Aerizanthar

So I own a 1984 camaro, been working on her off and on for about 6 years now. Rebuilt the engine successfully, probly gonna take a shot at the transmission next (topic for another thread once I grow a pair and try it) but I ran the RPO codes recently and co firmed the rear end ratio is 3.23:1. I mentioned this in passing to a friend at the shop, and he reccomended very insistently that I should swap that out for 3.73:1 ratio or higher for better response at low speeds. My V6 suffers from performance anxiety once it hits 3rd or 4th gear, feels like the engine just doesnt have enough oomph to push it up a hill faster than 45 unless i floor it and have the transmission downshift into 2nd gear, he said this would help a great deal.

Long story short I asked a few local shops and they mainly said the same thing, fix the transmission and swap the rear end ratio. Since i work at Advance Auto Parts, i decided to look up some replacement parts for the rear end, and it looks like the 3.23 and 3.73 ring and pinion are relatively interchangeable. Is this all that would need swapped? I have had the rear open before to change the grease out and it looks like a simple concept in comparison to rebuilding the engine.

Was wondering if anyone has swapped their rear end gears before rather than swapping the whole rear end, and if so, what all needs swapped out? Like i said, looked like just the ring and pinion could come out and new ones in, done.

Quick edit: i acknowledge its probably simpler to get a complete rear end and swap that. There's nothing wrong with mine, other than I have been led to dislike the gear ratio. If it is possible to swap the guts rather than the entire thing, I would like to do that to learn. Also, if posi is possible, that would be nice but entirely unnecessary.

big gear head

You may already know this, but swapping gears is a lot more than just taking one out and putting another one in. There is a lot of set up involved. Pinion depth, bearing preload and backlash must be set correctly. If you want to change the differential then this is the time to do it. It won't take any more work to change it while you are setting up the gears.

Aerizanthar

The digging i've done in the meantime has shown me most of this as well, crush bearings needing replaced, proper measurements and alignment of parts etc. My biggest thing is that I feel it would be more complex to unbolt the entire rear differential (it's all one piece out to the wheels, right?) from all the different suspension parts and the driveshaft, remove the entire thing, and swap in a new one without knocking something out of alignment/breaking some rusted part or bolt/creating more work than is necessary. I was basing my expectations on my father's replacement of ring/pinion/spider gears in the rear end of his pickup, which he somehow managed to completely destroy while trying to pull a stump out of the ground. It was a couple day process and took some effort to do, but the entire process was fairly simplistic, replacement of oil seals/sliding out the axles enough to get the gears out/preloading bearing/etc. From his descriptions and what i was able to observe, it seemed alot less work intensive than pulling everything off for a full replacement. It does make some sense though to simply purchase one that is already assembled and simply unbolt, remove, bolt up, and go.

I really see the two as compared to engine rebuild vs engine swap. Sure the swap is easier, but I won't learn anything from a simple swap..

Edit: please do correct me if i am wrong about the differential being connected to the "axle tubes" as i call them out to the wheels.. if they are not, and i can just drop the "pumpkin" as it were, this is a very easy job to swap then.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

A gear change isn't going to suddenly create more hp/tq. It's going to shift your existing power to a lower speed. What'll happen is you'll spend less time in first and second gear because the engine will be turning more rpm at lower speeds. Your top speed will drop, and you'll be pushing the engine a lot harder at all speeds. Knowing early 80's 2.8L's, you're probably going to put a rod through the block... Pretty much just a bad idea all around.

big gear head

Pinion depth adjustments are made with shims and must be accurate within +/- .001 inch. Pinon bearing preload must be set to within +/- 2 inch pounds. Backlash is set with shims and must be set to within +/- .002 inch. You will need a dial indicator, press, small inch pound beam or dial type torque wrench, gear marking compound and a few other tools to do the job correctly. You will also need to know how to read the contact pattern to make pinion depth adjustments. You have to assemble and disassemble everything several times to get the pinion depth correct. If you are willing to do the work and want to learn then jump in and we will help with pattern reading and advice on what to do next. This is not as easy as swapping a complete rear end.