Best gear install kit + where to get it?

Kerpal

New Member
Aug 9, 2004
400
0
0
I need to pick up an install kit for these oem 3.55's I want to swap in. I suppose I should get one with new everything, i.e. pinion and carrier bearings & shims, pinion seal and nut, crush sleeve, ring gear bolts, marking compound. Any suggestions where to get such a kit? Are the Ford kits better than say one from Motive or Ratech?

Also I'm wondering if I should spend a little extra and get a solid pinion spacer and shim kit rather than a regular crush sleeve. Seems like it might be easier to install. What do people typically use to hold the pinion flange in place while torquing the nut? I have the rearend out of the car on jackstands for all this which hopefully should help make things easier.
 
  • Sponsors (?)


I'm getting ready do install my 5 lug Ranger axles so I was thinking about upgrading from 3:55's to 3:73's at the same time. Then I noticed Summit's FMS 3:73's won't ship until the middle of June or so, so that slowed up my plans a bit. Summit does have the install kits ready to ship I think. I was thinking about using the crush sleeve eliminator kit also but they are very hard to find. In light of that I've pretty much decided to stick with the crush sleeve this time.
 
I ended up ordering a Motive kit from AmericanMuscle since the price is as low as anywhere else for a complete kit ($75), plus they have free shipping. I'm just going to stick with the crush sleeve, I'm interested to see if compressing it is as hard as some people say. I don't think it will be too bad.

FYI Ratech sells the solid pinion spacer & shim kit for $15, plus shipping. I would think Summit and Jegs would carry it too but maybe they're a lot less commonly used than I had thought.