Randy's Van got a true track today.

[chevymaher]

Well it made it through the test drive.I went around the subdivision.All was well quiet.Took her up to 45 sounded good.nailed it coming back up the cliff leading to the house.It really nice and quiet now.Break in directions say the gear heats up and gets soft till it breaks in.So short trips and let it cool.5 trips to break it in.5 miles a piece.
I got some pictures of various things.I was fit to be tied waiting for the gear to arrive.Then I was a man on a mission.Put it together measure pinion depth.Get the back lash measured.Torque it down check,take it apart.Change side shims.4X now it perfect.Take it all back apart put in the crush collar.Use an impact to tighten and crush it till you have 20 inch/lbs of resistance.Add 10 thousands to each side of the side shims for proper preload there.Torque it all back down.Check the pinion depth and back lash one more time.Then put in the axles and basically done.Put the cover on driveshaft in and wheels back on fill the grease.Say a prayer and drive it.See if everything went right or you get to take it apart and start over.Such is the beast of re-building the rear end.I got it right it seems it so quiet now.Now I can relax.
Heres some pics of tonight festivities.
First 3 the empty housing,clean rear end cover,and the posi with the new gear before I torqued the gear down.

Next couple pics are me pressing the new bearing off the old pinion because I was a dork and did it before checking to see that it was wasted.Second is pressing the new bearing on the new gear.

Next 2 are how I held the carrier while I torqued the ring gear.
And pressed on the carrier bearings most of the way on.last 1/8 inch I finished with a flat punch and hammer.

Next 2 are checking the pattern before final assembly.

Putting in the axle bearings was pretty straight forward.Slide hammer to get them out and a axle nut socket to drive them back in with a 6 lb baby sledge.

So far so good.If it makes the next few break in sessions I home free.I think it already made it really.Rear ends either sound good right off or lunch imediately.

[DRZ]

Good Stuff Maynerd !!

[Jasen]

Those are nice units aren't they. I put one in the Wrangler a couple years ago.

[97cargocrawler]

More pix please! Looks like a bit of work. Is the press a necessity? I don't have anything like that, so will I have a very difficult time installing mine? Or should I just go and get a press from Harbor Freight?

Is the yellow goop to check the backlash? I bought some special tool for measuring the needed shim thickness. Install the tool and use the depth rod on a slide caliper. I suppose I may not have to take mine apart as many times. Yeah right. I'm a noob so I'm sure I will.

Thanks for sharing!

[chevymaher]

Yea you need a press.You are not getting the pinion and bearing without it.The bearing separator you will need to.All the stuff I got is from harbor freight.The yellow goop comes with the gear and the install kit.It is for checking the pattern of the ring and pinion meshing.For checking backlash you need a dial indicator.I will get a picture of that tomorrow.

[chevymaher]

Cargo here the magnetic dial indicator you will need one for checking backlash.

[chevymaher]

I suppose I may not have to take mine apart as many times. Yeah right. I'm a noob so I'm sure I will.

Thanks for sharing!

Actually I was hyper critical doing it.I ended up going with the first shim set.7 thousandths backlash I was going for 9 but it was not in the cards.The van called for 5-9 and the chevelle called for 8-12 I was shooting for middle ground between the 2.

Edit:It has been mentioned before by some one who re build the rear end on this forum.And I am saying the same thing.If you replace the brakes completely and still get a brake pulsation may want to look at the rear end as the culprit.my rear brakes fairly new and had a odd wear pattern.It was jerky in long medium braking situations such as down a long hill.Well it has smooth brakes now and I did nothing to the brakes.Just sayin reckon.

[paintdrying]

What did you do, hire a photographer? What happened to all the blurry shaking photos.

[chevymaher]

What did you do, hire a photographer? What happened to all the blurry shaking photos.

New phone faster shutter speed.

[trapper20]

Fantastic, Randy! Man that was fast. So what now? Four link tomorrow?

[Jasen]

Fantastic, Randy! Man that was fast. So what now? Four link tomorrow?

