brian86Z

i want to get some 3.73's for the Z and i was wondering if anyone here really likes them or if you have had any problems with them.

thanks
Brian

okfoz

I put the richmond 3.73 gears in my 87 Formula, I have had no problems with it and it helped with acceration.

The only problems I have is there is a slight whine when at a constant speed, nothing that a little volume on the radio doesnt fix. I contacted Richmond, (2900 miles later) and I probably did not install them perfect. It is too late now because I have about 3000 miles on the gears and they have taken a "set".

To eliminate the whine from the factory, GM, Borg/Warner whoever made the axel, actually make matched sets of gears by running the gears together and using some fine abraisions to get the gears to mate perfect before it ever went into a car. This sounded a little risky for me, and I live with the whine.

Richmond has been around for a long time and I have never herd anything to make me think they are bad.

You can get the 3.70/3.73 correct speedo gears from SLP for your transmission.

Hope tis helps

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87 Formula 5.1 converted to TPI Yellow/Black
SLP cam, headers, cat-back exhaust
Ported & polished TPI intake
Gil Younger (no yo-yo) Shift Kit
Aluminum Driveshaft
3.73 Posi gear
Baer 12" brakes 4 wheels
Hotchiss strut tower brace
South side machine frame connecters
Custom reinforced control arms and pan hard bar.
Custom Leather interior

87 Formula TPI (5 Speed) Yellow/Gray STOCK

83 Camaro (Parts)
83 T/A (parts)

www.3rdgenformula.com

Brian K

Do it yourself and it could whine, get a shop you trust that has done a lot of them and it will be set right. A guy here in Orland require you to bring your rear in, replaces all bearings, ect..

Mark W. Winning

Been running 4.11's since 94'. Have well over 300 strip passes (11's & 10's) and do not have compliant one about them. They do have a slight whine as posted above, but they are a much better than stock gear.

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1992 Pontiac Firebird 350/Six Speed
1987 Toyota Pickup 383/500+ HP

JPrevost

You know how the m22 trans whines more than the m21/20, about the gear teeth angle. Could this be a reason why the richmond gears whine? I know that the straighter they are the less "walking" and stronger (in general). Are the richmond at a different angle slightly?

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, Jon (350 TBI!)
91 Red My website

okfoz

The reason gears whine can be gear shape, the mesh, or many different reasons. I notice more on forign cars when they are in reverse they have a whine, but in forward they do not. Its just the way things are... As for richmond gears, If I remember correctly, they had the same shape as my stock gears, I just did not make it perfect when I installed them. I honestly tried, but with my limited tools, I could only do a little blueing to try and get them right... Life goes on I guess


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87 Formula 5.1 converted to TPI Yellow/Black
SLP cam, headers, cat-back exhaust
Ported & polished TPI intake
Gil Younger (no yo-yo) Shift Kit
Aluminum Driveshaft
3.73 Posi gear
Baer 12" brakes 4 wheels
Hotchiss strut tower brace
South side machine frame connecters
Custom reinforced control arms and pan hard bar.
Custom Leather interior

87 Formula TPI (5 Speed) Yellow/Gray STOCK

83 Camaro (Parts)
83 T/A (parts)

www.3rdgenformula.com

okfoz

Depending on your year of axel, 82 & 83 had a 7.5" ring gear, starting in either 84 or 85 GM went to a 7 5/8" Ring gear.
If you have a Borg & Warner 9 bolt, (7 3/4" ring gear) SLP is the onlly place that I know of to get your gear, There might be other places but I am not aware of them.

Anth's Iroc

I have 3.73 in my camaro but i dont drive my car real long distances .If you a lot of long distance drivin go with 3.42 they wont rev as high

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1987 BLUE IROC
IT'S A DOG
BUT IT'S MY DOG
AND IT HAS A NASTY BITE......
CNYFBA MEMBER
http://cnyfba.cz28.com/

ede

i have always used richmonds in 12 bolts, 7.5 10 bolts and 9" ford rears and have had good results with them. never noticed any noise from the gears, but open headers tend to mask a lot of noise.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond 538 F&AM