I was looking to pick up some 3.70 or larger 9 bolt gears. I know a couple vendors sell them, what else do I need to buy besides just the gear set to swap them out? I know for 10 bolts going to a solid crush sleeve adds strength....does the 9 bolt offer something similar? Anyone know of a larger gear than 3.70 that is available? I've seen install kits for $120 or so, but are they really needed over whatever shims a basic shop would have already.

 

i saw one on ebay not too long ago

 

If you change out the gears, you'll need pinion bearings; and since you've got the carrier out, you might as well change out the carrier bearings. With those 4 bearings plus a full set of shims, you'll spend more than the cost of a kit, trying to buy them separately.

The kit is the way to go.

It is SAID, although I have no personal experience with this, that Randy's R&P nad Reider Racing have those gears for it, or similar. I'm pretty sure Drivetrain Specialists does as well.

 

GM Differential Small Parts
doesn't look like ratech makes a solid spacer for the 9 bolt, and if they don't, I don't think anyone would...
Looking at my 10 bolt solid pinion spacer, I can't believe I shelled out $70 to get a short piece of tube. If you have a lathe, or access to one, make one up using the measurements from your old crush sleeve. Or put in a crush sleeve, set it up perfect, then make up a solid spacer that's like .002" taller.

TA racing:
Rear End Girdles
girdle : TA 1802
stud kit : TA 1802-SK

 

i've seen that girdle before. I'm still weighing my options before I choose regearing this rear end or just dropping the coin on a 9" over winter, which would be a better solution I think and would allow me to run 4.30 gears which I probably will need, if not 4.10s

 

who sells 9 bolt gears posi and installation kit?

 

A brief search of the Internet turned up the following information:

 

Randy's supplied My 3.73 gears,bearings,and all setup parts.

Xpenbl,you are correct,you'd be much better off to drop your coin on a 9".I got REAL lucky,and never broke a 9 bolt,even with slicks,NOS,and 1.41 60 ft. times,but it really shoulda popped.You could set up your 9 bolt again,or you could fit up a 9",and be done.As someone who knows damn good and well he got lucky,I'd say go for a 9" and never look back.The weakest 9" will still beat a 9 bolt all to hell.