Gearset pattern

[borderline]

Hi all! I'm building a rear end (my first one) and would like some opinions on the pattern I am getting. This is a 7.5" 10 bolt, I know they are weak I got the housing, limited slip carrier and gear set for free out of a parts car that was given to me. The gear set is a Richmond, and their website shows a backlash tolerance of 0.008" + 0.004" -0, backlash right now is at 0.011". The pinion currently has a 0.040" shim in it. Would you run with this pattern? If not should I add more or take out some shim? Thanks!

 

[Blazer406]

I'm far from an expert, but I would want to have the paint missing near the middle of the tooth. It looks like to me the backlash is OK.... it is much better to be a little loose on the backlash than tight.... IMHO. Tight generates too much heat and leads to premature failure.

I'd be concerned where the pinion has made tooth marks on the carrier? What's up with that?

 

[borderline]

I'm far from an expert, but I would want to have the paint missing near the middle of the tooth. It looks like to me the backlash is OK.... it is much better to be a little loose on the backlash than tight.... IMHO. Tight generates too much heat and leads to premature failure.

I'd be concerned where the pinion has made tooth marks on the carrier? What's up with that?

 

[borderline]

Yeah, I'm not sure what happened there. The gearset and carrier were in the backseat of the parts car. It looks like rather than pressing the pinion bearing on, the guy who initially installed them took emery cloth to the pinion and made it into a slip fit bearing. I've had the pinion spray welded and then cylindrically ground back to correct size. The teeth look fine, but would appear that carrier took a beating. For free I can't argue... Thanks for your opinion on the pattern, not entirely sure of where to go from here.

 

[Blazer406]

I guess my comment was directed to the top picture.... the bottom picture doesn't look too bad. I'm not sure which pic is showing the thrust side though..... (not sure if that is the right "term")

I setup a 8.5" GM 10-bolt once and it lasted for years, then one day the pinion nut backed itself off... and it started howling..... I resetup the gears and it wined like mad after that. I had to buy a new set of gears and set them up to get the wine out. Once they wear in from something funny happening.... they are pretty much toast as far as I have experience with.

Good luck.

 

[borderline]

Good times, I bet this setup made some crazy noise before it got pulled out. Lol. Might have to bite the bullet and get some new gears, just on a tight budget right now...

 

[dr_frankenstein]

That carrier look nutz! Ive never seen one like that!

 

[Dave Dunbar]

That pattern looks good to me. I might take the backlash closer to the high side and that might bring the pattern closer on the top photo. If you you told me the backlash was bang on I would say "ship it"