Gear Brands - Who Makes What?
08-26-2005, 01:03 PM
#1
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Gear Brands - Who Makes What? I've been trying to search the forums, but I'm getting a little confused now.
Who makes GM OEM gears? Do other companies buy the GM OEM gears and package them as their own? Is there a manufacturer that produces them for GM as an OEM gear?
Here's what I've scraped together so far from searching around, and not all of it can be true.
1. USGear makes the GM OEM gears, and Precision Gear bought the tooling from USGear, so Precision Gear = GM OEM.
2. Strange Gears are made by USGear, so Strange = USGear = GM OEM.
3. AAM makes the GM OEM Gear. Motive sells a packaged AAM gear. So Motive sells a GM OEM gear as its own.
4. SLP boxes the GM OEM gears as their own.
5. SLP boxes the Motive Gears as their own. (source: New Era Performance
6. Motive buys the GM OEM gears and sells them as their own. (source: New Era Performance
Which of these are true, or do some of these refer to different series carriers, etc.? And why does SLP require the purchase of an "SLP Paddle Kit, Zexel-Torsen 4-Series Gear Adapter" to install 4.10s in a 10-bolt, when I've never heard it mentioned with other gear sets? And why's it called a 4-Series Gear Adapter? I thought our 10-bolts were either 2 series (2.73) or 3 series (3.23+).
It'd be great to get some hard facts on all this. Thanks.
Who makes GM OEM gears? Do other companies buy the GM OEM gears and package them as their own? Is there a manufacturer that produces them for GM as an OEM gear?
Here's what I've scraped together so far from searching around, and not all of it can be true.
1. USGear makes the GM OEM gears, and Precision Gear bought the tooling from USGear, so Precision Gear = GM OEM.
2. Strange Gears are made by USGear, so Strange = USGear = GM OEM.
3. AAM makes the GM OEM Gear. Motive sells a packaged AAM gear. So Motive sells a GM OEM gear as its own.
4. SLP boxes the GM OEM gears as their own.
5. SLP boxes the Motive Gears as their own. (source: New Era Performance
6. Motive buys the GM OEM gears and sells them as their own. (source: New Era Performance
Which of these are true, or do some of these refer to different series carriers, etc.? And why does SLP require the purchase of an "SLP Paddle Kit, Zexel-Torsen 4-Series Gear Adapter" to install 4.10s in a 10-bolt, when I've never heard it mentioned with other gear sets? And why's it called a 4-Series Gear Adapter? I thought our 10-bolts were either 2 series (2.73) or 3 series (3.23+).
It'd be great to get some hard facts on all this. Thanks.
08-26-2005, 03:38 PM
#2
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1) Strange and USGear are the same company....two brands, same company.
2) There are multiple companies that have contracts with GM (and other OEMs) to fill the demand. Some manufacturers only make specific gear sets for certain differentials. For instance, Motive makes alot of the 8.5" gear sets...... USGear makes a lot of the GM 7.5 and Chrysler 9.25".....
3) Everybody (that doesnt actually make gear sets) packages gearsets from other companies as their own. With the exception of Auburn, Richmond, USGear and Precision. Motive produces some of their own their own and uses/re-packages gear sets from other companies. They are kinda the ***** of the industry.... they'll use any thing and package it as their own.... with the exception of their high performance line.
4) AAM doesnt supply any majority of ring and pinions for the OEM..... although they do supply a great majority of spline, shaft and slider gears for the transmissions side of the house.
5) SLP isnt a manufacturer, they re-package just about everything with the exception of some of their in house products.... like their headers.
The Torsen differential is only manufactured in a 2 and 3 series. If requires the use of a spacer to bolt normal gear sets to the unit iteslf. "Normal" meaning, gear sets that were not manufactured to specifically fit a different series carrier.
