Reccomended brand for ring gears and bearing kit?
 

I will buying a eaton posi, 3.73 gears and a bearing installation kit in the next few days and would like to know what brands i'd be better off with for the gears and bearings? Rear end is the 8.5 10 bolt with 28 spline axles, going with 3.73 because of only having the th350. I been looking at jegs and summit brand gear sets for $160, while the richmond and motive gear sets are a little more, richmond being $200. Would the richmonds be the better option? As far as the bearing kits, jegs sells a complete kit with with timken bearings for about $130, which I hear timken is the way to go. And theres the richmond or motive gear stuff for the same price. I'm just looking to get the better stuff before I fork over $700+ for rear end goodies.

Re: Reccomended brand for ring gears and bearing kit?
 

When i recent bought mine I was in the same predicament. I ended up going with Motive ring and pinion. I believe Motive owns Richmond, or the other way around. As far as the kits are concerned, I asked the shop where I got it done which to get. He told me that the sets priced around the $100 mark were good. The higher priced sets contained additional parts that weren't necessarily needed, especially since my rear was in pretty good shape. All in all I'm happy with what I got.

Re: Reccomended brand for ring gears and bearing kit?
 

I am installing a 3.73 now. I am having a terrible time with it .I got these new gears from a friend that did not need them. It is a motive gear ( I don't think these were the blue box set ) . There is no way to get a good gear pattern on it . I assemble it with the best pattern possible and had gear whine . Took it back apart to adjust it and there was no way to get a good gear pattern .

I am replacing it with aam gear set . These are the people that make the gm oem gears. I will only use aam gears from now on . The reason I say this is a friend of mine gotten a yukon gear set and had the same problem . No good pattern and gear whine .We took them out and installed the aam with a clear gear pattern . And was as quiet as a mouse .

I have has some good success with the motive gears in the blue box in the past. But I have decided for the cost difference it not worth the chance of a noisy rear end . The aam gears are a little wider gear as well .

Also , AAM has a tech support if you are not sure about your pattern, call them and send them some pictures to the engineer and they will give advice what needs to be done.

So with this long ramble I would go AAM first and then Motive second in the blue box and for sure timken bearings.

Most aftermarket gears It a 50/50 chance you get a good set .

Re: Reccomended brand for ring gears and bearing kit?
 

I have installed more than 20 sets of Motive gears and never had a problem.

I mainly buy them at National Drivetrain.

$178.49 for the gear set and $97.04 for the install kit with Timken bearings.

Re: Reccomended brand for ring gears and bearing kit?
 

Install your gear using the pinion depth measurement marked on the gear set, not by pattern.

Use a pinion bearing preload shim pack not a crush sleeve.

Use carrier bearing preload shim packs not solid spacers to set the backlash.

When done correctly you will not have gear noise and you will have long service life.

Setting up a ring & pinion takes the proper tools and knowledge to do it correctly. learn the proper way to do it before hand and you will be happy. If not you will have a noisy gear and short gear life.

Re: Reccomended brand for ring gears and bearing kit?
 

I been reading up on the richmond and motive gears. And the richmonds are generally louder than other gear sets, even when properly installed. The motive gears are only $10 more than the jegs/summit brand, so I think I'll go with motive.

Re: Reccomended brand for ring gears and bearing kit?
 

I think motive will be a good choice. But do not button it up with out checking gear pattern if you plan on using a depth checker . Depth checker will get you close , but the pattern with the gear paint is the only way of knowing if you got it right.