shr00m-dew

iTrader: (28)

So long story short, I got a good deal on a never ran 12 bolt built for an 85 TA to go in my 92. The rear is 10+ years old, so finding the right bearings and seals to swap the backing plates sucked, the torque arm wasn't designed for a 3" driveshafts, and loads of other little things just made the time and cost go way up.

Rear came with Richmond 3.73's. During the 10+ attempts at getting a pattern that matches one of the cartoon patterns I've seen, the threads of the pinion got messed up. Used that as an excuse to get the 4.11's I wanted anyway.

So these patterns are with US Gear (strange) 4.11's. Pinion shim is .035 backlash is right around .007-.008. This is the first pattern I've gotten that looks like one of the acceptable patterns I've seen. I'm looking for any advice as I'm getting real tired of working on this.

Thanks,

Kevin D.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

Back up to the top for you - I'm going to be going through the same process in a couple of months.

9000th01ss

iTrader: (10)

It's hard to say, the drive side looks shallow in the second pic, but looks ok in the others, and everything else looks ok. To me anyway.

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

I'm jealous of the nice,wide,centralized pattern you got.Whenever I get such a pattern,I button everything up and go do a test drive and burnout.That's a much better pattern than I'm running on my 4.56s' and it's been to the strip a couple times and 3 trips from Ohio to Florida and no wear upon inspections.I can't speak to the noise aspect of that pattern.

9000th01ss

iTrader: (10)

Whats the aluminum ring around the housing for?

shr00m-dew

iTrader: (28)

Thanks so far guys. To make the pattern deeper in the gear would mean less backlash right? Pinion depth mainly moves it toe/heel?

I can decrease backlash a little (005-008 for performance) but would prefer not to if that increases noise. Main goal here is quiet gears. It's a convertible.

The ring around the outside is part of the torque arm mount. I've never seen a Moser or Strange 12 bolt to know how they do it, but this is the way Summer's Brothers did. It's steel, but has some type of coating (zinc?) and that's why the paint keeps coming off. Basically a ring bolted to the cover holes, a plate bolted over the front where the seal goes, two tubular pieces connecting the two together passing through the front plate, a tubular torque arm bolted to those two tubes, and finally a custom made cover to bolt to the ring.

Kevin D.

RARON455

iTrader: (35)

to be honest with you bro that pattern looks great. better looking than what I got when i put my spool in.

9000th01ss

iTrader: (10)

You can try minimum backlash and see.
Usually you'd put in a thicker pinion shim and shim the ring gear to the left.
I'd definatly take note of what shims you have where with that pattern because it's close, if not close as you can get. Looking at the pics anyway.

shr00m-dew

iTrader: (28)

All right. Why not do it 3-4 more times?

I really need to quit doing this so late at night. Original pictures the backlash was at .012, not .008. Not sure what happened there. With the same .035 pinion, I set BL to .008 and the pattern moved real close to the toe. Set to .005 and the pattern went off the toe. Neither really set the pattern deeper in the tooth.

Moved the pinion out to .045. Pattern was way off on the toe side no matter the BL.

Here's pictures after I moved the pinion down to .030 with .007 BL. Pattern is about the same as the original. Moved slightly towards the toe (but not to the edge). And despite how it may look in the pictures, a good bit deeper into the tooth.









I think I'm going to run with this unless anyone has some objections.

Thanks,

Kevin D.

9000th01ss

iTrader: (10)

It looks good. From what I see in the pics.

SS1875

iTrader: (34)

From the patterns I have seen, it looks good to me as well. As stated before, make note of what shims you have in place currently for any possible (slight)changes needed, button it up and see how it goes.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

Please let us know how it goes - as stated earlier, I'll be doing this in a little bit with the same gear ratio (and quite possibly the same brand if yours end up quiet).

9t8z28

iTrader: (19)

Shouldn't the contact be more centered on the ring gear?

THENASCAR

iTrader: (19)

it looks like it ok. the only thing that i might reccoment is maybe a scoshe deaper contact on the ring gear. basically im telling you to move the ring gear closer to the pinion. but honestly i thinkg you have a great pattern. shouldnt howl or break teeth. good luck

shr00m-dew

iTrader: (28)

Well, success!

I got it buttoned up Friday night, but it didn't stop raining until today. 99% as quiet as stock. With the top up and radio off you can just barely hear some whine, part throttle for 2-3 MPH (no idea which as the speedo is off).

Radio on or top down, can't hear a thing.

Thanks for the help!

Kevin D.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

Awesome man - that gives me hope. Was this the first time you had done anything like this?

shr00m-dew

iTrader: (28)

Sort of.. I started in Oct 07 putting 4.10's in the stock rear. I didn't have much marking compound and honestly trusted the depth tool and backlash gauge too much.. I didn't even make it around the block without knowing something was wrong.

I was going to redo it, but was putting it off since it was a pain. I got a lot of my Grandfather's tools when he moved in with my Aunt and didn't have much room in the garage, so I pushed ahead with building my shop. Shop was finished last summer, but I put it off again until I got a lift. Got the lift installed in September and thought I would have the car rolling again (hadn't moved much in a year).

That's when I scored this new (but old) 12 bolt for $800 that had 3.73's all ready set up. I figured that would be a hell of a lot easier (and better) then trying to set up the 4.10's in the 10 bolt again. So 4 months and $300 in new !c-clip bearings, special seals, 82-84 torque arm bushing, & honing backing plates later I had it bolted in and on the ground.

Heads up, regardless on what the marking compound looks like on a setup but not ran rear, take it apart and check it. He didn't put a crush-sleeve in and was missing about .020" of preload on the carrier. You can pick up the rest of the story above...

What I have learned?

1: Don't buy the cheap ratech pinion depth tool (said I needed .006, I'm running .031)
2: Don't install the seal until you are ready to test it.
3: Put lithium grease on the yoke.
4: Buy extra bearings and bore them out to slip on/off.
5: Write all shim numbers down for every attempt along with a drawing of what the pattern looks like. You will start to figure out what does what.
6: Plan on doing it over and over.
7: Make big adjustments first, then small adjustments.
8: Don't underestimate the power of small adjustments.
9: If you don't have a local source for crush sleeves and pinion nuts, buy extras.
10: Don't tell yourself "That's probably good enough"
11: Buy the big can of marking compound
12: Finally, post pictures and get reassurance..

Kevin D.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

How much carrier preload did you end up running?

shr00m-dew

iTrader: (28)

I'd have to check my numbers, but somewhere right around .489 total.

Kevin D.