can do it, and that has some good reviews.

Really tempted to throw a locker in there while I'm at it...

adamzan wrote:Thanks for the input guys. I will start looking for a place that can do it, and that has some good reviews.

Really tempted to throw a locker in there while I'm at it...

You should. What the heck.

I have the LSD in it now. The wd21 one is pretty damn good. So for a locker I would need to find an open carrier.

Its easy to understand how to install it correctly, but getting there is not so easy. It will take many attempts to get the right pattern, each attempt means total disassembly and reassembly until you find the perfect combo of shims / preload. With the diff opened up, sitting on a bench, its easy to tell if you've installed it correctly but not so easy once its closed up and on the road.

Not many shops want to tackle this because it can take a few hours up to a few days to get it right. It can get expensive or the shop is going to button it up 'close enough' to spec. Chances of getting warranty for the install on an older used diff are slim.

If you have the tools, warm shop and patience I'd encourage you to tackle it yourself.

adamzan wrote:I have the LSD in it now. The wd21 one is pretty damn good. So for a locker I would need to find an open carrier.

You daily drive this rig? If yes, leave the LSD in. If anything look for a selectable locker or LSD for the front dif.

I daily drive it for now but I am on the hunt for a DD so I can build it up for wheeling more.

Well it looks like I will attempt this myself. I have the extra third from my parts truck that I pulled, so I don't have to make it undriveable while I do this. I contacted a few shops and no one wanted to touch it, as per usual when I try and get anything done on an old pathfinder. So fark it, I'll take the risk.

I have the gears already, so I will order some bearings, shims, and have at 'er.

Why does no one want to touch it? Gears are gears...

Well I never did this, time, poop coming up, etc. But now I need to pull the front diff for some repairs above it. So it is the perfect time to get it done.

I found a place that said they would do it...They want me to bring the stuff to them before they'll commit to doing it, which is understandable, they are a transmission shop that has a good reputation. Not sure how I didn't find them before. Anyways, hopefully this will be done in time for May 24 weekend.

While I have the diff out I am going to replace the rear oil pan gasket that has been leaking for the past 6 years.

Get on it dude. Don't make me....

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Update...?

I pulled the front differential weekend before last, and dropped it off at a shop this week. My grandfather died early in May so things have been kinda weird for me.

Hoping to get that bracket and oil pan gasket done this weekend so I can reinstall. Then I will pull the rear and send it off. It's much easier than the front, lol.

Yeah, I've dealt with that. Funny thing is I now see so much of Grampy in my son.

My grandparents, are the ones who taught me to be self reliant, and the one that past recently is the one that got me started with working on cars. I remember doing the timing belt on my first pathfinder in their garage.

Haven't done much on the truck but I expect things to return to normal now.