9" Ford gear noise problem
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 15
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9" Ford gear noise problem Hello. I have a 2002 single turbo Camaro. It runs 9.50s at 140 mph. When I originally built the car I put a stock gear set in it out of a Ford truck. I set it up myself and it was dead quiet. After a few races, I twisted off the pinion stem. After that I installed a set of Pro Gears with a 35 spline pinion stem. No more breakage problems but it whines very annoyingly. As this is a street/strip car, it bugs the hell out of me! The second gear set I had in it was 9310 steel. After that I found a 35 spline set that was 8620 steel. That set is in the car now and is equally noisy. Everyone I've talked to has said that the large pinion gear sets are all noisy. I'm considering trying to go back to the 28 spline pinion gear set, but I'm worried I'll twist it off again.
Any of you guys out there running mid-9's and leaving off a trans brake having good luck with 28 spline gear sets? Or am I stuck with this annoying whining?
Suggestions much appreciated!
Mark
Any of you guys out there running mid-9's and leaving off a trans brake having good luck with 28 spline gear sets? Or am I stuck with this annoying whining?
Suggestions much appreciated!
Mark
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 532
Likes: 630
I'm going to guess that everything is correctly built and aligned, and if so there may not be much to do besides ignore it, change the gears back to properly cut factory gears, or add a bandaid solution like a moly sulfide additive to your gear oil. Warning on the moly sulfide thought: Its messy, and you CANT use it in a limited slip where it uses friction clutches.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 31
Likes: 2
From: Dallas/Fort Worth
If you indeed are running a pro gear that is intended for drag racing only. They will not last on the street. Another thing to consider if you are running a 35 spline big pinion is what support you're using as Strange makes a 35 spline big pinion support that is meant for drag racing only. (The oil passage has been reduced).
I've had 3 sets of gears in my 9 inch. 4.56 Richmonds that were junk and noisy, 4.11 Yukon gear that was decent, and now a 4.11 Strange US street gear which has been the best. 28 spline pinion, run Lucus 85-140 in it. No problems, but this is not an all out race car either. Hope this helps. Note- I do have some gear noise but remember these cars have a torque arm that acts like a stethoscope and magnifies noises into the chasis.
I've had 3 sets of gears in my 9 inch. 4.56 Richmonds that were junk and noisy, 4.11 Yukon gear that was decent, and now a 4.11 Strange US street gear which has been the best. 28 spline pinion, run Lucus 85-140 in it. No problems, but this is not an all out race car either. Hope this helps. Note- I do have some gear noise but remember these cars have a torque arm that acts like a stethoscope and magnifies noises into the chasis.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 15
Likes: 1
Thanks for the helpful comments. I decided to go back to a 28-spline pinion. I first ordered a set of US Gear stealth series gears. When they arrived, they had the same neck-down area next to the pinion spline as the stock gears had. I sent them back and got a set of Motive gears. I installed them and was very happy with the drive side pattern. Coast side, not quite as good. I test drove the car; it's almost dead silent on drive with a tiny bit of whine on decel. I'm going to the track tomorrow. Hopefully no breakage problems. The second set of 35 spline pinion manufactured from 8620 steel I bought from Quick Performance. I spoke with them and they said these gears were made for the guys doing Drag Week. The short period of time I had them in the car they seemed to be holding up well. If the small pinion gear set holds up for me, that's where I will stay. Wish me luck. 
