3.42 gears

So I bought a set of 3.42 gears out of a 92 9c1, came with the reluctor gear and all. Paid $100 including shipping. As long as it came from an 8.5 rear it should work in my 8.5 rear, right? They look to be in very good condition, no abnormal wear. Can't wait to get them in.

Should be good as long as it's the same carrier. As long as you don't have 2.56's. Otherwise you'll have to get the larger carrier/posi unit.

Nope. Its got 2.93s in it right now.

toomanytoyz wrote:

Should be good as long as it's the same carrier. As long as you don't have 2.56's. Otherwise you'll have to get the larger carrier/posi unit.

I set have up rear-gears often enough to have learned the value of patterning the drive and coast with white grease at a proper backlash setting. Pre-used gears can be problematic because there are often slight variations in the accuracy of the OEM cases, compounded by age and abuse related housing distortions. If you are unsure of the "look" of the patterns you get, take some shots and post them. Also be prepared to face the dilemma of whether to toss the gears or live with a possible humm or growl. Other times we get lucky though and they go in and "pattern-up" just like they were new. Do you plan on washing out the old bearings for re-use? Also if you don't want to purchase a new "crush-collar", then I will weigh in on my procedures for that if needed. Remember that the preload settings for the side bearings and pinion are different (less) for the used bearings.

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Next question. Has anyone who has changed their gears just deleted the antilock brakes, or have you found the correct reluctor gears to make it work. And has anyone successfully removed a reluctor gear and put it back on without destroying it?

cloud 9 wrote:

Next question. Has anyone who has changed their gears just deleted the antilock brakes, or have you found the correct reluctor gears to make it work. And has anyone successfully removed a reluctor gear and put it back on without destroying it?

Do you have reason to believe you wont be able to retain the ABS the way it is now? It is a stand alone system that can be removed and all you have to do is replace the forward hard lines, which are available pre-bent from In-Line tube. Order them for a late boxy and they fit perfectly.

If you keep all the parts, including the original stock lines, it can easily be restored. My 96 is going to lose the ABS when I install the new rear. I don't like the feel of ABS intervention anyway, and it clutters up the engine compartment terribly. However, If you cause an accident that results in a fatality, and an investigation finds altered brakes, they (the lawyers) may seek to compound your woes.

I wonder if anybody has converted a Chevy B-body three channel system to the supposedly superior Caddy D-body four channel ABS, with sensors at all four wheels. It would require separate hydraulic lines from the front ABS unit all the way back to each rear wheel, whereas three channel systems need only one line to the rear axle.

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OK, let me rephrase the question. Has anyone successfully removed a reluctor ring off of the pinion and got it back on without destroying it? This is what I originally wanted to know. Sorry for being a vague moron. Sometimes I am a little bit altered in the head when I post things. Got a taste for the whiskey, don't ya know.

cloud 9 wrote:

OK, let me rephrase the question. Has anyone successfully removed a reluctor ring off of the pinion and got it back on without destroying it? This is what I originally wanted to know. Sorry for being a vague moron. Sometimes I am a little bit altered in the head when I post things. Got a taste for the whiskey, don't ya know.

I'm sorry, I re-read your question and should have realized thats what you were asking. I'm pretty sure I have done it before but I do so many, I can't remember if the B-body pinion has a special surface to mount the wheel speed sensor ring. Often customers bring in their own ring & pinion sets and installation kits for me to set up. I can see that if the early 8.5" pinions had no machined surface to mount the ring, that could definitely be a problem. Three channel ABS F-bodies read off the ring gear located wheel speed sensor ring, (probably because the torque arm would interfere with the B-body sensor location).

Somebody out here MUST have an ABS B-body pinion laying around with the reluctor ring in place. I don't have one laying around. I have an early GM 12 bolt R&P in my hand and there is no nicely machined (ground) surface to mount a reluctor ring to it.

According to the GM service manual, the wheel speed sensor ring (WSSR) must be replaced with a new one if it has been pressed off even once. If you swap gears it will likely be necessary to reset the pinion depth. Because the shims to accomplish that on an 8.5" are behind the large pinion bearing, it will be necessary to remove the WSSR and consequently likely to require a new one. They warn that sensor ring re-use could cause problems if it is loose and rotates on the pinion. I would measure the pinion shaft and bore of the ring for interference fit to see if a new one actually was required first.

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