I been though many gear set change my self First If the truck makes any new noises make them FIX it as in grinding Whinning ect they will try to tell you it's normal BS.
Most places say they will back up there work 30 to 90 days after install get it in hold them to it it very easy to screw up a gear change I hate to have you pay for a new rear end if they screw it up.
As for break in drive it EASY for the first 30 minutes let them cool down drive it agan anouther 30 minutes cool down again do this 4 times do not tow or load heavy stuff in you'r truck for 500 miles the gears are soft at first you are wearing a pattern in them you want to get it right and not pay for anouther gear change.
After to do you'r 4 heat and cool cycles you should be fine for every day driving but like I said turn the radio OFF listen to you'r truck for any new noises it a told tell sign some thing is not right dont let the shop that put the gear in screw you over, Been there done that my self.
Don't get screwed.
Oh yea as for my self I change the gear oil after break end done 500 mile, just to get the warm fuzy feeling the new gears are going to get little hot during break in as the metal teeth on the new gear set starts wearing a pattren and start getting hard this is Normal but not real hot keep that in mind.
Richman gears are know to be a little noise there a hard gear from the get go great gear but hard, and any gear set 4:56 and higher have a steeper picth gear pattren to them which also will give you some more gear noise but very very little.
My last Truck that I had Gears done went back to them at least 10 times before they got it right I went from 3:21 to 4:56 turnning 37 inch tires it screamed like a school girl on prom night untill they got it right They tryed to tell me it was normal Ha Ha.
I going to have this truck gears done also let us know how you like the 4:56 are you running stock tires If so let us know how many RPM's at 60 or 70 MPH you are turnning and you MPG I been thinking of 4:10 my self with 31 inch tires.
i'm not sure what gears they're gonna use. i'm going to worldwide transmission. i was referred to them by the place to go for exhaust work in the chicago area (iggy's). and, apparently worldwide has the same rep as them, cause they always have rear ends lined up and they do a lot of them.
on top of that, they warranty for 6months. that's pretty key.
they also said they make a 432 or some other gear between 410 and 456...but i just figured i'd go 456, cause we have so many rpms to work with...we cruise at like 75mph with no more than 2000 rpms.
You go almost 1000's more RPM's when you switch from 3:21 to 4:56 at 70 MPH that a big jump using stock tires you have lots of bottem end but you'r motor will be turnning big time at 70 MPH figuer around 3000 RPM's take you'r truck for a drive and keep it at 3000 RPM's and see if you like it or 3000 RPM's seems to be to much for it.
The rule of thumb is keep it around 2000 RPM's or a little above at 60 MPH is a good ball park to go by.
getting my truck re-geared on monday...
