Gear whine HELP!
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 5
Likes: 2
From: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Gear whine HELP! I’m having trouble with a rear end gear installation on a 1998 Trans Am (10 bolt, 7.5”). hoping someone might be able to offer some insight, curious if anyone has experienced a similar problem?
I’ve purchased motive orange box 3.42 thick gears for the series 2 carrier and I cannot get them to quite down. They whine very loud on both acceleration and deceleration.
When I first installed them they whined immediately on both acceleration and deceleration. I called and emailed motive and I had been back and forth with motive exchanging pictures. Their initial thought was that the pattern look good and couldn’t understand why they would be making noise. Their recommendation was to adjust the pinion .003” and see what happens. So I adjusted initially .003 deeper and than .003 shallower, by adjusting the pinion shim and there was no change in the whine on either setting, still the same on both acceleration and deceleration. After some more back and forth with motive they eventually warrantied the gears as we believed they may have been defective as the chamfer on the heal of the gear had not been machined fully.
I received the replacement set and installed them last weekend, along with replacing all bearings, carrier and pinion, and this new set of gears now whines worse than the first set.
I am fairly confident that I have done everything to correctly set up these gears. I have set the pinion depth to exactly the dimension that’s on the pinion, backlash is set to .007”, preload is set to 15InLbs, marking pattern looks good nicely centred on the tooth.
I don’t want to believe that I could have gotten 2 bad sets of gears, but I’m not sure what else to try at this point.
Hoping someone might have some insight or ideas for me, I’m at my wits end with these gears!
I’ve purchased motive orange box 3.42 thick gears for the series 2 carrier and I cannot get them to quite down. They whine very loud on both acceleration and deceleration.
When I first installed them they whined immediately on both acceleration and deceleration. I called and emailed motive and I had been back and forth with motive exchanging pictures. Their initial thought was that the pattern look good and couldn’t understand why they would be making noise. Their recommendation was to adjust the pinion .003” and see what happens. So I adjusted initially .003 deeper and than .003 shallower, by adjusting the pinion shim and there was no change in the whine on either setting, still the same on both acceleration and deceleration. After some more back and forth with motive they eventually warrantied the gears as we believed they may have been defective as the chamfer on the heal of the gear had not been machined fully.
I received the replacement set and installed them last weekend, along with replacing all bearings, carrier and pinion, and this new set of gears now whines worse than the first set.
I am fairly confident that I have done everything to correctly set up these gears. I have set the pinion depth to exactly the dimension that’s on the pinion, backlash is set to .007”, preload is set to 15InLbs, marking pattern looks good nicely centred on the tooth.
I don’t want to believe that I could have gotten 2 bad sets of gears, but I’m not sure what else to try at this point.
Hoping someone might have some insight or ideas for me, I’m at my wits end with these gears!
Launching!
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 286
Likes: 94
From: AZ
setting up gears is not easy to do. if they whine, something is not setup right. TBH the 10 bolt is a pile of ****, and you shouldn't spend any more money on it. You will eventually break it.
at this point you either A) have a shop install another set of gears B) install a used axle or C) go with a 9" rear. I would go with option C.
at this point you either A) have a shop install another set of gears B) install a used axle or C) go with a 9" rear. I would go with option C.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 5
Likes: 2
From: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Absolutely agree that the 10bolt rear end is not strong but unfortunately I don’t have the funds for a new complete rear end.
I would really like to be able to solve this myself with taking it to a shop.
I guess I should rephrase my question, has anyone else ever experienced whine on both acceleration and deceleration?
typically a problem with set up of gears would result in one or the other, is there something that would result in both acceleration and deceleration whine ?
I would really like to be able to solve this myself with taking it to a shop.
I guess I should rephrase my question, has anyone else ever experienced whine on both acceleration and deceleration?
typically a problem with set up of gears would result in one or the other, is there something that would result in both acceleration and deceleration whine ?
Launching!
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 286
Likes: 94
From: AZ
Absolutely agree that the 10bolt rear end is not strong but unfortunately I don’t have the funds for a new complete rear end.
I would really like to be able to solve this myself with taking it to a shop.
I guess I should rephrase my question, has anyone else ever experienced whine on both acceleration and deceleration?
typically a problem with set up of gears would result in one or the other, is there something that would result in both acceleration and deceleration whine ?
I would really like to be able to solve this myself with taking it to a shop.
I guess I should rephrase my question, has anyone else ever experienced whine on both acceleration and deceleration?
typically a problem with set up of gears would result in one or the other, is there something that would result in both acceleration and deceleration whine ?
I wouldn't spend another dime on the 10 bolt. You have wasted enough money already. you either pay a shop to rebuild the POS 10 bolt OR get a 9" and be done with itl , forever and always. I know it's not what you wanna hear but it's the truth bro.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 383
Likes: 108
OP what are the specs for backlash on that axle? I've only regeared one axle last year: a GM 2KXX truck rear end. So I'm definitely not an expert. I know the correct GM procedure requires that Uber experience Kent Moore measuring gadget. But any DIYer is not going to have that at their disposal.
I think whine is not enough oil between the gear surfaces, so maybe backlash is a bit too tight? Maybe setting it up towards the upper bound of backlash specs will clear the problem? Did you keep your carrier shims in the corresponding location after you removed it?
I think whine is not enough oil between the gear surfaces, so maybe backlash is a bit too tight? Maybe setting it up towards the upper bound of backlash specs will clear the problem? Did you keep your carrier shims in the corresponding location after you removed it?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 5
Likes: 2
From: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
strutaeng, thanks for the suggestion, that is along the lines of what I was starting to think. Gear instructions call for .007 -.009” backlash. I have it set to .007” the lower end. I didn’t measure what the factory backlash was set to (wish I had now) but by feel it was definitely on the higher end.
i had always thought it was better to be on the tighter side but maybe these 10bolt rear ends like it a little looser ?
im thinking at this point I’m going to try opening up the backlash and maybe go to a thicker oil.
does anyone have any experience on what backlash setting the 10bolt rear ends work best with?
i had always thought it was better to be on the tighter side but maybe these 10bolt rear ends like it a little looser ?
im thinking at this point I’m going to try opening up the backlash and maybe go to a thicker oil.
does anyone have any experience on what backlash setting the 10bolt rear ends work best with?
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo