Gear setup 8.5 "

[Albertaborn]

Hello all. Just sething up an 8.5 out of GN into my 80 malibu. The dif was bare when I bought it but I bought all new parts for it. Everything so far is going well got a 37 thou pinion shim to start, 8 thou backlash and 19 in lbs pinion preload. It's been a while since a setup a gear set so wanted to get an opinion on markings. First pic with the more centered pattern is the drive gear, of which to me doesn't seem too terrible but then the coast gear is basically all toe. Carrier preload seems pretty close as I had to hammer in shim with a brass punch but nothing to crazy. What are everyone's thoughts on the pattern? It's just my first pattern and I'm just looking for maybe my next step to better it.

 

[MrSony]

Not good enough. Marks need to be in the middle of the teeth. Too far down and it'll grind itself to bits. Too high up like yours, it'll rip the teeth off under any load.

 

[Albertaborn]

I don't disagree there is further adjustment needed. When you say "too high" you must be talking about the coast side pattern more so than the drive side one? The drive side does have some paint above the marking towards the top of the face. I hate to ask but what would you say would be a next step?

 

[455'ed80Regal]

I believe your pinion is in too deep. I'd pull .003 out, reset backlash and check again. Also, you want around 25 in. lbs. pre-load on new pinion bearings.

 

[455'ed80Regal]

Oh, and it makes it a lot easier if you have pinion setup bearings.

 

[Albertaborn]

Fair enough 455 Regal. I will try to take some outta the pinion. If I use setup bearings and leave the crush sleeve out I guess I still preload the pinion to 25 in lbs correct? Also just wanting to learn what should I have picked up on that my pinion is to deep?

 

[Albertaborn]

Also what side should I focus on more or should I really be trying to get both sides with good pattern ?

 

[455'ed80Regal]

Pre-load isn't critical during setup. You want to get both sides as close to centered as possible, but the main side would be the drive side. For those that haven't done this kind of thing before, like myself, I had to consult the internet to find a pattern like my initial one so I would know what way to move either the pinion or carrier. Just take you time.

 

[Clarmo]

It looks like a used gear that you are trying to install. The coast side looks like it was running off the toe from the last install. It will be very hard, almost impossible to get a good pattern on a used gear that was install wrong the first time. It will most likely be noisy no matter what you do, especially on decel. Get a new gear and start over.

 

[Albertaborn]

I should have mentioned it is a new gear set