54inches

iTrader: (4)

Great info; I will add to the first post.

Thanks bud!

Not trying to get into a pissing contest with you, but there is a right way to setup gears.

Run out was a general term, and I was not referring to the crush sleeve at all. lol

I am not sure what you are using to torque down the pinion nut, but a regular, 1/4", 3/8" or 1/2" drive is not going to work and I am not white trash enough to use a breaker bar when setting something up like this.

I feel like a hand tool is what is called for here.

You can crush the sleeve too much with an impact and then you have to start over with a new sleeve. PAIN IN THE *** or just an inconvenience.

How do you plan on setting up the ring gear, check lash, side preload, etc, with just an impact? You aren't as there are other tools that measure these precise installations.

For MY jobs, I want to do it right, so my installations last a long time.

Thats my only real point.

Again, not trying to get into a pissing contest, I just don't want some Jo Smo to see your posts and say, " Well, LS1Tech said I could install a carrier and gears with just an impact, so this hammer and vise grips should do the trick!"

Make sense.

It is just more complicated than that and some of the interwebidiots take some of the things we say as gospel.

I do however agree, that a seasoned professional should be able to set one up pretty fast, but three times the parts was more than we wanted to pay.......

Thanks again to all, for their input and support!!!!!!

Bowtie70SS

iTrader: (10)

I use a honed out rear pinion bearing and set up the pinion depth,side clearance,and backlash without the crush sleeve installed as it does not affect any of these things. I have the pinion flange holding tool and a 3 foot breaker bar and pipe. I can tell you that as much torque as it takes it is hard to tighten it in small increments. Thats why I bought a impact gun thats strong enough to crush the sleeve, believe me it does not move much at that torque level. I check preload with a inch pound torque wrench. I have done 10 rear diffs and never had a problem, these are a mixture of 10, 12 bolts, and a nine inch. Im not trying to get in a pissing contest either I just though anything inder 200 to set up gears (parts not included) is not too bad. I have a place in Illinois I buy parts from and he has great prices. None of us here know what the other guy knows. I appreciate peoples ideas especially when they are constructive. One thing you are going to do if you use a breaker bar is to build a fixture to hold the rear diff.

My installs last and call around to find out how others do them they use a impact to crush the sleeve. If you dont wajt to do that use a solid spacer I dont think you know me well enough to insult my methods and I use a $500 impact not a hammer and vice grips.

serik21

So do you guys have any brackets available for sale?

one fast zo6

iTrader: (490)

good info in this thread

54inches

iTrader: (4)

My arms must be bigger than yours.

Just FN with you man.

For clarification, I was not insulting your methods at all, BUT you did say and I quote, "All you need is a good impact to crush the crush sleeve."

You need more than an impact to build a diff. PERIOD.

I plan on using the solid pinion spacer.

I too will be using mock-up bearings and maybe you are right, but I bought the proper tools that the professional shops use and if I don't need them, oh well.

I am fairly certain bearing pullers, a press, and a mag base dial indicator are needed. Pretty FN certain in fact.

If you notice in my ramblings, I have been referring to the WHOLE rebuild of a diff, just not crushing the crush sleeve, so I am not certain what your hang up is on that part of the total rebuild.

I do appreciate you feedback as it has been gentlemanly and adult and that rare!

I thought I had already mentioned that I am building a fixture and already started on it this weekend, but if I didn't.....

Let me know on the parts.

Thanks again!!!!

Not yet!

Yes there is and alot of people have helped add it. THanks!

54inches

iTrader: (4)

Oh and BTW, the place wanted $350+ which is what I talked him down from as he quoted me $250 on the phone, then told me it would be $400 when I showed up.......

Tools and parts are going to cost me less and I get to keep the tools when it is over, so, the cost to setup the gears, LABOR ONLY, was more than $150.

Just for clarification.

