A couple of weeks ago, I was at one of the local salvage yards picking up an interior plastic trim piece for my commuter car. And while I was waiting for the part to be retrieved, I asked the guy behind the counter if he happened to have any 4.30 gears that would fit my 2003 V10. As it turned out, he had both front and rear complete axles in 4.30 ratios (uncertain if they were from the same vehicle), and he threw a price at me of $600 for both.

Now, new is always better than used – especially when I know exactly zilch of the vehicle history from which the gears were pulled. But considering this is well below half of what new gears in 4.30 ratio go for...well, I was tempted. Would you?

I didn't buy them, wanted to think it over. Plus, pulling the trigger on an unanticipated $600 purchase this time of year (Christmas) is a bit of a hang-up, too.

 

that's cheapo for front and rear axles just check to see with rear is limited slip. also check to see if it is a Dana 50 or 60 because your truck should be a Dana 60 based on year.

 

$600 for BOTH?!?!
Yeah I'd buy them, as a matter of fact I bought my set of 4.88 housings from a guy in WI sight unseen from home in PA for $1200. He actually wanted $1500 for them but he said he would drop the price when I told him I was going to drive out to get them, it saved him from palleting them up for shipping.
They have worked out very well for me, best mod to my EX yet!
Before you pay the guy, pop off the covers and check out the wear patterns on the R&Ps (and check for any debris in the cases).
Good luck!

 

Sounds like they were just the pumpkins? Junk yards usually torch-cut the pumpkins out. If not, then, damn, that's a good price - how much of the existing stuff is there? Calipers, axles, knuckles, etc? Or just the bare pieces without anything on them?

I've done it to replace the Dana 60 gears in my highboy more than once

But I was in dire need and couldn't afford doing it the "right" way.

If $600 was just for the pumpkins, well, you can buy brand-new gears and install kits for almost the same thing, and make sure it's done "right".

If it was for the axles end-to-end, that is the way I would prefer it - take my time to disassemble and clean the housings, paint them, reassemble, check clearances, everything "on the bench" and then just swap the entire axle unit out by cutting and replacing the u-bolts.