I finally had it with the bearing noise from my 173 thousand mile rear.

I went with Richmond 3.42 gears for my 2 series carrier and their mega install kit.

A friend and his friend, who has done quite a few rears from 10 bolt to 12 bolt to 9 inchers did the work. This guy has a 10 second big block LeMans and I’ve seen his work. Very meticulous. I have every confidence in his work. I gave them the rear out of the car.

Firstly, I have gear whine. Sure, NOW I found out Richmond Gears are some of the noisiest but strongest. I can almost live with it. I’m using Lucas synthetic with GM LSA. I’ve learned that Schaefers #267 will reduce the whine, I’m gonna try it.

Here’s the real problem: While driving, when I let off the gas, the rear clunks from accelerate to decelerate. It clunks again when I step on it. When I give it just the right amount of gas, it gets between accelerate and decelerate and the rear rattles.

Now, I don’t know much about setting up differentials however, I’m under the impression that I have excessive backlash and simply tightening up the pinion nut will set the pinion closer to the ring gear to reduce backlash.

Am I right or am I wrong?

Going from 2.73 to 3.42 made a considerable improvement in the car.

 

tightening the pinion nut increases the preload on both pinion bearings.
pinion depth,distance relationship pinion and ring gear is determined by large pinion bearing and the shim uinderneath it.

 

If I understand you correctly, I’ll need to remove the pinion gear and change the shims? This will reduce the slop between the gears?

Thanks!

 

you don't know if you have 'slop' (excessive backlash) until you measure the backlash. excessive backlash,typically,will not occur as a 'clunk'. that 'clunk' could be u-joint,carrier,excessively worn axle splines.

 

Alright, it's gotta be opened up. New axles and U-joints.