So, go back in history to last September. Went to the track and blew my 10 bolt. oh well, time for a 9", right? So over a couple of months on debating on whether or not to buy a MWC fab 9, or a used local one, i settled on a local one. it was a moser 9" with a cast iron center, 4.10's with a Locker. guy threw in the newer torque arm from BMR and LCA's. got it for cheap. installed here at my dealer.
So, over some miles, not being familiar with the behavior of a locker, i thought all the clanking and snapping sounds when i turned into my garage were normal, and were to be expected.i was wrong. then the thing started to howl like a banshee. When i finally pulled it out of the garage to pull it down here to the shop, the car just stopped. locked up. had to have a tow truck yank this thing out of my garage to bring it one block to the dealer.
So, we took the center out of the chunk here at work and what did i find? most of the bolts that hold the ring gear to the carrier were either snapped, or backed out almost completely. the bolts that had backed out had crashed into the center housing, mushing it into molten metal, and ultimately cracking the housing. So i was fucked there.
I ordered a new Yukon Aluminum center, all new bearings, and yukon gears from a sponsor. I had it set up by a very reputable shop here in town, and proceeded with my breakin procedure. by about mile 500 this thing was howling rediculously. we took it apart again, and the gears had eaten themselves up, without so much as a WOT run.
The gears were sent into yukon to be checked. never heard anything back through vendor. local driveline shop offered me a new set of richmonds for rather cheap and offered to set it up for free (normally $500) so i did that. followed their breakin procedure to a T. changed fluids. had a VERY faint hum, but not really noticable at that point.
Once broken in, i went to bandimere. pulled a real nice 12.81 pass, only on like a 2.3 60'. enter the howling again. the car is nearly unbearable to drive. as early as 20mph it sounds like a banshee sitting in the back seat.
So, im sick of F'ing with this. this setup should be able to handle a pass at the track when im not even spraying. the shop that set up the gears told me "there is no warranty suggested, or implied". still no word on my gears from yukon or from the vendor. i shipped the gears out on august 9th or thereabouts. they recieved them and they were signed for.
Im out of ideas, and im out of money to say the least. i think i just lost my *** on this whole setup. to the tune of nearly $4k after all the failures and re-setups. im not mentioning any names yet, because i dont want to bash anyone right now. im just telling the timeline and story til now. just kinda bummed about it.

 

F-n hell did you do?? Bearing problem?? Something ant right.

 

If you've gone through each setup carefully, doing the break-in to a T like you've said, I'd be curious if something was wrong with the actual housing or axle tubes. The rear could be warped causing a bad wear pattern causing premature fatigue and failure. I know it'd be a lot of trouble but I'd get someone to set up the rear on a jig and check all the proper points to make sure the rear-end symmetry isn't screwed up.

Best of luck.

 

I thought the same thing. the last time i had the rear set up i sent the whole rear end over. they put on their jig, and put their bar through it. they said it seemed to be sound and "perfectly straight". so idk. maybe its cursed. probably is. im wondering if i should have it done one more time and sell it to get rid of it and put a stock rear back in so im not up to my eyeballs.

 

all i did is a bunch of granny driving, and a pass down the track without my power adder. all bearings were new. idk what the deal is.

 

I say just start over. Part out what you have now and buy a completely new rear end setup. I'm sure it will hurt the bank but that is what I would do. Can't polish a turd just like you can't fix that cursed rear end.

 

Im wishing i could do that. i just really cant with my financial situation.

 

What is your pinion angle set at? Anything below -3 and it will start howling. You also could have had some debris left over from the first failure still in the rearend.

 

I would also check the pinion angle. If you are good there, I would cut my losses and start from scratch. Something weird is going on with it. If you try again, I would let someone else set it up. Just my .02

 

as far as i know, it is as -2. i set that myself. ther should have been no debris left over. the housing was completely disassembled and hot-tanked.

 

Did you reuse the locker? If so, make sure it is not warped where the ring gear bolts to it. What brand of gears are you using? I have used Motive and Richmond in my 9" for years. This was behind a 6-speed car and about 60 passes at the track on slicks. Never had the problems you are having.

 

Which AL housing are you using ? seems the only 2 that doesn't move with street driving is the pro thru bolted case from either moser or Mark Williams, strange has a few also but they say not to use there lightened stuff on the street.

The Al housings that are light move as heat comes on, and that will change the set up ever so slightly, but it will be enough to cause a issue.

 

You had the opportunity to go new and you took the cheap route. Now you're paying for it. What I would do if I was you is learn how to set-up my own rear end. Seriously. You cant buy someone's junk for "cheap" not know how to work on it and pay someone else to work on it and come out ahead. It don't work like that dude. You're logic is flawed. Rear ends are actually very easy. Don't be intimidated. Get your feet wet.

 

Yea a 9 inch is the easiest to setup.

 

I have heard that before.... What is the carrier/case preload spread ?

 

I did not re-use the locker, it was trashed. I used Yukon's aluminum center, Yukon gears, and Yukon posi.
Yes, Bought used. the only difference between me and most guys having work done is that im in the industry locally. i dont pay what most guys will pay. i have friends here at work who are techs who work for beer and cigarettes, man.
also, i dont know what the preload is at all, i havent got that far into it just yet.
Im running richmond gears right now. 4.11