How bad is is ring gear?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Alpharetta GA
How bad is is ring gear?
Pulled the diff because one yoke was pulling out. The good news is the yoke is hardly worn looks like the clip broke. Bad news looks like the clip git caught on the ring. I checked the pinion and it's fine. Doesn't look like thge ring damage is in the "path" of the pinion but I'm no expert. If I don't have to replace the ring other than changing the pinion and yoke seals anything else I should do will I'm in there? The other yoke has .003 end play
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,930
Likes: 15
From: Calgary Alberta
The ring and pinion come as a matced pair, and you cannot replace one without the other. I just finished rebuilding my diff, here's the paper I wrote on the rebuild...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1982269
PS: I would not try and reuse those gears..the teeth are chipped. This is just my opinion though.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1982269
PS: I would not try and reuse those gears..the teeth are chipped. This is just my opinion though.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 146
Likes: 5
From: North Brunswick New Jersey
I disagree. When bluing the gears and setting shims for the correct 'set' of the teeth, it falls on a different spot than the picture shows broken. If in doubt, do the bluing and check for yourself. I'd carefully look for cracks on the face or along the base of the affected tooth(teeth?)before considering using parts, then dremel things smooth and go. But that's just me. I could be wrong.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,930
Likes: 15
From: Calgary Alberta
I highly recommend you rebuild the entire diff, and I wouldn't reuse the gears, BUT, if you don't have the money, check out the website below.
http://www.ringpinion.com/TipOfTheDay.aspx?TipID=9
Your chipped tooth looks like it is in the contact pattern, and the website above shows how to fix a tooth not in the contact pattern - I don't think you would fall undr this category. If it were me, I'd replace it with a quality USA set from Tom's differentials.
http://www.ringpinion.com/TipOfTheDay.aspx?TipID=9
Your chipped tooth looks like it is in the contact pattern, and the website above shows how to fix a tooth not in the contact pattern - I don't think you would fall undr this category. If it were me, I'd replace it with a quality USA set from Tom's differentials.
Last edited by stinger12; Apr 2, 2008 at 04:30 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,930
Likes: 15
From: Calgary Alberta
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...ad.php?t=77316
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 410
Likes: 0
From: Wichita Kansas
I know enough about gears to be dangerous. If that is the only damage, no cracks anywhere else then you should be able to reuse it, especially if you are not racing and have a 500 hp motor. The highest loads on a gear are down in the root radius and contact fatigue usually happens on the tooth face more towards the center. There are companies in almost every good sized city that can do a penetrant inspection for cracks. But if money is not a serious object then replace it. I'd also replace all the bearings and carefully inspect everything else as the metal pieces could have damaged them. That gear tooth piece is at RC62 or very hard and can do a lot of damage. All that being said, if it was in my car I'd get a new one.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 865
Likes: 4
From: troy, mi
I would say the biggest factor is what are you doing with the car? If running a stock or near stock motor and HP, and not driving it 10K miles a year, smooth off the burred and rough edges and run it. I think this is a realistic approach.
I had much the same damage to a ring gear tooth in my 66 toronado 4 years ago(bought the car, dropped the cover and it was that way) smoothed it, 14k miles later everything drives fine, changed diff fluid and cleaned mag plug and it looked good last fall.
These cars if held to aforementioned standards of all new parts, rebuilt, redone, etc. would need almost any moving part on them to drive around, and i think we all know that is not the case to have an enjoyable car to cruise around in. 500 HP big block, road racing, thats a different matter...
I had much the same damage to a ring gear tooth in my 66 toronado 4 years ago(bought the car, dropped the cover and it was that way) smoothed it, 14k miles later everything drives fine, changed diff fluid and cleaned mag plug and it looked good last fall.
These cars if held to aforementioned standards of all new parts, rebuilt, redone, etc. would need almost any moving part on them to drive around, and i think we all know that is not the case to have an enjoyable car to cruise around in. 500 HP big block, road racing, thats a different matter...
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,175
Likes: 3,990
From: Connecticut, USA
Clean the gears and see just how good the pattern is. If it's toward the heel and lash is opened up then you may need gears anyway. Yes you could gear that tooth but if it were mine I would replace them.
FYI,Didn't see what ratio it it but the 373 gears are out of stock now so rebuilders will be working off their stock. Getting a good set is going to be costly soon or you'll endup with a lesser quality set.
FYI,Didn't see what ratio it it but the 373 gears are out of stock now so rebuilders will be working off their stock. Getting a good set is going to be costly soon or you'll endup with a lesser quality set.