installing new carrier

[86chevyk20]

Hey guys i got a new differential for my 2003 silverado. Yes i know its not a square but this seems the right place to ask.
iv been a mechanic for 7 yrs and iv installed diffs before but i wana make sure im correct on my own install.

Its a 8.6 10 bolt. and its a lower mile truck and was just gona swap over the ring gear since i really dont have the money for all new bearings and shims and gears. iv done it before just by checking lash and it being fine or just swaping the side shims around.


how should i set this up?? its a new GM gov lock diff. yes i know they can blow up..iv done it but i dont really beat on my truck, plus i got it for under $300

any help would be greatly apriciated.

Thanks

Liam

 

[crazy4offroad]

You're retaining your original gear ratio? If so that makes it a lot easier, as you pull the old carrier keep the shims in their original orientation they came out. Bolt your ring gear on the G-bomb and try it with the shims in the same order/side they came out and check backlash. I have low hopes it will work out, then your truck will be down and possibly needing an install kit (bad stuff if it's your daily driver) if your carrier is loose on bearing preload. If the shims you have set the carrier bearing preload tight enough you may get by moving the thinnest shim to the opposite side of the carrier and recheck backlash. Only problem you can run into past this is screwing up your mesh pattern. A little lithium grease can help check the pattern (if you got good eyes regular wheel bearing grease works too) as long as you have good mid-tooth contact depth wise drive and coast you can fudge the inboard and outboard pattern a little and be just fine. You just dont want your pattern to start going off the heel (outboard) or toe (inboard) of the gear. If you HAVE to do that to get the pattern depth right you're going to need to adjust the pinion depth to keep the pattern from coming off the gear. Also I think the tolerances for backlash on a used gearset are a little more lax than a new set, 0.010" - 0.015" as opposed to 0.005" - 0.010" for new gears.

Here's a pic to help you see how the pattern should go...

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The lower 4 patterns are OK as long as the contact patch doesnt extend off the gear face. Hope this helps!!

 

[86chevyk20]

This did help and yes I am keeping the same ratio. I here of people doing it this way alot. I have don't it. Few times with good luck. It the lash is with in what it should be and the pattern is in the middle of the ring gear I'll leave it.

 

[bucket]

You're changing the ring gear, but not the pinion?

 

[86chevyk20]

No I'm just swaping same ring gear to new diff

 

[bucket]

I see, said the blind man to his deaf son.

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