My Privateer Motorsports gear install by @Mattb813

I purchased gears and install from a group buy on the forum https://www.tundras.com/threads/group-re-gearing-special-with-warranty.75239/

Unfortunately this did not work out well for me. Live in Phoenix AZ so it required a road trip. No problem always good to get away to SoCal, and @Mattb813 picked install date as I was the first to sign up. Day before install on my way to Privateer Motorsports Matt let me know my REM polished gears might not arrive in time for install but non rem were available. I accommodated and was able to add a day to my trip for breaking in the non rem polished gears thanks to @Challenger1. Thanks Andy! Picked truck up after install, seemed fine, but super sloppy, gear lube everywhere, poorly sealed housings. Front diff can still see red sealant mixed with black, and it leaks. Ended up with gear whine from rear diff at low speed on acceleration and deceleration. @Mattb813 immediately blamed me for improper break in even though I did and then some, see the original group buy thread. @Mattb813 and I began to troubleshoot this, and at some point it became apparent that he had no idea how to set up a differential with a solid spacer, as he thought it was a crush spacer. Was left with the option of hitting the pinion nut with impact, or they could not help. Lucky enough to live near this guy, who informed me hitting the pinion nut with an impact was wrong, and was happy to help fortunately http://www.gearinstalls.com/.

@Mattb813 gear pattern. No evidence of gear pattern being checked. Lots of my tundra friends have gears, all have pics of pattern. FYI, this not an acceptable gear pattern.


Backlash was set between .004 and .005, not the .007 specified on the inscription ring on the ring gear.


Factory seal


Those aren’t new pinion bearing races, or bearings.



Privateer told me they are not going to do anything for me today through @Mattb813, and that’s fine, there is little chance my front diff is set up correctly, and it leaks so... It will get sorted out. Here is what it takes to properly set up a Tundra differential with a solid sleeve spacer. Zuk is a really good dude.

Shims needed to set up solid spacer

What .007 shims look like @Mattb813


And after a bunch of work and money spent my gears have uneven wear due to @Mattb813 set up, only to be informed that my warranty was void for fixing his install. And he is not going to pay for it even though he said he would.

I don’t know, enjoy the pics of the Zuk install. Pattern is as good as it gets with the uneven wear from the Privateer Motorsports install.

 

ugh..was waiting for your feedback thread. Sucks but thanks for warning us and saving us some money by not going with this particular shop.

 

Well that sucks. Were you able to get any money back?

 

That does suck!! I got lucky when I pulled mine out, took it to a shop (they were too busy for me to drop the truck) had them put the gears/bearings (correctly) in the pumpkin and then I installed it back in the truck. Fairly easy process and saved tons of money.

 

Nope. I asked for full refund after I was told my warranty was void for fixing their shitty install, because I got nothing. Front diff is $750 to rebuild, and I can’t imagine it’s set up correctly. But have to pull regardless because it leaks. So yeah I want my money back. Terrible experience and customer service.

 

I am sorry, this sounds absolutely terribly.

But, thank you @Vizsla, hearing your story saved me a trip to LA and a large inevitable headache! Getting my gears I purchased in the group buy and locker installed by a local shop @831Tun recommended next week.

 

I pulled and installed mine also. Zuk doesn’t do the dirty work lol. It is easy after you do it once.

 

Welcome! Pics were mixed up for a minute.

 

That sucks to hear man. I think Privateer is a part of Assault Industries. I've seen the name on the side of some turbo UTVs. I believe they prep for the likes of Rhys Millen and Wes Miller. Granted it's for UTVs, but I would expect better from an outfit like that.

 

Ricky the owner seemed really cool, Matt came across as a young guy that worked at a dodge dealer for 6 months and knows it all. That’s where I think I’m at. My gears are wrong, look at the pics.. Now I have to climb under my truck this weekend and pull the front diff.. And when they are wrong, cause they are. Well I don’t know. I want a full refund for gears and install.

 

Definitely sucks this has happened and even more the way you were treated with no refund... ! Have they even reached out at all?

 

I see em. It's like he was almost there, but not quite. I haven't done a 10.5, so I'm not 100% on the setup of the carrier shims.

Your new pattern looks much better. The new drive pattern is a little less closer to the toe, the coast is more centered and it looks like the ring gear was moved away from the pinion. Do you know what bearing preload he had it set at?

