Hello

Im in the processes of buying 3.55 gears for a ford 8"

The shop that might do the work for me wants 200.00 for a set of sierra gears

summit wants 135.00 for a set of "their" gears

I have seen 3.55s on ebay for 40.00 that look brand new.

Is buying used gears an option.... as in well they work as good as new or even though they look new they will whine and never work right? Is buying used gears on ebay about like buying used condoms or is it a good idea?

40 bucks for gears that look perfect is pretty tempting....what should I do?

-Gun

 

I think that buying a set of used gears is ok, as long as the matched ring gear and pinion stay together. In other words, dont take a 3.55 pinion from one rearend and put it with a 3.55 ring gear from another. As long as th gears look clean and good they should be just fine if they are set up properly.

 

i got mine from summit, and the builder i took them to says he does a ton of summit gears and hasnt had any complaints,...so that made me feel pretty comfortable, but i guess it all depends on how bad you want to beat on them,..???

 

 

Also Gun, with that new 5 speed 3.55 might be a little too high unless you do a lot of highway driving. I'd go with 3.70

 

I cant get 3.70s in 8" can I?

thanks for the link

-Gun

 

i found a 3.73 in a ford expoler axle.

 

Oh i wanted to ask what are 8.8" rear ends from?

I see lots of gears for 8.8s are those the modern rearend?....they wont work on my 8" will they??

-Gun

 

Nope, the 8.8's are the modern (80's +) Ford axle, used in fox bodies, newer Mustangs, Exploders, and some Rangers and F-150's. Unlike the 8" and 9", they don't have a removable carrier.

I wouldn't buy a used gearset. Not only do you have to worry about setting them to the exact same mesh pattern, but you have to make sure they're indexed as originally installed. Some gearsets only mesh certain teeth on the pinion with certain teeth on the ring gear. If you install the gearset a tooth off, they no longer mesh together properly and will wear out very quickly.

 

yeah sounds like its too much fussing around to save 100.00

I think ill just get the summit gears for about 135.00....still havent heard of anyone not liking them plus im only putting a bit less than 300 hp to them.

-Gun