[KK95GT]

I'm looking for anyones input on their personal experience of installing a set of gears. How hard is it to so it yourself?

I have a '95 5-speed GT currently with 3.08 gears and ABS. I have a set of 3.55 and 3.73 gears - at this point I'm probably going to go with the 3.73 gears. Both sets are used FORD (Yes I bought used on purpose - I've read multiple times that they run quieter).The 3.55 are marked with a "3" in yellow but the 3.73 has no shim markings on it. I also see no markings to indicate these are "hunting" gears so I'm assuming I can just drop them in.

Two questions.

1) The plastic ABS sensors are rusted in pretty tight - anybody know a good way to get them out of the corroded axle flange without breaking them?

2) How hard is it to install and set up (if needed) a set of gears. I read from one source that FORD keeps tight manufacturing tolerances on their gears compared to other manufacturers and that if you keep track of your shims many times all you have to do is install the new ring and pinion and you don't even need to worry about "setting" them up! Anybody been lucky enough to have this work and can confirm their own "drop in" gears worked? If not, how hard is it to "set up" a set of gears?

I've built multiple motors and done just about everything from welding to bodywork to interior work but I've never doen a transmission or axle. There aren't that many parts in a differential - it can't be that hard can it?

[macx]

There are numerous articles that go into great detail
on setting up an 8.8, do a Google search.

One thing that worked for me as I didn't have the
pinion depth tool was to take the existing pinion
out and with a caliper measure
(1) the depth of the head
(2) the shims between the head and the inner bearing
(3) the thickness of the inner bearing including the race

Then checked the head on the new pinion
(if Ford, should be very close)
and the thickness of the new bearing
then adjusted the shim thicknesses to arrive at
the same total.

With any luck at all, will end up using the same shims.

Then check your tooth contact pattern after you get
your side to side adjustment done. That's just setting
up a dial indicator to measure backlash and moving
shims one side to the other to get the proper backlash.

Also do a search for that, and look at some of the
aftermarket gear vendors sites, they've got the info
including pictures or diagrams of the correct tooth
pattern and what to do to correct various incorrect
patterns.

The only thing you really need for tools is a press to
get the old pinion bearing off and to get the new bearing
off the new pinion if you have to change shim thicknesses.


Another way is to set up a dial indicator on some type of
bracket and measure the existing pinion depth before you
remove it. Then set up the new one to the same depth.

If the old bearing and the new bearing are the same
total thickness incl the race, (should be very close),
sand or hone out the inside of the old bearing so it slips
on and off without a press and use it to setup your new
pinion if you're using something to measure and compare
pinion depth between the old and new ones.

YOu do need a good incl lb torque wrench for setting preload
on the new pinion against the crush sleeve. You need to
"sneak up" on the preload figure. You have to tighten the
pinion nut to some minimum figure (like 180 ft lbs or so? -
I don't remember off the top) THEN keep tightening till
you hit whatever the inch lbs range it is for rotating the
pinion. I bought a KD beam style inch lb wrench for
around $30 or so - several places sell them. Clicker types
aren't good for this as you can't see where you're at as
you're approaching the limit.

Just take your time, be patient. Mine's been fine for
~10k miles.

macxx1@excite.com if you can't find the instructions or
the tooth pattern thing

[Fordgazm]

I did mine myself too . If you'r mechanically inclined and you have the right tools , it's a fairly easy thing to do .

[funkbuster]

http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/5o...5ohtech001.htm

Should have all you need.

[KK95GT]

Thanks for the positive feedback. I have a feeling the ABS sensors are going to get broken (they're pretty rusted in) but otherwise I have a press and bearing clamps/pullers available from work so it sounds like I just need to jump in and go for it and have some faith in myself!

Guess I've just read too many "you can't do it" stories lately. I used to trust myself - twenty years ago I thought nothing of rebuilding an engine and then two days later jumping in the car and driving it from Pennsylvania all the way out to Oklahoma. Then 20 years goes by, you have kids, a mortgage, etc and only enough money to do it once and not screw up - guess I'm just too nervous in my old age!

Anyhow thanks for some positive stories for a change!

[KK95GT]

MACX and Funkbuster -noticed MACX has 3.55 gears and Funkbuster has 3.73s. Any input as to why you each picked the gears you did? Are you both happy with them or would you make a change? I'll probably use the 3.73 gears but I still haven't decided for sure between them and the 3.55s.

