Gear breakin
- Thread starter bleau
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I asked 2 very reputable mechanics in my area..
1, he said take it easy for 500 miles and you will be set forever
2, he said the end of the driveway...then your broke in
I tend to be cautious i took it easy for a few hundred miles.
1, he said take it easy for 500 miles and you will be set forever
2, he said the end of the driveway...then your broke in
I tend to be cautious i took it easy for a few hundred miles.
Lightning Struck
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DropTopPony said:I asked 2 very reputable mechanics in my area..
1, he said take it easy for 500 miles and you will be set forever
2, he said the end of the driveway...then your broke in
I tend to be cautious i took it easy for a few hundred miles.
I would go easy too for a while, you never know what could happen in that pumpkin if something was not done exactly perfect.
voidfinger
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yea, i would do 500 really easy...plus, then you could hear if the gears whine or if they were installed wrong. That way you can get them fixed before they wear and you have to buy new ones
As a mechanic my self, I would say that once they are in, there is no break in period. Once the shims are set and your pinion depth is proper, and your backlash patter looks good.... then thats it. If properly installed, then nothing should change between the 1st mile and the 100,000th. Now if you were rebuilding a differential with new clutches in it.... thats a different story all together. Then I would suggest 500 miles or so to break them in properly.
St33da said:
Im not really convinced its anything needs to be broke in when getting gears, more just taking it easy for a few hundred miles would most likely point out any problems its having. Better to be safe then sorry, and besides taking it easy on her for a few hundred with gas prices the way they are cant be too bad haha.
5.0wned said:
While I understand where your getting at, any knowledgeable mechanic will know exactly how to set the gears up as good as they are from the factory. The only concern that could possibly arise would be defects in the new gears, which the mechanic should be able to see prior to installation. In the event that there is a defect that is not noticeable to the eye, within the first 10ish miles or so, it should become obvious. Note, the key word here is "should." There is still a chance that the issue wont show until awhile later. So "taking it easy" is not necessary. If there is a problem, then it WILL show up. Personally, I would rather know of the issue sooner than later to prevent damage to other components. If you are not a mechanic, or have ever put gears in a car, then I would suggest doing as much research as possible, and if need be, as much as you may not want to, pay someone else to install them. To get the pattern, use Zinc Oxide (available at most auto parts stores) and coat your ring gear with it. Then turn your pinion gear until it makes a complete pass around the ring gear. Next compare your pattern with the pics below.
Acceptable Patterns
Pinion is too Shallow (typically fixed by adding pinion shims, or using a different thickness)
Pinion is too Deep (typically fixed by removing pinion shims, or using a different thickness)
Additional Info on the Ford 8.8
Pinion Bering Preload New (Inch Pounds): 14-19
Pinion Bering Preload Used (Inch Pounds): 6-8
Backlash (.001 inch): 11-16
Ring Gear Bolt Torque (Foot Pounds): 60
Bearing Cap Torque (Foot Pounds): 60
voidfinger
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wow, you need to make a gear install write up :drunk:
Whistler98
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Got mine installed. The installer put them through 1 or 2 heat cycles, Like maybe 15 miles and then let cool for like an hr in between then I did it 2 or three more times and was riping through the gears that night. 6-8,000 miles later no problems.
