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9" Gear Noise Help

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Old Feb 11, 2009 | 09:03 PM
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Default 9" Gear Noise Help

Will going with a heavier or synthetic gear oil help with gear noise? Any suggestions that might help quiet it down? Got 4.11's and Trutrac in my Midwest Fab 9.
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Old Feb 11, 2009 | 09:22 PM
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I just put 85/140 in mine, but I have a locker. I'll let you know how quiet it is tomorrow when I finally get to drive it..hah
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Old Feb 11, 2009 | 10:27 PM
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Get the gears re-set.
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Old Feb 11, 2009 | 10:45 PM
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you can try a better grade gear lube, but chances are the noise won't change much. is the noise on load or decel side, or both? some gear noise is normal, but it shouldn't scream at you. we have used Motive Performance gears pretty consistently, and no lie, there are definetly some consistency issues with the gear cut quality. bad thing is, the Motive gears are the best bang for the buck right now. Richmond Gear is the only USA made aftermarket gears available for 9 inch right now. the Motive Performance gears are Itialian, and until the Strange/US Gear sets are available again(they are on a military contract still) we don't have much of a choice. recently i have began to offer the Richmond gears to anyone who wants one at a minor upgrade charge. regardless of manufacturer, none of them will warranty gears for noise. they simply tell you "it's a performance application and some noise is to be expected".
there is a way to re-shim the pinion depth and see if it helps or doesn't make a difference. only requires the removal of the pinion support assembly and a quick shim adjustment. you can pm or call me for info on how to do it.
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Old Feb 12, 2009 | 02:25 PM
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Like Eric said, you can pull the pinion support out and add or subtract gears (trial and error) and it will most likely improve. Be prepared to do this many times. Takes about 30 minutes between trials but does not require the removal of the gearcase.

If you pull the whole gearcase out, you can set the gears much quicker and more accurately. But again it involves pulling the gearcase out which takes about an hour to do if you have never done it before.

Better reset them soon or they will set in and always whine no matter what.
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Old Feb 13, 2009 | 10:39 AM
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I posted this on the the "Midwest Chassis & Performance fab rearends... new pics" thread:

Mine had a good amount of gear noise at first. Eric suggested I could change the shim thickness between the pinion support and case to see if that would help. He sent me an assortment of shims to try. The original total thickness of shims were .052. He said try going to .048. Did not really help. He then said to go the other way. I went to .056. That did make a big difference. There still is noise which starts at about 40 mph up until about 55 mph and then drops off significantly. Eric said that he would not go any thicker do to a possibility of gear wear. I know we all wish for quiet gears but I have come to the conclusion that it is hit or miss when it comes to the amount of noise we get with performance gears. Or better yet, "nature of the beast".

I thought I would get used to the noise over time but it really bothers me. Especially knowing there are other people with the same set up that are not having any gear noise.

So will a thicker oil quiet it down?
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Old Feb 13, 2009 | 11:37 AM
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Thicker oil will not help. The best way is to pull the gearcase and visually check the patterns. Second best is the way you are currently doing it with the pinion support.
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