So I started out wanting to fix the speedo which read 80mph when doing in reality 60mph. So I jacked the car up so I could guess what gears had been put in. As I spun the PS wheel, much to my delight the DS wheel spun the same direction. Wow, I've got posi! That was really great news. So I put tape on the tire and tape on the driveshaft and gave it one rotation. The driveshaft turned 3 1/4 turns. So I assume I have a 3.23-1 rear? It makes sense to me. I just don't want to make a wrong assumption as I move forward. Any thoughts?

Steve

 

Yeah, but it's easy to confuse 3.23 with 3.42, which is why I suggest going ten turns on the wheel. It's far easier to tell the difference between 32.3 turns of the driveshaft and 34.2 turns.

 

I have a tendency to try taking short cuts that usually bring no benefit so i will take your advice and know for sure what ration I have.
thanks Joe,
Steve

 

Posi - was the transmission in park when both wheels went the same direction? If not, the driveshaft may have been turning in which case it could be a peg leg.

 

The driveshaft will not turn if the transmission is in park. That is what park does, it locks up the driveshaft so it cannot turn and the car cannot move.

 

Seriously, yes, I was scratching my head on that one. thank you, I began to wonder, how does Park work then?

Steve

 

When the trans is in Park, the driveshaft can't turn. When the driveshaft doesn't turn, the differential action in the rearend causes the right and left wheels to try to turn in opposite directions (assuming they could actually turn). If the wheels are on the ground, they can't turn in opposite directions, so the vehicle is held stationary.

 

Maybe i was not clear. My point is that if both wheels are off the ground and the car is in neutral, both wheels can turn the same direction if the driveshaft turns. The only way the driveshaft can turn is if in neutral. That is why I asked if the car was in park when both wheels turned same direction, else the driveshaft must have been turning. Sorry to have confused you.

 

To be clear, there is no way for both wheels to turn in the same direction while in park if everything is connected and not broken.

 

I get it now. You are saying it had to be in neutral regardless since both wheels went same direction. Even a posi would spin one wheel backwards if the driveshaft were locked since the ring gear is fixed and only the spiders are rotating. Yes, totally agree with that.