How hard is it to change the rear gears in my G80? Is it time consuming? Thanks

Has nothing to do with a gear swap, except that the carrier weighs slightly more.

Yes it consumes time.

For someone who knows what they're doing, it's about a 4 - 5 hour job, by removing the rear; or about 2 - 2½ hours, with a lift and not removing the rear from the car.

For a first-timer (as it sounds like), plan on it taking a couple of days.

i've never done a gear swap so yes this is a first....is it worth the time? anything easily broken? i don't want to break anything

"Worth" is in the eye of the beholder.

If you don't get the gears set up properly (pinion depth and backlash), the gears will RAPIDLY self-destruct. Other than that, not really.

Yeah, but doesent it take a tranny shop, or at least a bunch of special tools and instruments to set up the gears?

Not necessarily; a mag-mount dial indicator, an extra pair of pinion bearings honed out to a slip-fit, some gear marking compound (comes in the "install kit" usually), and LOTS of patience, can get it done.

Not a good "trial and error" project for a first-timer, though. The odds of success aren't real encouraging.

how much would it cost to have a shop install them for me do you think? maybe a one day thing?

or maybe 3 or even 3½ hours, times their shop rate.

Around $200 is what I heard. And its NOT something for a beginner. Setting up gears takes lots of practice and experience, or you will get gear whine at best, and a broken set of gears at worst.

so best bet would be to take it to a shop to have it done right? what shops will do that kind of work?

Usually transmission shops. I would go to a small-time family shop before I tried an aamco or something though.

I have seen specific "rear end" shops before too, but they are few and far between.

I have 2 small shops near me but do they have the tools and the knowledge to do it right? I really don't want it ruined.....

Why don't you ask them? How are we suppose to know if they have the right tools or not..?

i was just wondering cause i wouldn't figure a small shop would do work like that a lot if not at all.. if anyones had any experience with a small shop.

You'd be better off asking the local NY board than here. We dont know what shops are in your area.

Yup, you just gotta ask the people who are available to you.

Kevin's $200 estimate is probably in the ballpark; if a shop charges for 3 hours, then it's $195 if their shop rate is $65/hr, or $225 if it's $75/hr, etc.

So you need to find out 3 things from each potential shop: can they do it; how many hours will it take; and how many $$$/hr. And maybe a 4th thing: what sort of guarantee do they give, especially if you buy the parts somewhere else. On big expensive jobs like that, alot of shops (for good reason) won't guarantee the parts if they don't supply them, even if they're the same brand and everthing.

What you might want to do, is find somebody that knows how to do it, who will let you watch while they do it, and tell you what theyr'e doing, what they're looking at and for, and why. That way, next time you need it done, you'll have the knowledge, or at least a clue. At least it won't be a total mystery.

sounds like a plan.... i'm gonna ask my local shop around the corner to see if they do it.

I have to agree with all that's been said above. I setup my own rears these days, but I worked at a shop for a while and had the owner, who's been setting up rears for over 20 years, walk me through the whole procedure. The tools aren't that big of a deal to acquire really, it's the experience that's hard to come by. In your case, it'd be well worth it to pay a shop to do it. Most mom and pop shops usually have at least one or two mechanics that know how to do it. I wouldn't let Aamco even service my trans, let alone set up a rear! If you know a few car guys in your area, the best thing to do would be to ask around and see who they recommend for setting up your rear. That's how I managed to get a couple of mine done before learning how to do it myself. I'd say $200-$250 in labor would be about the average shop rate to set one up.