i found a gm ring and pinion out of a 94 trans am with 39000 miles on it for 10.00. would this be a good choice to put in a rear end with new auburn diff and axles. i know i should get new gears but im being cheap.

 

New axles = $250
New carrier = $350 (? WAG....)
Gear install kit = $100
Total cost of install, besides gears = $700; assuming all install labor is free, and no other parts or services are used (cover? fluids? brake parts? welding axle tubes? etc.). So, the price can only go up from there.

New gears = $190

Are these cheeeep gears the ratio you really want?

Is it worth risking a failure and potential complete wipe-out of $700 plus worth of stuff, to save $180?

Is saving $180 while spending $700 plus, a good idea if you don't end up with exactly what you want when you're done?

I don't think so. There's a time and a place for doing stuff like that, but it doesn't sound like this is it.

 

point taken. which cars came with 28 spline axles 88 and up? will 4th gen axles work? stock axles will be okay for what i want. strip once or twice a year and 350-380 hp. i found a local shop to do the entire install,axle to axle for $200. from the other posts ive read that sounds very good and all they do is transmissions and axles

 

90-92 F-body will be the only axles that fit these cars and have 28 splines. Some 89s got them, but relatively few; late in the year and only certain ratios.

4th gen ones will not work.

I'd suggest Superior axles, if you have to buy some; their part # EV10-4. I just bought a set not too long ago.

Most likely you'd have to buy a whole rear to get a set of stock ones; that is, you could buy the whole rear for $200 or whatever, or both axles for $200, or one axle for $200, or the gears for $200, or the locking bolt for $200...... basically, since once you take any part out it's no good as a rear any more, you buy the rear and they'll let you leave behind whatever you don't want. If you have to pay more than $150 or so for a whole rear, get axles instead. A 6-cyl rear from 90-92 will have the same axles and might be cheaper than specifying that they have to come from a Z28 or a 350 car or whatever variant like that.

 

thanks for the reply.

 

Check out Randy's Ring & Pinion for the parts. Their gears are around $165.00. They sell the install kit for $100 or so, and the Auburns are around $375. New axel bearings and seals will set you back about $40 a side. I second the Superior axels. They are excellent quality. Moser axels are good too, both are around $250 for the set.

Even if the used gears pass a visual inspection I have never had good luck with used gears. They never seem to give an acceptable pattern in a different rear. As previously stated there is also the potential for damage that can't be seen and can cause the gearset to fail catastrophically, taking hundreds of dollars worth of parts with them in the process.

A 7.5 10-bolt needs all the help it can get, so using new, quality parts is a sound investment.

 

thanks for the replys. like rb said if im going through all this i might as well do it right. i found an 85 6 cyl. parts car for 200 and im going to take the axle out of it and replace everything except the housing. welded tubes new girdle etc. the car is in really good shape except the engine is locked. the best thing is that it had a new dash pad so i came out cheaper buying a whole car than buying a dash pad.

 

More like 89 and up but it's definitely something to verify; don't assume by year it'll be 28 spline. A friend has a 91 S-10 truck with 26 spline.

 

Does Randy's Ring & Pinion have a website? Also, if I want to get steeper rear end gears, do I just need to get the gears and an install kit if I'm going to take it to a shop? Also, what should I know about the gears if I'm going to buy them, I have an 88 firebird 305, TBI....not really sure what you need to know/anything about rear end parts. Any input is helpful, thanks.

 

http://www.ringpinion.com is Randy's website. They make their own gears under the name Yukon. These ae the only gears I use anymore. The price is about the lowest for a quality gearset.

I would order the gears, a master overhaul kit, and axel bearings & seals (they are probably due for replacement). Be sure to inspect the bearing surfaces on your axels when they come out. It isn't uncommon to find damaged ones. If they are damaged get new axels. Moser & Superior have very good replacement shafts for around $250 a pair. If you want a little more strength you can upgrade to a TA girdle with cap studs. I buy mine directly from TA Performance.

In an '88 you will have 26-spline axels. An option would be to upgrade to 28-spline shafts commonly found in later cars (post '89). You would need to swap the differential also, but if you're just planning to order a new posi unit or locker they are available in both 26 or 28, so just order the 28 and get a pair of matching axels.

The info that is important is: '88 Firebird with a 7.5" 10-bolt rear (assuming that's what you have), and the gear ratio currently in the car (especially imprtant if you want to reuse your stock differential). If you buy axels they type of rear brakes is important. I am told that disc brake axels will work with drum brakes, but the reverse isn't true.