[macx]

Originally Posted by KK95GT

MACX and Funkbuster -noticed MACX has 3.55 gears and Funkbuster has 3.73s. Any input as to why you each picked the gears you did? Are you both happy with them or would you make a change? I'll probably use the 3.73 gears but I still haven't decided for sure between them and the 3.55s.

Well, like everything else, I've always got to research it down
to the last gasp and split the last hair ;-)

My car is an 89 Linc Mark VII into which I've transplanted a warmed up 351,
basically for more torque, and for lots of 80 mph freeway miles. Strong
torque in the low and mid ranges.

Also, my last imporvement step is a 4R70W trans, which has just slightly
lower OD ratio than my AOD but a deeper 1st gear. Also, I've got 8x17"
wheels onto which I eventually will mount 255x50x17's (Conti Extreme Contact all weather). So, comparing the rpms in OD at ~ 80 mph, I didn't want to exceed
2500 by much if any, and wanted good throttle response of course around town.
Well, the 4R has a lower 1st gear than an AOD, which helps from a standing start,
plus I'll have a 2800 stall converter with the 4R (2500 now w/the AOD)
so that'll help considerably with 1st gear acceleration from a standing start.

Looking at the calculator in www.SMOKemUP.com, I saw that 3:73's would
put me a couple hundred rpm higher than I wanted or felt necessary on
the highway with my strong low and mid range torque (over 350 flywheel
at 2500), and was still acceptable at 60 mph for the 2 lanes.

w/my AOD and shorter 245x45's, I go 78 at 2500 & get 22 mpg - couldn't
ask for more. The taller 255x50's with the slightly shorter OD of the 4R
will keep me right about there, and give me a good hole shot w/a 2800
converter.

3:73's would have been good w/the AOD, but the 4R will more than make
up for it and still allow me to cruise in a very good torque range and still
get good mileage on the freeway.

Basically, it fits my torque curve and predominant driving better.

[macx]

Originally Posted by KK95GT

Thanks for the positive feedback. I have a feeling the ABS sensors are going to get broken (they're pretty rusted in) but otherwise I have a press and bearing clamps/pullers available from work so it sounds like I just need to jump in and go for it and have some faith in myself!

Guess I've just read too many "you can't do it" stories lately. I used to trust myself - twenty years ago I thought nothing of rebuilding an engine and then two days later jumping in the car and driving it from Pennsylvania all the way out to Oklahoma. Then 20 years goes by, you have kids, a mortgage, etc and only enough money to do it once and not screw up - guess I'm just too nervous in my old age!

Anyhow thanks for some positive stories for a change!

Don't let age or lack of recent wrenching stop you!!
I used to do tons of hot rodding way back when (did major work on
such things as a 426 hemi, 375 hp 396 Camaro, 440 6 pak Challenger,
torque flites, Dana 60's, Mopar 8-3/4's etc etc), then hit a "poor stretch"
where I drove clapped out econo boxes for years. A few years ago,
I finished TOTALLY rebuilding one (engine, trans, suspension, wiring
etc) one day at noon, then left SE Missouri for Anaheim CA and a
1 year job just 2 hours later. Talk about FAITH! And I even made
it without incident! BTW, I'm now 58 and looking forward to hopefully
my long term goal of building a FFR Cobra when I retire, if I can
ever afford to!

Just recently got back into something fun to drive. Assembled my warmed
up 351 Lightning, rebuilt & upgraded my AOD, then tackled my rear gears.

It's fun to "get back into the harness" and nice to know "I've still GOT it!!" :-))

[funkbuster]

I went with 3.73s, because I was told that they would be best to use with the stock T5 transmission. I was told that because of how it was geared to go with 3.55s or 3.73s, and I was looking for more acceleration and hooking, so I went witht he .73s. If you have an AOD I would go with 4.10s.

[wayne94mustang]

the abs sencors will come out with some work......just use plyers on the back and twist as you pull, you might have to push or pry from the front as you do this but it will slowly come out

[KK95GT]

Figured that's about all I can do, was just hoping for a good "trick solution" to avoid having to explain my adding another "unexpected" $100.00 to the wifes "budget" this month if I break them! (Called AutoZone and they're $50.00 each with a 5-7 day special order ship time).
Realistically you have a chunk of cast iron with a 1/2" diameter piece of plastic stuck through it for ten years, not really much more you can do than hope! This is one of those deals where you throw some grease on it when you put it back together to keep the hole from rusting shut again and ask yourself gee why couldn't the factory have done that, would have made my life a whole lot easier!
I still say every engineer should be forced to work in the service department and deal with these things for at least 6 months before they're ever allowed near the deisgn board!