Again, I haven't worked on a 10.5 very much, but to my limited knowledge of them, it looks a lot better. I hope you caught it before the gears patterned too badly.

 

Oh man, so sorry to hear this.
I knew something was up in the initial group buy thread and their “representative” didn’t seem to be willing to handle the situation properly.

I hope you get everything worked out.
Your posts and report made me steer clear of these guys.

I was just about to pull the trigger until you made a simple statement and their replies told the story.

It’s good to have knowledgeable guys around to lend a hand.
Second time around looks much better.
Hopefully, no permanent damage on the front.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post this Dave. @Vizsla It really sucks you’re going through this but shops like this should be called out. Their “work” and customer service needs to be shared so more people don’t have similar experiences.

 

Yes. They are not going to pay for repair or refund, my warranty is void, and they will sue me. Not sure for what. So expensive mistake on my part.

“absolute zero carrier bearing preload”

 

How ridiculous.
You actually have a pretty solid case to bring against them.
Especially, if your tech would be willing to testify to what he found.
You are not required to take the repair back to them if you do not feel comfortable with the work performed.

What a joke of a company.

 

I've removed the diff a few times on my older yota when taking it in to a shop for rebuild. Allows me to visually inspect and check tolerances before it is installed.

 

Dude. That is not fun at all. That would give me more gray hairs. Sorry about that buddy, I hope you can come out of this annoying situation O.K.

 

that sucks Dave! Im glad you are detailing your experience for others

 

This here is why I have zero trust for them. I asked to cancel everything but was told he already ordered and received my gears. I asked if anyone hasn’t received their gears yet, just sell them mine and give me my money back. He said ok. But of course I receive my gears straight from the gear factory. He ordered me another set so he can make his little profit from me and not give me a refund. And of course it was more expensive than if I were to buy it on my own.

 

That sucks Joon, but at least your not in my situation.

I can simplify my install for you. The gears, original carrier and pinion shims/spacer were removed, new gears installed with only the original shims installed. That’s it, turns must be good. Gear pattern was not checked. Carrier bearings replaced, pinion were not, pinion seal not replaced as well. Believe this is from not using a master install kit, it comes with all the diff bearings, and different thickness shims for gear set up. Don’t need shims if you don’t check gear pattern lol.. Front diff has both original red, and whatever black sealant used, looks bad. But it is leaking, so doesn’t matter, has to be fixed.

 

Man that sucks big time...things went downhill so quick

based on your install I guess I should go ahead with buying the front & rear mini kits at the least for the 5.29s I got from them
Sucks cause I asked for pricing for the install kits and just got told they were expensive and weren't deemed necessary since my truck only has 22k miles..

The set of mini kits is ~$337 straight from revolution compared to the set of master install kits at ~ $911 straight from revolution

Kinda wish I had skipped on the group buy and bought straight from revolution now since the full kit, gears and master install kits, is like ~$1530, no REM polish though but that's kinda whatever, I'd still be coming out on top buying a full kit from straight from revolution, cause now if I only buy the master kits from revolution total spending will be way over $1530....

jimmies are rustled

EDIT: wasn't gonna say how much I was charged but now I will...
front/rear 5.29 were $702
REM polish was $150 ($75 front/$75 rear)

after shipping and taxes total was ~$960 for me

front 5.29 from revolution is $242+tax
rear 5.29 from revolution is $330+tax
total from revolution 572+tax

jimmies extremely rustled

 

@SC_TRD found a cheaper install kit. Colin, you should post it up here.

 

Oh nice, that'll help out if he can share it. Just need the install kit so I can have it before I schedule an install

 

You could re-use your bearings if the install shop is ok with it, and if they are in good shape. Won’t know that till removed though. Install shop might have shims, Zuk supplied what was needed. Was supposed to have new bearings, but only carrier bearings are new. Look at the pic of my pinion race and bearing, that’s 20k miles, and unfortunately had to use them again to control money loss.

 

Cash or CC?

 

WHAT??? Really? Now I'm Curious about other peoples prices because I paid $950 for REM 4.88s rear only

 

I've talked to a few shops but they all at least want to use a master kit in the rear and a mini kit in the front. Ill talk to them again tomorrow to see what they say about re-using parts. So far cheapest quote I got is $1660+tax for mini kit front, master kit rear, fluids and labor for install.

 

Hopefully everyone posts what that got charged for parts at least for a comparison.