There are companies out there that make both a normal set and either a set that goes up or down in series to fit. One reason for that was so that you didnt have to purchase other products to make a ratio change and another was for mechanical reasons. The mechanical reasons include a design that makes the ring gear thinner, so that you can still remove the cross shaft from the carrier without having to modify it, so that you can install / remove the axles....etc. When a ring gear gets to be so thick, you can not remove the cross shaft. So, the shaft has to be modified so that you can slide it to one side enough that you can then remove the 'c-clip's...... but when the modification is done, it greatly weakens the cross shaft itself from the material being removed. If you have a 'thin' set, the cross shaft problem goes away. Or if you use a 'thick' or 'thin' set, either one of them is used to make up for a difference in carrier flange height.
2) There are multiple companies that have contracts with GM (and other OEMs) to fill the demand. Some manufacturers only make specific gear sets for certain differentials. For instance, Motive makes alot of the 8.5" gear sets...... USGear makes a lot of the GM 7.5 and Chrysler 9.25".....
3) Everybody (that doesnt actually make gear sets) packages gearsets from other companies as their own. With the exception of Auburn, Richmond, USGear and Precision. Motive produces some of their own their own and uses/re-packages gear sets from other companies. They are kinda the ***** of the industry.... they'll use any thing and package it as their own.... with the exception of their high performance line.
4) AAM doesnt supply any majority of ring and pinions for the OEM..... although they do supply a great majority of spline, shaft and slider gears for the transmissions side of the house.
5) SLP isnt a manufacturer, they re-package just about everything with the exception of some of their in house products.... like their headers.
The Torsen differential is only manufactured in a 2 and 3 series. If requires the use of a spacer to bolt normal gear sets to the unit iteslf. "Normal" meaning, gear sets that were not manufactured to specifically fit a different series carrier.
There are companies out there that make both a normal set and either a set that goes up or down in series to fit. One reason for that was so that you didnt have to purchase other products to make a ratio change and another was for mechanical reasons. The mechanical reasons include a design that makes the ring gear thinner, so that you can still remove the cross shaft from the carrier without having to modify it, so that you can install / remove the axles....etc. When a ring gear gets to be so thick, you can not remove the cross shaft. So, the shaft has to be modified so that you can slide it to one side enough that you can then remove the 'c-clip's...... but when the modification is done, it greatly weakens the cross shaft itself from the material being removed. If you have a 'thin' set, the cross shaft problem goes away. Or if you use a 'thick' or 'thin' set, either one of them is used to make up for a difference in carrier flange height.
08-27-2005, 07:55 PM
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Originally Posted by chicane
1) Strange and USGear are the same company....two brands, same company.
2) There are multiple companies that have contracts with GM (and other OEMs) to fill the demand. Some manufacturers only make specific gear sets for certain differentials. For instance, Motive makes alot of the 8.5" gear sets...... USGear makes a lot of the GM 7.5 and Chrysler 9.25".....
3) Everybody (that doesnt actually make gear sets) packages gearsets from other companies as their own. With the exception of Auburn, Richmond, USGear and Precision. Motive produces some of their own their own and uses/re-packages gear sets from other companies. They are kinda the ***** of the industry.... they'll use any thing and package it as their own.... with the exception of their high performance line.
4) AAM doesnt supply any majority of ring and pinions for the OEM..... although they do supply a great majority of spline, shaft and slider gears for the transmissions side of the house.
5) SLP isnt a manufacturer, they re-package just about everything with the exception of some of their in house products.... like their headers.
2) There are multiple companies that have contracts with GM (and other OEMs) to fill the demand. Some manufacturers only make specific gear sets for certain differentials. For instance, Motive makes alot of the 8.5" gear sets...... USGear makes a lot of the GM 7.5 and Chrysler 9.25".....
3) Everybody (that doesnt actually make gear sets) packages gearsets from other companies as their own. With the exception of Auburn, Richmond, USGear and Precision. Motive produces some of their own their own and uses/re-packages gear sets from other companies. They are kinda the ***** of the industry.... they'll use any thing and package it as their own.... with the exception of their high performance line.