I'm thinking wrinkle walls

[chevymaher]

Well the break in babying the van over now.It had a hundred miles on the rear end.I followed the break in procedure longer than recommended.Today back into full service.Make it or break it time.
I put a 150 miles on it today.Normal stuff for my van,it gets alot of miles.
But it went 70 MPH for a hour.I buried the speedo to see if that annoying shimmy and vibration was there at 80 or better.Nope smooth as silk pulling.That drifting around feeling is gone.
Back to the stoplight races and spinning the tires.It sure feels good to have her back now.

[Jasen]

So when are you going to post the Safaridrifting video.

Nothin like a good rear end on a woman, specially when they don't whine all the time.

[chevymaher]

So when are you going to post the Safaridrifting video.

Nothin like a good rear end on a woman, specially when they don't whine all the time.

It spun like mad with the open diff.But not now.It still spins and scoots sideways a little.5 feet maybe.nothing to write home about.Soon as you release the brake it moving on.I will wail on it taking off on 90 degree take offs as soon as My wife not with me.See if we can get anything.I dont think it gonna break the 11.5 inch tires loose both at once.No drifting with this motor unless it raining.There a steep 20 degree grade and a sharp corner coming toward my house.It used to spin at 40 going around it coming up the hill.Body roll lifting the wheel.Not anymore it like it on rails.In the rain the sitting and spinning is over.It spins but it also moving now,just a little sideways.Which I like it would not take off in water from a dead stop before.1/4 pedal it just spun.I will learn its tricks.I drove a windy country road on the way to work on the chevelle today.A tight rear end is a good thing it definitely handles better now.It acts completely different with the posi I really like it.

[smokinjoe]

Hey Randy, fot the know-nothing people can you briefly explain the benefits of this? Is it limited slip or just beefier gears? (or both)??

[chevymaher]

Hey Randy, fot the know-nothing people can you briefly explain the benefits of this? Is it limited slip or just beefier gears? (or both)??

The carrier is heavier, spider gear breakage is eliminated.It is a V-8 part.It is called a locker but is actually listed as a limited slip rear end.It does seem to actually lock into place rather hard tho.I have tried it in the rain.But it acts like a open carrier when it is not being applied.As opposed to auburn and eaton posi which has a certain amount of preload between the wheels at all times.And increases as you put your foot in the gas.
I used richmond gears and bearing replacement set.Which is as tough as you can get for the 7.5 7.625 rear ends.Mine actually had a 7.625 gear from the conversion company and a 7.5 went back in it because that what it called for.So they are interchangeable.The only things factory are the axle bearings and seals,because they just don't make them for the van.Reckon not many racing them.
It is alot tougher than factory set up.Clearances I set them up as a V-8 as opposed to the factory loose tolerances.Pinion and carrier preloads.
As mentioned before my brother built a monza 383 ci 20 lbs of boost it had a 7.5 rear end.It was the only swing arm rear end that worked,in that car.It worked well in that car and never grumbled with a 6 speed transmission.And it was rated at 800 HP capable by auburn.But has heavier ford axles. And it took it.Since he already has it built he is going to use it in his 68 charger with a 440 supercharged 6 speed.We will see how much it can take.Before he gets a Dana rear end for it.After seeing that I truely believe it will handle a naturally aspirated small block and auto tranny, I will eventually put in.

[chevymaher]

Okay fun time update.It raining and I was testing the waters.Controlled 1/4 pedal drifts and posi's.And a news flash to myself.I terribly underestimated the little motor.DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT let it downshift to second near any traffic.30-50 MPH it completely out of control jumping sideways.Lot of fun lesson learned.Takes up 2 lanes to drive.Now if it would do it on dry we would be set.

[smokinjoe]

So Randy are you running a stock motor or v-8. ?

[chevymaher]

So Randy are you running a stock motor or v-8. ?

A hopped up V-6.Basically stock.Well tuned with better exhaust and open element air cleaner blocked EGR.

[Jasen]

Road hog, do you really need to take up two lanes to drive that thing

Reminds me of years ago and hitting a sweeping turn a bit to fast onto the hwy in the rain in my little 2wd Toyota P/U, drifted it all the way around the turn with the wheels nearly turned to the lock