I currently have three 1984 Z-28 Camaros, and two of them had broken pinion (spider)gears when I got them. I am assuming that this is a problem area for the higher output engines? Is there an aftermarket replacement spider gear that is stronger? I don't want to buy the whole carrier assembly, since I already have posi. Junk yard wants to sell me the whole rear end. GM wants $160 for a "kit" including the side gears. I thought I read that someone sells a complete differential assembly for less.

i have a open carrier i'd sell you cheaper than the prices you've gotten so far (e mail me at ede456@yahoo.com). i've not heard of spiders gears being prone to breakage, any more than any other parts. lot of people are running stock rears with some healthy engines and running some low ets with good results. you might want to consider a girddle, suspose to increase strength quite a bit.

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-=ICON MOTORSPORTS=-

BobK, sounds like you don't have a posi- I think you have the Eaton Gov-lock. That's a locker... a governor that's hung between the two spider gears will spin some weights; when the weights are spun evenly, they'll expand and lock down the spider gears. It was introduced late '84 because something happened with Auburn's posi supply. (This is all info that ws6transam gave me!)

I didn't know a rebuild kit was available, thanks! I recently swapped in a 3.73/posi/disc brake rear axle from a 1984 trans am. Some of the tips of the spider gears were busted off; but luckily the "bulk" of the gears is okay. Maybe next year I'll replace 'em- I thought I was SOL. Did the GM guy give you a part #?

I have a feeling the gear wear was due to a +16 year old axle running with the original fluids.

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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards

Wow, well this is an old topic, but my spider gears broke too.should i replace them? Because summit racing has side gears, spider gears, cross pin thrust washers and cross pin bolt/pin. Or should i go get one from a junk yard>?

My camaro had been wrecked on the drivers side before I bought it. Pretty quickly I began to notice something funky goin on in the rear which got worse and worse til it started making noise as well and the axle seal started leaking too Took the cover off and found that one of the spider gears is wobbly like there's nothing holding it in place. I'm referring to the small gear pointing toward the drivers side. It's one of four gears rotAting around the pin. Not certain they are called spider gears. Do each of those gears have a bearing and how do you replace it if they do. I'm assuming that since the axle on the drivers side is bent that the impact jolted that gear as well breaking the bearing. Thanks for your help

the spider gears have no bearing, they do have a thrust washer of sorts behind them. there are bearing in the axle housing ends and on the carrier itself