4) AAM doesnt supply any majority of ring and pinions for the OEM..... although they do supply a great majority of spline, shaft and slider gears for the transmissions side of the house.
5) SLP isnt a manufacturer, they re-package just about everything with the exception of some of their in house products.... like their headers.
You just answered 3 weeks worth of questions I had! Way to go. I owe you.
08-27-2005, 09:16 PM
#6
TECH Fanatic
Originally Posted by Spectator
Thanks for the info. So, when a gear set is labeled as for a "3 series carrier", then that means it's not "normal", correct?
08-28-2005, 12:27 AM
#7
AAM makes the GM OE gears , Motive Gear repackages them . As for SLP , they use Motive Gears , hope this helps . Motive gear is basically the gear of choice , after how many sets we have installed and never once had a problem , thye run quiet as ever , that is our top choice .
Mike
www.neweraperformanceparts.com
sales@neweraperformanceparts.com
585-865-1832
Mike
www.neweraperformanceparts.com
sales@neweraperformanceparts.com
585-865-1832
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08-28-2005, 07:22 AM
#8
TECH Fanatic
Huh.. thats funny... if you put an OE set next to a USGear or Percision, they look identical. But then again, after years of building the venerable 7.5/7.625 (and the Australian 9bolt) since they were OE back in 93....... sometimes the big three use whatever they can get. Looks like lowest bidder as of late....
Its also strange that 75% (or so) of Motive gears come from Italy.... not AAM.
Its also strange that 75% (or so) of Motive gears come from Italy.... not AAM.
08-28-2005, 04:38 PM
#9
OK , maybe I misworded it . AAM equals GM OE manufacturer , when we sell the GM OE gears , Motive gear supplies us with them and they are AAM (GM OE) repackaged in a motive box but with the GM OE part number on it instead of the Motive part number . SLP uses Motive gears and we mainly sell motive gears , the gm oe's are not always available because of often backorders . Hope this is better understanding , it is a bit confusing .
08-29-2005, 02:10 AM
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Except it conflicts with a sponsor's info. 
I'm very curious about how New Era saws AAM is a major gear manufacturer, yet chicane has said otherwise...
To add more fuel to the fire, which gears are have the 5-cut teeth, and which ones have the newer 2-cut tooth design?
I'm very curious about how New Era saws AAM is a major gear manufacturer, yet chicane has said otherwise...
To add more fuel to the fire, which gears are have the 5-cut teeth, and which ones have the newer 2-cut tooth design?
08-29-2005, 09:26 AM
#13
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Well true, I am not a vendor..... I am just a cat that has been building differentials for 18+ years in the racing and consumer industries. Starting back in the 80's with the Corvette Challenge Series, doing failure analysis for GM, Ford and Chrysler and working with just about every (actual) gear manufacturer working realted issues..... you kinda get a working relationship with them that you dont as just a mear vendor. Not saying anything contrary about being a vendor, as I am one myself, I just dont advertise.
I didnt say AAM wasnt a major gear vendor, because they are, just not driven differential gear related. They are just another contractor supplying to the demand of the Big Three.
Although thought of as fuel, I would like to hear your explaination on what you believe you know about the 5 and 2 cut design processes ?? Its not what you think.....
I didnt say AAM wasnt a major gear vendor, because they are, just not driven differential gear related. They are just another contractor supplying to the demand of the Big Three.
Although thought of as fuel, I would like to hear your explaination on what you believe you know about the 5 and 2 cut design processes ?? Its not what you think.....
08-29-2005, 10:54 AM
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The little info that I have heard about the 5-cut and 2-cut is that they're set up differently, and that if an installer tries to set up a 2-cut gear in the same way they would a 5-cut, then there'll be problems down the line. What's your take on it, and which brands use the 5-cut and which ones use the 2-cut?
