Re: An expensive sound comming from the rear end..
Brosky said:
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]You could find a used one and buy yourself some time or buy a R&P and fix it yourself...not too difficult despite all of the horror stories you may here from guys who have never done it.
I'm not sure if I totally agree with that strategy. If you don't have the proper tools and knowledge to spread the case with out damaging anything and install the ring and pinion with the proper setting of the pinion depth and bearing preload, you can make a pile of junk out of new parts in short order.
If you have a helper, with the necessary tools and know how, fine. Other than that, remove the assembly and send it to a pro. You may be able to buy a used or recon unit for a reasonable price as well. I don't know how the broken teeth will affect the core value of the part for a reconditioned unit.
JMHO and I'm not trying to discourage anyone from learning about their car. I've just seen too many of these major projects go bad and the costs of repair double accordingly. [/QUOTE]
Actually, I've never seen a case that needed that spreader that is shown in the repair manuals. everyone I've worked on simply came apart with only slight interference.
I used to do rear end repairs on 60's vintage GM cars while working at a dealership in the late 60's/early 70's and we never even had one of those tools.
When I did my TR3A, I simply removed the bearing caps and kept the shims seperated...I did the same with the pinion gear. I installed the new pinion with the old shims, and torqued it to specs. Then I installed the new ring gear using the same shims I took out...very easy and simple.
Then I did a very simple check for pinion depth and side load by using some white litihium grease spread onto the ring gear. I had my wife put some pressure in the ring gear with her hand (covered with a rag) and I gave the ring gear one revolution...a perfect wear pattern appeared.
I then filled it with lube and drove it another 8 or 9 years. the entire job, start to finish, took less than 8 hours...now I do have a lift but it's still pretty straightforward.
I worked in repair shops and dealership service departments for nine years. While some of the mechanics went by the book, most guys simply replaced the gears with new parts never ever checking side play or backlash. Assuming the new parts have the same close tolerances of the old parts, everything should go back together exactly the same. We did A LOT of rear ends in those days....a 9" Ford or an 8 3/4" MOPAR rear is a little tougher because you have the adjusters for the ring gear. But any type that simply uses shims is really easy to do.
This is one of those jobs that is 'black magic' to most guys...kinda like automatic transmissions. Once you've done one you realized how simple the job can be. My old friend Doug Bandl had a transmission shop and he once overhauled my MOPAR 904 transmission while I was out to lunch. I brought it into his shop, layed it on the teardown bench and left. I got back 90 minutes later and it was done! He used to always brag that he made $500.00 an hour doing what most guys could do themselves...
There is really nothing on these old TR's that any owner with a reasonable amount of tools can't do himself...that includes transmissions and differentials...We used to junk these cars beacuse the floorboards got rusty and look what we can do today with little help.
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