Ring and pinion install

The 8.8" Ford axle needs an adjustable shim pack to set the gear position then something like .010 added to each side to preload the bearings. That takes a case stretcher or some fixed shims to replace the stack that was used to set the gear mesh. After I studied the Ford shop manual, the $200 that the local hot rod shop charged back in 2000 I figured was a decent price. They didn't let me watch though. I changed from 3.08 to 4.10 for my F-150 and that was a good change for performance and trailer towing and suprisingly did not change the gas mileage.

So for the work involved and the special tools involved, $250 may not be a bad price. You have to set the axial position of the pinion shaft as well as the ring gear and paint the gear teeth to set the mesh so the gears wear right and aren't too noisy. Its not rocket science, but its not as convenient to do as it once was.

Gerald J.

I installed a new posi unit when I did my rear end, so I didn't have to get the ring gear off the old unit. You have to heat the ring gear to get it on the differential housing; I used my gas barbecue for this purpose.

You will need a good manual or other set of instructions. The ring and pinion set may come with instructions.

You'll probably need both foot-pound and inch-pound torque wrenches. The inch-pound wrench is used to measure the pinion preload. I don't know about Ford, but GM ring gear bolts have left hand threads; not all torque wrenches will work counter-clockwise.