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I'm looking for a little help / opinions with a setup for an 8.8" rear.
I originally tried to set up this new rear myself, but couldn't get a pattern that I liked so had to bring it into a local guy who has set lots of these up and has the proper Ford pinion depth measuring tools.
Here is the drive pattern with 3.55 FMS (Ford Motor sports) gears using a 0.019" head shim and 0.007" backlash. Spec is 0.008 to 0.012". I was told the gears liked it a little tighter. The paint is wiped evenly across the gearface, but the dark spot isn't centered.. I was only looking at the position of the dark spot when setting them up. Everything in the axle is new except the carrier. There is Redline 75-140 in it.
When I first drove the car to break in the gears they seemed noisy and made a whining sound under light load. The noise almost disappeared with higher load. Over the next 500 miles the gears have become much quieter. I changed the lower control arms and panhard from urethane bushing units back to stock rubber bushing ones to see if the noise would be reduced. It made a noticeable difference. You can't hear any gear noise with the windows down, or with reasonable stereo volume except at coast.
What are your thoughts on the gear pattern in the pics? Acceptable pattern?
Should I expect there to be zero noise from these gears?
Is there any point of going back to the installer to adjust anything before starting to beat on this thing?
The marking compound is thick so it's hard to see real clear. First I will say it looks acceptable, however had I been the one setting up these gears I think i woulda worked to get the pattern a little more centered. Some of this is just installer preference, doesnt mean the gears won't work fine the way they are.
OK, well that's good to hear. I appreciate the info.
I think I'll bring it to another shop this week.
Any comments on the pattern? The gears are hobbed type.
I would put a little more shim on the pinion. Also when you spin it to mark it press on the ring gear so it loads the gear as you dpin through the marking compound.
Ya, for sure. I know about holding the ring gear to get the pattern.
I'm bringing it back to the shop who set it up next week. I'll mention adding more pinion shim to center the pattern more.
I'll past back up with an update.
You want the contact to be as close to the middle as possible, you've got the heel to toe centered correct, kinda. The way it is now (too much engagement) will make noise and might damage the gears if you have no or min. backlash. Don't forget to apply resistance to the axle flange or the pinion flange when you roll through, the resistance really makes the read more defined, you'll need an assistant and an old towel to wrap around which ever flange you don't turn with a wrench, paint ONLY 10 teeth or so on both sides and roll back and forth when you get the painted teeth engaged with the pinion. Lessen the shim thickness on the left a bit, add it to the right.
So the car was at the shop all last week. I'm told he put the 0.030" nominal pinion shim in and adjusted backlash to suit and it's almost silent. I'll pick it up Monday so will hear for myself..
That's a pretty big change in the pinion from what was in there originally..not confidence inspiring.
So, got the car back today..
Coast is silent, drive side makes a little noise still, but only at 50-55MPH and is very quiet otherwise. I'm good with it like this.
I'll run a pattern on it when I switch rear covers and will post up pics.
I put a modified OE Ford IRS cover from an Explorer on it but the stupid drain plug interferes with the swap bar. Its a good looking cover. I have a new Trick Flow cover that should work out better.
That drain plug is huge!!! I suppose the Ford engineers wanted you to be able to drain fluid in 3 seconds. WTF!!! I can see how that would hit the sway bar .
Here are the pics of the second setup... it was hard to get a good crisp pattern to show as I couldn't get the oil off the pinion and didn't feel like hosing brake cleaner in there.
I'm going to try Redline Heavy Shockproof gear oil as some Ford guys said it quieted some light whining right up.
I would expect the drive pattern to be more centered on the tooth, mostly up from the root on the drive side.
From what I can see almost all gears, no matter what brand are all made off shore. I'm going to yank a few sets of OEM gears from the pick and pull in case these ever need changing in the hope they are made in USA and of likely better quality then the new stuff..just in case it's these gears.
07-29-2016, 10:24 PM
8.8 gear noise / gear setup opinions 
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