Joe wrote:

I want to hear more about the Tera gear set! How much, how hard is it to do the work, and what's you impression as to it's quality? Is it 4:1? I heard 3.6:1. (?) This IS what I want. It's the only gearing change that gets you the best of both worlds, street and offroad!

I installed a set of Tera Manufacturing's TeraLow gears for the Dana 300. They are a true 4.0:1.0 reduction unit. The kits consists of new front output, rear output, and intermediate gears; a specially notched shift rod to clear the larger intermediate gear, and a full seal/gasket kit.

I believe that the price for the Dana 300 kit is $695 but don't quote me on that, the price is not listed yet on Tera's web page (www.teraflx.com). Call Tera at 801-256-9897 and ask.

The kit is as easy as rebuilding a Dana 300 case, the steps involved are exactly the same. A bearing press (or bearing heater), gear puller, and dial indicator are needed to do the job right but an inventive shadetree mechanic can probably get by with less.

The quality is top notch. The gears are manufacturered using processes that only a metalurgist would understand (and is only made this affordable only by a high volume order).

Bottom line: Field testing......I have had the gears in for five hundred miles and three trips over extreme trails (including the NEW Habanero Falls trail in Las Cruces) and so far have nothing but praise for the unit. At highway speeds, the gears are at least as quiet as stock 300 gears (mine are actually quieter but I replaced all the bearings while the case was apart) and the gear noise in Lo is the same as before. The change from 2.64:1 to 4.0:1 makes a VERY noticable difference in crawling ability (I went from 80 something to one to 120 something to one) and of course the drivability on the road hasn't changed a bit.

This kit is great for someone looking for really deep gears but is an absolute DEAL for someone who wants a lower crawl ratio with a stockish ring and pinion ratio that allows comfortable highway cruising.

Mark