I just got my 3:73 gears put in w/ all new bearings and seals. I was wondering how long i should wait before i go beating on the rear end?? I heard a heating cycle then i heard a few hunder miles?? Anyone w/ gears just gimme your input. Thanx

 

Thats awesome man. Yea, I took it easy on my gears for a couple hundred miles..meaning I wasn't pounding it through the gears. I put it in, then gave it a little gas here and there to see what they did for me. But I didn't start throwing it through the gears for a few hundred. I also had to break my new clutch in at the same time....my car was so different with a new clutch AND gears, lol. Have fun, but not too much fun at first.

 

congrats... yea i suggest taking it easy for a week of steady driving..... but i waited until i got out the parking lot of CJ Pony Parts (where i got it done) to test them out and everything all as well today

 

I never heard of heat cycling until I came to this forum. I think if heat cycling was as important as some say it is, then gear manufacturers would stress this break in process as to prevent product failuers. I installed a 3.73 rear on my 96GT and just gave it hell. Never had a problem 1 out of them, not even gear whine and, when I sold the car the gears had 70K miles on them. Ford Racing never said anything about heat cycling so, my guess is that they are preped and ready for regular use from the factory.

 

Same here. I just took it easy for a little while. Made sure everything was meshing togther correctly.

 

Thanx you guys i'll drive like 100 miles on em then i'll post and tell everyone what I think. Although the guy who put em in said i shoulda went w/ 4:10s i kinda care about gas tho.