should I regear a 9in or send it to a shop?

[jperry1290]

I 've slowly be gathering parts to build a BB 9in. I have never done a gear swap, but I hear the 9 is the one to learn on. Is it worth my time and effort or should I drop it off at a shop? My friend in So Cal said it took him 3hrs to do his the first time. I've got one quote for $175, which seems kinda high imho. I dont own a dial indicator or press yet.

[Efibroncoman]

Re: should I regear a 9in or send it to a shop?

$175 is really cheap for a gear swap. 9" differentials are nice because you can do all the work on the work bench near a vise and not have to be laying on the cold concrete. It is also the easiest to learn on because you don't have to disassemble the pinion carrier to change pinion depth and there are no shims for carrier side bearings. The dial indicator and a 0-1" micrometer are definitely necessary to do the job properly. I can help you with it if you want to learn but I'm a bit of a drive from you.