Norval I seem to remember a post from last year(?) that your son was rebuilding differentials. I have looked but can't find it. I was wondering if he is still doing it as I have one from a 74 that needs to be rebuilt. If he is could you let me know the details.

Thanks in advance
Dale

 

I was the recipent of that rebuild. He did a great job and also did some of the mods that gtr1999(Gary) recomends. Absolutly no noise from back there anymore. I do not know if his son(Steve) is still doing this but I am sure that Norval will let you know either way.

 

Where is Tiverton?? I am sure he would be interested but I have to check. Doug bought a kit which made it alot easier but Steve would pick up the bearings too. We do not use crush sleeves, only a solid spacer and it is a big bonus.
Anyway if you pull the rearend we can talk about how we are going to get it, that is after I ask Steve.

 

How does that solid spacer work? And do you sell these?

 

Thanks for the response Norval, I am about 1hr 45min northwest of you on the shore of Lake Huron, The diff is already out of the car as I have it stripped down to the bare frame (which I'm going to replace )
I'm not sure of the condition of the differential, the owner before me welded up the cracks in the cover. I have bought a new heavy duty one to replace it.

Dale

 

Most 4 x 4 used off road run spacers. Spacers are used by factory Toyota's and they never back off causing a problem.
They are available for about $40 and act like the spacer in your rear wheel bearings.
I custom make them and feel they are far superior to a crush sleeve but require custom fitting. Once machined to length an impact can be used to install the pinion and if you every pull the pinion nut off it is simple to replace. Example a bad seal. No problem with getting pinion reload reset. Gary uses them sometimes.
I refuse to use a crush sleeve anymore for anything.

 

I wouldn't use a welded cover. Crush sleeves are made in house and custom fitted to the application. Are you replacing gears?? Replacing the posi unit?? Just want new bearings, seals and races??

Posi's are not cheap, neither is the axle gear shims for adjusting the posi and yoke end play. It adds up fast.
Labor is not expensive compared to the price of parts.
Just bearings and seals is not bad but I believe a new posi from the dealer is about $175CDN and axle shims about $110 CDN
A kit from Tom's is alot cheaper.

 

May I add a couple of thoughts.

First if Norval is near you, use him. You'll get more attention to detail then a dealer or general shop will offer. If I didn't do them I'd have Norval do them.

Take the welded rear cover and trash it,it's now junk. If you use a GM cover you'll be fine,if you use a aftermarket HD cover you'll have a very high chance the bolt pattern will be off for the 4 mounting bolts. You need to radius the steel spring for clearence of the bolts with the HD cover.

If you buy the parts from a GM dealer you'll be spending 5x times what it will cost from a good part source. If you want I have a posi kit made up with instructions that I sell. PM for more info. It will be less then the dealer by far and it's the same high quality parts I use.

If you need a 3 series carrier they come assembled and run about $400-$500 depending who you buy them from. They use stiff springs, carbon fiber clutches, and cheaper spiders in my opinion. The cases are better then the old ones though. I would use them but gut them and install better clutches and no springs. I also have a complete NOS blueprinted carrier if you need one,hopefully you won't.

Use the solid sleeve,Norval will set it up right. A lot of guys don't want to spend money on doing these rebuilds with the best parts. They see the commonly advertised prices of $600-$700 and think they are the same jobs and they are not. The one thing I tell people who use me is " It's your corvette,do it right"

Good luck with your car,

Gary