Setting up New Rear End Gears.

[Cudajason]

Hey guys,

The next thing I need to check off on my to do list for the Cuda is rebuild the rear end and install new gears.

I have 3.23s in there now and would like to go to 3.73s.

How difficult is it to set up new gears, what special tools do I need?  Of is it just better left to a pro.

this is likely a winter project, but you never know I might get to it earlier.

Jason

[Skdmark]

I would read the FSM on setting up rear gears. Then you can see the tools used and what all is involved. From there decide if it's something you want to tackle. Here 's an article from Hot Rod on it too.

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-1103-rebuilding-an-8-3-4/

[Rich G.]

This book might help.

[Dakota]

I followed all the write-ups and YouTube videos I could find to the best of my ability for my first attempt at rebuilding my differential.   It didn't end well as there was lots of heavy clunking within the first 20 miles on the road. Best guess from the mechanic who fixed it was that one of the big side bearings went in a little crooked so it had much more play once I started driving.  The gears were destroyed so I ended paying for the professional help I was trying to avoid.

I'm not suggesting you go hire someone.  I'm just saying that this is one of those areas you have to double and triple check your work because being wrong makes a mess pretty quickly.

Good luck with it!

[anlauto]

It's a job I leave to the "pros" all the time....I would suggest getting another carrier and build a complete new unit...I buy all my parts from Dr. Diff.

Since I just built a carrier for a customer this past March....I can tell you the prices I paid IN CANADIAN DOLLARS with our lovely 13%  TAX included.

Parts: $1345.00 3:73 ring/pinion, sure grip unit, front 7290 yoke, install bearing kit. SHIPPING from Dr. Diff included.
Labour $712.00 included pressing on axle bearings (not included in above list)

[tparker]

I'm going to tackle this soon. I have an 8 3/4 that I can slap my 3.55 gears into. Hoping it isn't too big of a project. I don't think it is. My daughter recently trashed my Jeep's diff. I had to get a new pinion gear for it. I had to tear out the gears and put them back in. It was a little bit of a pain but was pretty easy. The hardest part is to get the alignment right. It was a trial and error for me, There are shims that have to be set up correctly on both the left and right side just right. After putting everything in place you do your measurements, then take it all back apart to add or remove shims. It took a little bit to get it right. No real fancy tools other than a torque wrench. I didn't remove axles, so not sure what exactly that takes. I think the pinion required a bushing to be pressed in if I remember correctly. I have a cheap harbor freight press so it wasn't a big deal, but I don't recall the details.

Not sure what all else you will be doing. I'm sure there are a number of youtube vids.

[RUNCHARGER]

I've done lots of them. 8 3/4 are pretty easy, 742 or 741 case are the easiest. If you have an assembled PIG that is set up properly to start with you can reference those pinion shims to set up the new pinion, otherwise it takes a bit longer. You will need a dial indicator and a small and big torque wrench. Also you have to have pullers to pull bearing races off.
Setting ring gear backlash is a 5 minutes job with an 8 3/4, Dana 60 not so easy.