oldzy

Who offers 100% USA made (or Canada - we make things here?) ring and pinion gears?

If my gears say 'Made in China' on the box or something, I think I will go postal. I might be able to tolerate Italy or Germany perhaps.

I just want 100% USA or Canadian made rear end parts is all. I hear Richmond is 100% Made in USA... but Motive is not for example. On that alone, I would tolerate the apparent noise Richmond's make.

oldzy

In re to Richmond gear sets... can anyone tell me the diff between the 3 here at Summit. Thx

507OLDS

The Italian stuff is very nice.I don't like the imported thing any more than you do,but the part must do its job. I have found that most of the stereotype with the Richmonds making noise,has to do with poor installation.They want to follow the numbers scribed on the pinion,& hold that as gospel,when setting them up.You might as well grind those off.Every rear is different.Set it up with a correct pattern.There have been countless times that I have done repair work on rears that someone had somebody else do,and most of it has to do with that. "We put it right on the numbers & it makes noise."

oldzy

Thx. Seems the Motive 'Performance' are made in Italy if not mistaken.

I found the info on the 3 Richmond sets I posted at Summit. Excel is the economy version, Sportsman is the medium ones, and the last is the race 'Double Diamond' version.

Run to Rund

I got a set of Richmond gears that had over .004" backlash variation around the ring and different spots on the pinion vs. ring. You want them not over .002 if possible; might have to settle for only one spot with high or low backlash. I've had as good a luck with Ace from Quick Performance as any brand, but even there on the Pro gears I got you might get over .002" variation. The one set of Motives (Italy) I got were good, .002" variation. Sometimes you can reduce the variability by .001 or .002 by turning the ring gear some amount like 90 or 120 degrees and rebolting it to the "posi" flange. As Brian noted, the numbers may or may not help; use the pattern. Also remember that you cannot put much load on the gears with a rag or your hand so you usually won't get a wide pattern. Furthermore, the drive pattern won't spread appreciably to the inside with more load; it will go to the outside. So, if your trial drive pattern starts near the center, with load it will run off the outer (heel) edge of the gear. Start it from very close to the inner or "toe" end, running to the center of the tooth. Most diagrams show a light load pattern with the drive side more to the center, but that is with much more load than we get on the bench. If you set up the gears that way and take the cover off later, you will see that the toe part of the tooth has not been contacted and between that error and scuffing from poor lube/breakin, the gears will be noisy.
I use Lubrication Engineers 607 (now 1605) lube with great success and even with gears that exceeded .002" backlash variation have not had any noise. I drive gently and not over 50 mph for 30-50 miles, preferably in several "trips" not all at once (to keep them cool). Pro gears are softer but have not scuffed breaking them in this way, and the 9" Ford with steep hypoid angle is easier to scuff than other designs. It was fun driving around about a 5-10 mile residential area with just header mufflers. No one even looked up or cared. I didn't like the idea of making runs at the strip right off with new gears.

J-(Chicago)

Does STRANGE ENGINEERING make their own gear sets? They're right here in Chicagoland.

U.S. Gear is here in Chicago as well. 1120 West 119th Street.

507OLDS

I am pretty sure last time I got a set of Strange gears,in one of there boxes,they had the US Gear stamp on them.Moser might be using them as well.