I recently put together a 12 bolt with 3.73's, spool, c-clip eliminators. Everything is new including the axle bearings. After a couple of heat cycles, I took it to the track and made about 5 passes. I jacked the car up and spun the wheels and it still seems a bit tight. I removed the drums and drive shaft and it felt about the same. I put the torque meter on the yoke and it's taking @ 18 inch pounds to rotate. Does this sound normal?????????? I used synthetic oil which Richmond says is ok, but I'm told by some others I should've used conventional oil.... Any help out there??? Dave
That rating is in and close to spec. BUT it should be taken with only the pinion in the housing...Not all the guts. Anyway that is not a Drag at all. C-clip units are usually kind of tight feeling when cold but should free up to pretty smooth once the packed grease heats and becomes liquidized ( like that word...lol) So what might be the concern? I Think you will be fine... You know if the housing is true? That would be the only other cause of excessive binding and you would know that right away when you tried to bolt them in. Good luck and hope you have a great 4th weekend. Jim
Thanks Jim, I'm feeling a little better now. I set up the pinion with a sleeve and shims, instead of the crush sleeve and it was 20-25" lbs at full torque without the seal. I narroweed the housing a couple of inches so I straightened the the tubes before welding the ends, so they're isn't any binding there. What is your opinion on synthetic oil during break in? Do you think I should leave it in or clean it out and go to conventional oil??? Thanks again and Happy 4th to you, Dave
Well if it is a POSI rear I would clean it out...If it is FULL SPOOL or true trac let it go... The gears will eventually break in through the oil. Eaton and Auburn will not warrenty their units with synthetic or at lerast they will have a way out depending on what the defect was.
I like to run conventional for a while (50 street or couple trips to the track) then switch. It seems to allow the black (Parkerizing?) to wear off and get a nice break in. Then switch.... I tried one with synthetic from the get go and after a bunch of trips to the track almost all the coating was still on the gears. Shows how well the synthetic works...apparently too well not allowing the gears to properly break in....same deal with cams.
