Gears installation question

[Lab Rat]

This weekend the wife bought a set of 3.73's for our '95. I've been searching through the forums looking for installation tips/tricks and info, but it looks like most people have had them installed. I also picked up a long article full of info about installing gears, and it seems like some special tools are required. My question, to those who have gears is, should I attempt the installation myself, or should I have a reputable shop install them? And a second question.... if I go with having someone install them, what's a reasonable price for installation? Thanks for any info!

Matt

 

[1105]

If you dont have the right tools installing the gears will be hard. You need all kinds of tools to measure backlast, shims, you'll need a inch lb torque wrench, bearing remover, mabe a press, normal torque wrench. I know I'm missing stuff but thats all I can remember when doing my gear install. Took me and my dad whos a mechanic abour 3 hours to swap the gears out. If you have the tools it isnt really that complicated of a process... but if you dont i wouldnt suggest doing it. A shop should charge around a couple hundred for the install if you go that way.

 

[wytstang]

I would suggest having a reputable shop do it. If you don't do it right you can do some real damage in the rear end. It's to your benifit to have it done properly by a shop that way if they screw something up they have to fix it a shop will prob charge 200 or so not real sure i have freinds that work at ford they charged my 100 for install and supplied the fluid and other misc. stuff for free

 

[JJ95GTID]

I did mine. I used the procedure on SSOTN tech section as a guideline. I ended up with too thick of a shim on the pinion gear. So, I went to my local Mustang guru. He has done at least 100 gear swaps and informed me that going from 2.73 to 3.73 gears that you can use the same shims in their same positions with no problems. Another thing, in order to start to crush the 'crush sleave' on the pinion gear requires something like 250lb/ft of torque. Once it starts it is easy to over crush it. I couldn't do it from under the car. So again to the Mustang guru. He told me that if the original 'crush sleave' wasn't fully collapsed that it could be reused. Just don't over crush it!!! When you have the ring gear and carrier out of the differential feel how much drag is on the pinion gear by rotating it. When you tighten down the new pinion with the original 'crush sleave' make sure it has the same amount of drag on it. Then install the carrier with the new ring gear installed.
If you are not comfortable with this then get it done. Don't pay over $200.
My stang is a daily driver and weekend drag racer. I have no noise or any other issues with improperly installed gears.
Good luck.