well i put my rearend together tonight. i only replaced the garnade and kept the ring and pinion. so i put the backlash back to what it was with the G80. it was 10. do you think i should keep it at 10 or put it to something different. i put 10 miles on it tonight and seems to be strong, but i think it is to much backlash, and i dont really want to have to replace the ring and pinion.

do you think 10 is safe or not?

 

to be honost, i have done a rearend swap(gears) twice and never worried about that. i just stuck the gears and g80 back up there and have had zero noise or problems. the first change i did paint the gears to ensure smooth tooth to tooth operation but on the second time around, i just threw it toghether and i am happy. oh yea, i have about 40K since the last gear swap.

 

Service manual says .003-.010, with .005-.007 preferred.

 

i know thats what im asking, even though my stock setting for my ring and pinion was at 10 for the last 100,000 miles. should i just set it differently, even though my ring a pinion has been warn at 10.

 

That's a tuff call. You could fool around for HOURS to get 3-4 thou out of it. When I did mine, the stock backlash was .065, whick would be perfect. When we put in the Eaton, the backlash first came out to .009. I wasn't real comfortable with that, so we fooled around for another 3 hours to get it to .005. Make sure you get a good assortment of shims, and if possible get extra ones in the .001-.003 range.

 

If it was at .010 and you try to move it you may end up with noise. If it is quiet and that is where it was at before then I would just leave it.

 

i screwed around with it just to try and get it to 10. i had 4,6,7,2. i dont really have a problem with going back into it. i am just really concerned with it holding up to my abuse. a .010 is not even into the tollerances, and i really dont know to much about rearends, so i turned to you guys. do you think it would be safer to go back and put it at a 6 and brake it in like i would a new ring and pinion.

im just clueless on what to do. i dont really want it at a .010, but im not sure if changing it after it has been that way for a 100,00 miles would be good.

 

This is just me, and I don't mean to go against mzoomora, but I would go back in, and get it back between .005-.007. Just my .02

 

The amount of mileage on your rear will increase backlash. As the gears wear, if the pinion and ring both lose .001" than you will gain .002 backlash. Also, .010 is not really all that much. Most aftermarket gears reaccomend between .008-.012, and OEM gears can be set new st up to .010 if that gives you the desired pattern. If you tighten them up you could end up woth a noise because the gears are trying to wear in a new pattern from what they had. If you are sure that it had .010 before and it had no problems, just set it back. If you did for some reason decide you wanted to change it, make small changes and check the pattern- coast and drive. Like I said, I would leave it. It sounds like a lot, but for gears with 100,000 miles- it was probably set at .005 new and just wore out to where it is now. .0025 on each gear isnt that much wear on a heavy truck.

 

i have drove it for probably about 75 miles since it has been set at .010 again. no problems yet and it doesn't make any noises. i will probably leave it how it is. i was really. thaks for all the help. i guess if it breaks it breaks.

p.s the truck sucks now because i can break the tires loose off the line and no more chirping 2ng gear.