I've spent most of today trying to find if a ring gear spacer can be used on the 9-bolt rears to get from a 2 series to a 3 series gear set. I've seen some people say you can, some people say you can't.

A) Can a ring gear spacer be used?
B) If so, how thick does it need to be?

The rear I have has a 2.77 ratio right now, I'd like to go to 3.70's, and I'm tired or searching for a 3 series rear.

 

anyone?

 

A spacer could be used, as with any rear, the problem is that I don't think there's one made to fit the 9-bolt carrier.

 

I was planning on having one fabricated. Making it is not the issue, I just need to know how thick to make it.

 

You would not want one on a 9-bolt. There is not enough shoulder on the carrier to supprt it. That means all the load would be on the bolts and they would shear off.

 

*EDIT* After getting the rear apart and taking the ring gear off I now see what you were talking about Don. 3/8" of shoulder and an assumed spacer thickness of 1/4" doesn't leave much in the way of contact surface, not to mention the chamfer on the gear itself. I may have to rethink this afterall