Dr. Evil

Can anyone explain this to me please?

When I look at the SLP catalog at 4.10 gears. It states that with the series 3 carrier (zexel-torsen) a paddle kit is needed for installation.
The paddle kit alone runs about $170 from them.

Well, I was just on the phone with Thunder Racing to order my 4.10 gears and install kit from them, and they have no idea what I'm talking about with the paddle kit. It isn't listed on their site anywhere, and isn't in their install kits.

I heard this was necessary and don't want to get held up on the install if it is, and I forgot to order it.

How have you all done handled this with putting the 4.10s in your Torsens?

(fwiw, the car is a '99 SS M6)
Thanks

KRAZY K 2000 TA

iTrader: (5)

I put 4.10's in and the only thing i bought was gears and install kit

Dr. Evil

Let me add this, a local place in town that installs gears, and also uses Motive, says he doesn't use the paddle kit either. Why would SLP be saying this is required? I couldn't imagine there's too much difference between SLP's gears and Motive's...

Oh well, I guess I'm going to go ahead and order from TR without worrying about the paddle kit.

Thanks

Camaro_Zach

iTrader: (19)

I have installed 4.10s personally. What they are referring to is the fact that the paddle wont clear the gear teeth and make it into the center section of the carrier. The ring gear's teeth are too high. I took mine to a grinder, but its seriously a pain. And if you take too much off, it could become too weak and brake or it could put wear on the axle ends. Either way, the local place should know whats going on, and krazy k 2000 ta, did you have the auburn unit? I think its just the torsen unit you have to do this with. Dr. Evil, you DO have to modify the paddle if you dont buy it from slp.

Dr. Evil

I'm having a friend help with the install. He's done a number of gear swaps, but most of his exp. is with the Auburn diffs. He thought I'd need the paddle kit for sure though... I hate to spend an extra $170 on this, but I'm not sure we'd be able to modify the existing paddle.

SouthFL.02.SS

Same here. The kit from thunder. Torsen on my car.

Dr. Evil

SouthFL02SS,
Did you modify your existing paddle then?

I ordered the paddle kit from SLP, but I kinda feel like I just wasted a bunch of money...

mcflyz28

Just grind down the old one the paddle kit is a wste of money.

SouthFL.02.SS

I didn't do the install. But the installer seemed to have no problem usng only gears and the Thunder kit.

Dis you ask SLP what exactly the paddle kit is neede for? Now you have me curious.

Dr. Evil

I have to admit that I've done very little in the past with this kind of thing, but from what I understand with 4.10s, the ring gear is significantly thicker, and there is a clearance issue with the existing paddle. It has to be ground down or removed to make room for the teeth (I think).

From what I'm told, if the paddle kit isn't used, the axles potentially have more travel in and out of the housing, and damage can occur.

I don't know when I was told that, if they were assuming that the old paddle would be coming out and not be re-used to have that potential problem...

I mentioned in a earlier post that a friend was helping me with this. He has ALOT of experience with doing this on fbodies and other cars, but none with Torsens (he's races two older fbodies with LT1s, and therefore has delt quite a bit with Auburn's). But he seemed to clearly understand why this was said to be required, and suggested I not do it with out it. I guess I could always try to grind down the existing paddle, and make it fit, but he is driving a good distance to help me with it, and I want to be able to get this all wrapped up while he's here.

ss rally red

iTrader: (8)

You don't need a paddle kit just grind approx. 1/4 inch off the rear edge of the paddle on the ring gear side. It will slide right by.

nuzee

iTrader: (2)

For whatever reason, I ended up having to grind a little bit off the toes on 4 ring gear teeth on a set of OEM 3.42s! for it to fit a 3 series torsen carrier. I'm just guessing that the OEM 7.625" ring gear is a bit taller than aftermarket gear sets. I dunno??? But I can definately attest to paddle clearance problems with torsens. HTH

BadAndy

OK guys stop grinding the damn paddle if you want your diff to stay in the housing. And what the hell are you talking about removing the paddle???? Unless you get the paddle kit, which is simply a two piece paddle, you will have to grind a very small amount off of a couple of the inner teeth to clear the paddle. This is a small amount of metal and the pinion never even contacts the ring in that location. Jesus how often do you remove a retaining pin just to make **** fit??

LS1derfull

I installed 4.10 richmonds in my zexel rear,i just forced paddle in with brass punch. No damage, will be more interesting to get out im sure! LOL BTW Zexel is much tougher than Auburn for ultimate strength, it is cheap to replace if any of you are running Auburns, i would update to zexel torsen.

Dr. Evil

After doing the 4.10 install last weekend, I gotta say that if you don't use the paddle kit for the 4.10s, or grind down the old block, there's no way it's gonna work, your c-clips would drop off and your axles would come out.
You gotta have something there to stop the axles from sliding towards the center. The 170 or so I paid for SLP's paddle kit is ridiculous though.
(probably even made in China somewhere...)

fwiw, I bought the Thunder Racing gear package, and also used a solid pinion spacer too, it was a bit of extra work, but I think it was worth it. The install went well, and the gears sound right.

Can't wait to get through the break-in!