Learn me swapping ring and pinion

I'm working on making my project truck roadworthy again and one of the biggest annoyances I had last summer driving it is how tall the gearing from the Corvette rear end is.    Currently, when I give the truck all of the beans I don't shift out of second gear until 85mph... thanks 80's emission's gearing.  I have a spare C4 Dana 36 and have thought about regearing that one from a 2.59 to a 3.54 for more shifting pleasure and less lugging during light acceleration.

My question to you GRM is do I attempt this myself or pay the man to install a $400 set of gears?  I have a 20 hydraulic press, dial indicator, engineering degree and an internet connection I should be fine right?

It's an easy job, and if you have those tools and know how to use them you'll be fine

Do it.  Even the most experienced of us once did one for the first time.

2.59?  Holy E36 M3 and I thought the 2002 Q45 at 2.76 was tall.

Peabody said:

 

It's an easy job, and if you have those tools and know how to use them you'll be fine

Peabody is right. My first set of gears I was terrified of but quickly figured out what work and was straight forward and what didn't. 
Bottom line if the pattern on the gears looks good  you've won.  If it doesn't look right start over 

Make sure your carrier will work with whatever gear set you choose.  As you go up numerically, the pinions get smaller.  The ring gears are made thicker or thinner, but after a certain crossover point (usually in the 3.73 range, but different for every axle family) you need a different carrier which puts the ring gear mounting face in a different spot.

Keep the shim pack consistent for the pinion.  R&Ps are machined to very tight tolerances.  Cast iron housings are not.  The shims are to properly install the R&P into an imperfect housing.  Keeping the same shim pack means you will probably get lucky and have pinion depth be spot on, or at least really close so that it's easy to change.  You can keep the same shims for the carrier, but you'll likely have to change them around.

Always new bearings and seals.  No reason to re-use bearings since it is such a pain to get back in there to replace later.

Always use the fat shims on the thrust side (the side with the ring gear bolts.) Minimize the number of thin shims on the thrust side to prevent movement in that direction.  The pinion (during load or coast) will try to push the ring gear away, so having fewer/thicker shims on that side prevents the possibility of space, therefore prevents movement in that direction.

I usually throw everything in, set the backlash on the ring gear, then run a pattern with yellow grease.  When you do a pattern with the yellow stuff, you can't do it by turning the ring gear, or simply turning the pinion.  That won't make enough pressure on the teeth to wipe away the dye.  I like to put a socket on a drill on the pinion yoke and pull the trigger with one hand and drag my hand on the tire with the other.  You don't need to simulate real driving torque, just give it a little help to smoosh the dye grease.  I've been fortunate enough with the three that I did that the pinion depth was spot on.  One I did with a solid spacer in place of the crush sleeve and I did have to pull the pinion out and fuss with one shim, but I had a pro working with me that day.

You can do it.  Torque wrench, dugga-dugga, plunger dial gauge, pattern dye, shop press, maybe a pry bar (to hold things while you torque, pry out old seals, and pop the pinion yoke off.  Long needle nose or a telescoping magnet are nice if you have c-clips.

In reply to Stampie (FS) :

Yeah 2.59 was the lowest numerical gear ratio, and most popular, available in automatic C4 Vettes. I picked up a spare for $20 last summer since the Dana 36 is not known for being the strongest diff ever. 

Thanks for the reassurance guys and for the knowledge dump Curtis. Not paying someone makes that a lot more financially feasible this year. Glad I won't have to hunt around for a competent shop in a new town.