Bowtie70SS

iTrader: (10)

Sorry I get wrapped up in all this internet BS. You are correct (as you know) about needing more than a impact. A press, dial indicator and base, plastic dead blow, knife edge bearing splitter, torque wrench, honed rear pinion bearing(makes things easy to set up) and a torch doesn't hurt either. I have done everything from just swapping gears to total rebuilds. Nothing like someone changing stuff on you when you show up. I would have told them to kick rocks too.

serik21

so how far away are you guys from selling brackets, as i broke my passenger side axle last night, now will be tearing everything apart, to see if my diff is ok, if not i might as well bight the bullet and do the 8.8 swap

54inches

iTrader: (4)

I would say 3-6 months....

serik21

I'm gonna cross my fingers and hope my inner didn't f-up my diff so I can get away with just a axle for 3 month.

54inches

iTrader: (4)

Well, got all of my tools in finally and realized I need one more, but it is cheap.

Work a little on Gulf's case to install a drain for convenience.




14x1.5 Drain plug about 3/4" long and it does not protrude into the case.


And does not protrude further down than the bracket. SUCCESS!

three83'camaro

So since I live so close that makes me next in line for an 8.8 swap?? jk

NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

54...why did you blast the interior of the case? The bearing saddles probably didnt need any material taken away. Also...Im sure you are aware that the main caps for the housing are side specific? As that is the way the housings are line honed from the factory. They are just not pictured so...Im hoping they are off to the side labeled left, right, north south?

Nice plug though. Is that a gasket I see between the plug and housing? Im like 2 days away from doing the same thing to my second 8.8 and just wanted all the info for reference. Any reason why you just didnt go with a pipe thread plug?

NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

So I finally got all the parts organized and together for my 8.8 version 2 with 3.55's and ford posi w/carbon clutches. Now is the time for shopping for a shop, to assemble it for me. Called the two major companies around and they wanted 375$ and 225$!!! WTF!? for two hours worth of work? So 54 I'm in the same boat as you, about to start putting these together myself. 150$ is my limit for the assembly of this thing if I can not get it down to that I will do it myself!

54inches

iTrader: (4)

NO material was removed from the "saddles". The media I was using did not remove ANY material from anything. It was a soda/OLD small grit.

Everything was just cleaned. I never even hit the saddles directly.

I am not sure if YOU KNOW, but the mains are LABELED from the factory, so they are idiot proof. At least the two in my shop are.

Thank you for the insight brother!!!!

Why do a pipe plug and be ghetto. I chose a standard thread pitch drain plug and did it correctly.

Just saying

Be ready to buy about $500+ worth of tools.

I can do yours for $150.

54inches

iTrader: (4)

Some additional info that I found about the 8.8:

The Ford 8.8 was apparently a copy of the Chevy 12 bolt.
They both use the same bearings; coincidence I think not.

NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

What are you using for a gasket on that plug? The blue thing pictured sandwiched between the case?

By 500$ worth of tools you mean...? As far as I know the only thing I lack is an inch pound torque wrench for setting the preload.

Also, have you set a rear end up yet yourself? Hopefully I will be traveling to houston for work in the near future and be able to come see this operation you guys have running down there!

Edit: Just found this http://www.kitcarinfo.com/IRS_Gear_Swap.htm

54inches

iTrader: (4)

You will need several bearing pullers.(I know you can bang them off, but I want to have the proper tools.)

A press.

ft lb and in lb torque wrenches.

Caliper for measuring shims.

Pinion tool.(I think I am going to make one.)

Mag base dial indicator.

And anything you have seen in this thread.

Yes, I have done a few myself and been part of helping several others.

Not alot though. Just being honest.

I have a good guide and confidence, so no worries.

Thanks for the link, that will help even MORE!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a side note, I do not have the money to pay for vendor status and I want to respect the other vendors that are selling similar products or just differential products in general, so please do not post any questions regarding price or when this will be ready to sell.

As soon as we get some testing done on a few cars and get a quality product that I feel is ready for the market, then I will pony up for the vendor status and come to market.




Thank you SO much for your support!!!!!!

NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

+ aluminum=vise grip based dial indicator.

FuzzyLog1c

iTrader: (4)

Totally looking forward to buying a bracket from you, 54. I seriously doubt you need to be worried about becoming a vendor. This is a build thread--if you were selling complete rear ends, then maybe I could see throwing LS1Tech a couple of bucks, but this is truly in the DIYer spirit and should be condoned, not taxed. They make money based on our traffic, too, you know.