I have an 82 cutlass which i believe came with a 231 v6. i found this out from my VIN and Hastings manual. I dont know too much about rear ends and I wanted to know what kind of rear end I have.Also, In order to change the gear ratio do I have to replace the entire rear end? Whats a good daily street gear ratio?
Rear End ??
- Thread starter franknitticutlass
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Its a ten bolt of some sort probly a 7.5" ten bolt . No you dont have to replace the whole rear end to change gear ratio, just the ring and pinion gears. I believe the 2.73, 3.08, and the 3.42 to be very streetable gears. I have 3.42s in my car with 2700 stall and drive it daily. My cars turns about 2800 at 50mph if I didnt have the converter in it I think it would turn about 2500 rpm at 50mph. You can buy used gears everywere, just make sure that you get the ring and pinion together as a set. Or they wont live. Put the car up in the air pull the wheels and tires off, brake drums off, then pull the cover off the rear end let the grease run out. then unbolt the pin in the carrier (I think its like 8mm or 5/16) slide the pin out push the axles in take the C clips off (most of the time they fall off) pull the axles and axle gears out. Then unbolt the caps that hold in the carrier and take it out (dont loose shims or what side they go on). Then take the rear end end of the drive line off (4 7/16 head bolts) and unbolt the pinion via the nut in the center of the yoke. Pull the pinion gear out. As for pinion depth just press the pinion bearing off your stock pinion take the shim off put it on the new pinion press on a new bearing. unbolt the ring gear from the carrier and put new ring gear on (I recomend putting lock tight on the bolts). Clean out rear end of old grease. Replace new pinion in housing, put on new crush sleeve and yoke and set bearing preload by tighting the nut (dont remember amount of preload needed but I belive Chilton, Hanes manuals tell or the interent) that holds the yoke on (pinion nut). Then put the carrier back in with shims were they came from rebolt caps and check lash between the pinion and the ring gear (basicly how much the ring gear will move back and forward without the pinion turning I beleive propper lash is between .005" and .009") I use a magnetic based dial indicator. Adjust shims accordingly to get it correct. Sometimes you have to buy a ring gear spacer in order to get it right. Once lash is correct put your axles gears and axles back in replace C clips and pull axles out to lock C clips back in (much easier with two people). Make sure your spider gears are lined up and replace the pin and bolt it in. Put on new gasket and bolt the cover back on fill with grease via the plug on the pasenger side of the rear end ( a 3/8 ratchet or extension fits it). Fill it till grease run out the plug hole and then plug it off. Its really not that difficult. good luck to ya
It's probably 2.41 gears, maybe 2.73. If you can find the build sheet the code for 2.41 is GU1 and 2.73 is GU2. Look in the options section.
My Malibu is also my DD and I have 3.73s with a TH350 and I'm very happy with them. But I rarely go on the highway. When I do I'm doing about 4000 RPM at 100km/h (about 65 mph). So you might not like them if you do a lot of highway driving.
I have the same 305/thm350 3:73 gears and with a 27" tall tire (255/60/15) it pulls 3300rpm @ 70, a little steep for me and the 305 does ok but for how long is anyones guess I am currently gathering parts for a 200-4r swap
It looks like Im going to probably go with 3:73 most likely. What company's most reliable in your opinion?
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