anyone ever change their own gears?

[Kamaro Killer]

I have some 3.73's in my 88 that I'd like to throw in my 93. I have the casing open on the differential but it looks pretty complicated to me. Is changing the gears difficult? What all is involved so I know what I'd be looking at? Thanks, Keith

[PKRWUD]

Keith, you don't want to do it. Trust me. Not yet. Maybe by next summer, but not yet. We need to further develop your mechanical skills before you tackle the rear end. Besides, I have a couple killer tools for rear end work that I might just loan you when you come up here to crew next year.

[Kamaro Killer]

When I opened the differential it looked a little harder than I thought it would be. I just let the fluid drain and came in my house to see what everyone else thought. I figured I'd leave it alone and just put the cover back on and fill it back up. What type of fluid does it take and how much? Thanks, Keith

[The Deuce]

Tell me you opened the diff on your 88.

[Kamaro Killer]

It's just been sitting in my garage so it's now my parts car. So yes Mike, it is the 88 that I pulled the cover off. Later, Keith

[The Deuce]

Just making sure I'm going to get to whoop your butt tomorrow!

[gofastmercury]

If your worried about it, just change the whole housing. Gears, axels,brakes, the whole thing.

Just my .02

[Conman]

Originally posted by gofastmercury
If your worried about it, just change the whole housing. Gears, axels,brakes, the whole thing.

Just my .02

just what I was thinking

[PKRWUD]

That's not a bad idea, and it's something I think you could handle, too.

Good idea!

Take care,
~Chris

[srv1]

i HIGHLY recommend you either a.) get pinion depth tool$$$$$$ or b.) go to someone to install it who has one! i have heard alot of people using motorsport gears and throwing them in by using backlash only. i did that myself. so later if found it was making a noise. sent it to a guy who does gears witht the tool and he said i was lucky i didnt wear an abnormal groove in the gears. i was close on the coast and drive side, but way off when he compared it to when he installed.

if you are still going to tackle it, here is some useful info:

http://www.corral.net/tech/drivetrain/gears.html

[PKRWUD]

I completely agree.

[Kamaro Killer]

That's a great link, I'm going to have to save that one. I think if I do upgrade to a steeper gear I'm going to can the one wheel peeler and get a posi-unit from somewhere and have the gears installed during the installation. I just was curious as to how hard it'd be to switch the gears out myself, you never learn unless you try. Thanks, Keith

[Cody2552]

My story about gears swap.

I purchased a set of 4.10 from Richmond and Installation Kit along with it. As i opened and looked for the instructions i grew very intimidaded . But i was stuck i had already got the car set up on jacks and had the differental on the ground and had took of the old ring, and took out the pinion. I knew i was in over my head but i was since i started it, i have to finish it. I read alot of tech articles and intructions and 2wks later i was understanding what the instructions said and meant. So i went and dropped of my new pinion to a machine shop to put on the new bearing with the shims between it, i found out the hard way(the first time i forgot to tell them to put the shims in before the bearing). I them i put the ring on the diff. and went out and bought a dial indicator with stand around $200 which i did not need to spend. But i put everything back together and measured i was just fine, even with a measure from a professional. I was really lucky this time, the first time i started it up i was scared of a humming noise forom the rear. i took it on the highway , no vibration no noise. They have been running fine for 3 months. no probs yet.

If i would do a gera swap like this one i would have paid for it to be done. B/c i had a couple of painful neck and back crinks!

[87BOSS351C]

You can get a Pinion Depth Gauge from Jegs or Summit. I just got one 'cuz I've got about 4 sets of gears to change for people, including myself. It is a Proform and only costs $100. The instructions really suck, but it is pretty easy to figure out how to use it on your own.

Hey Cody2552,
You got instructions with your Richmond gears? Cool, the FRPPs come with nothin'.

[Cody2552]

Well not so much as instructions ....just like the depth specs and what to do , i guess you can call them that, let me know if are sucsessful

[crazypete]

I'm one of those annoying people that does everything the wrong way and comes out without any problems =P

I had some FMS 3.73's sitting around in a box for over half a year, so finally I got tired of looking at them, said screw it, got down under my car, took the rear end apart with hand tools (using a scissor jack pushing up on a 2 ft breaker bar to crack the pinion nut loose) and a mallet to get the pinion out, pounded off the ring gear with a hammer and a punch, cooked it, dropped it, reinstalled everythin using the existing shims and even the old crush sleeve (I figured it was crushed enough the first time around), slapped the whole thing together and it doesnt wine (except for right at 45 mph in 4rth, it hums a bit). Saved myself $500 (which was the going rate in MA, since noone around here is willing to do a decent swap unless I detach the axle and bring it to a machinist)

[USMC302]

So what is everyones gear oil favorite?

[Cody2552]

75W-140 full sythetic

[Shogun]

I have done more that a few rear setups, I would have to say that, gear mesh/footprint are the most important factors when setting up your rearend. Getting your "footprint" as close to center is most critical, closely followed by gear backlash. both are of course are set by shims. Footprint is set by Pinion shims, where as backlash is set by carrier shims. Don't get to caught up in the math, as long as you have those two right you can't go wrong. I like REDLINE 75W90 for my steed.