A question about rear ends
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
From: Memphis
A question about rear ends Could you mis match pinion gear with a different ring gear? I actually tried this, I had a pinion gear with 11 teeth and a ring gear with 41 teeth.....for a ratio of 3.73. But I wanted to get lsd....so I got a carrier from a 98 camaro (it had the auburn style lsd) and the ring gear had 41 teeth as well but the pinion gear on the 98 camaro was 12 teeth for a 3.42 ratio. I didn't want this....so I figured since this ring gear can work with a pinion gear of either 11 or 12 teeth.....I'll keep my 11 tooth gear in place and just change out the carrier. Well...it's noisy. I got new carrier bearings and pinion bearings and races I set my backlash properly within spec and It's noisy....a whiny sound from about 25mph and up and it gets louder as I accelerate. No grinding or anything....just whiny. I thought perhaps my backlash was not set properly so I measured the backlash and it all checks out....then I noticed some metal sparkles in the diff oil as I was draining it. Uh oh. My only guess is it's due to the mis matched ring and pinion gear.
So my plan is, would I be able to get a 11 tooth pinion gear and 41 tooth ring gear from say like a blazer or any other gm vehicle using this combo as long as they are from the same vehicle and use that pinion gear and take the ring gear off that carrier and use it on my existing carrier....??? That way the gears are from the same vehicle, I get lsd, and 3.73 gear ratio....? What are your thoughts?
So my plan is, would I be able to get a 11 tooth pinion gear and 41 tooth ring gear from say like a blazer or any other gm vehicle using this combo as long as they are from the same vehicle and use that pinion gear and take the ring gear off that carrier and use it on my existing carrier....??? That way the gears are from the same vehicle, I get lsd, and 3.73 gear ratio....? What are your thoughts?
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: Florida
I would just save the headache and money to buy a new matched ring and pinion. They are supposed to be a matched set, and setting used ring and pinion is a pain. I think anyone would agree with this.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
From: Memphis
Yep....gonna try to do it right this time.
