Replacing gears on Dana 60 Which brand?

[m79ded]

Hi

I'm replacing gears on a street and occasional track use Dana 60 and I hear lots of talk about gear noise.
I am looking at Motive gears, Precision gear and G2 for example.

Has anyone had any noisy experiences with either? I would like a fairly quiet gear for cruising around and not be noisy.

Thanks for your input

 

[5.7 hemi]

I put in Motive gears for my buddy’s D60, they were a bit noisy but have quieted down some. Took almost a year for that to happen, but he’s in the Navy, so he doesn’t get to drive his car daily.

 

[Jerry Hall]

I used Motive gears 3:54 in the 70 RR 440-6 4-speed car I did no, problems, or noise. Had to use two tubes of sure grip additive to get the clutches broke in.

 

[451Mopar]

I put the G2 Ring & Pinion, 3.54:1 ratio, in my Dana 60.
No noise at all. This is in the Convertible, so it only runs high 13's.
I did replace all the bearings at the same time as the previous owner had 4.10:1 gears put in it, and the carrier bearings were shimmed way too tight and the bearings had changed color from the heat.

 

[zyzzyx]

Spicer/Dana makes ring and pinions starting at 3.54 and up, or Motive would be my second choice.

 

[RJRENTON]

The brand of gears is a personal thing as is the ratio. I believe if you are considering 4.10:1, ratio (or higher) it may need to have a ring gear spacer (and longer bolts) installed between the carrier and ring gear. This is necessary to get the ring gear center line over far enough to get a good pinion gear ring gear interface. It is likely that the pinion gear depth will need to be adjusted as well.
It is my opinion to use a case Jack to spread the housing to get accurate carrier side clearances when installing the side shims. Be sure to check the drive side/coast side gear mesh. This is just my opinion of course.
Bob Renton

 

[m79ded]

I did some looking around and narrowed it down to US gear or Motive, I guess it's a toss up, anybody have experience with US gear?

 

[andyf]

Make it easy and call Cass at Doctor Diff. Just buy what Cass tells you to buy.

 

[RJRENTON]

Make it easy and call Cass at Doctor Diff. Just buy what Cass tells you to buy.

If you don't really know what you want or need, how can this guy help. I realize that almost everyone is too willing to let someone else decide for them, sort of Carte Blanche, then complain about the cost. I'm a firm believer in doing your own due diligence. Will this guy sell or rent the tools to set pinion depth (carrier arbor, pinion shims, seals, bearings, carrier bearings and shims, etc.). Since this is a sizable expense don't you want to know what your buying and associated costs? Just my opinion of course.
Bob Renton

 

[john-9]

I did some looking around and narrowed it down to US gear or Motive, I guess it's a toss up, anybody have experience with US gear?

i use them both -- i like US Gear as they are made in the USA and come with a gear pattern run on them -- this gives you an idea of what the correct gear pattern should be .
Motive made in Italy -- again a premium gear set and i have had no trouble with them as well.
as far a the noise issue -- it is an incorrect set up that causes this issue ---as i have said before ,,, no gear company is going to design and produce a gear set that will run with noise issues - who would buy them ???.

 

[5.7 hemi]

It’s not always incorrect set up that causes noise. Ask Dr Diff aka Cass.

 

[RJRENTON]

Gentlemen,
It sounds as if this person can predict the future (or perhaps walk on water)...? Once again taking the word of someone (aka "expert") not ultimately aware of your issues or skills and abilities and experiences prevails. Why would you not diagnose your own set up or installation?.....and then determine the fix, should any be required.
Usually, when a gear set is manufactured (gears are hobbed after forging and heat treatment) to a very close tolerance and then "matched" to minimize any slight differences that may exist, then marked (on the pinion head), to allow for shim adjustments upon assembly in the differential housing. Any noise that may result during operation, may be attributable to the gear ratio, as high numeric ratios can be noisy (perceived or otherwise real). Just my opinion of course....
Bob Renton

 

[Cranky]

Was going to mention a machine (made by Gleason?) that runs the gears to see where they run quiet (vibration pickup?) then they get marked for pinion depth.....? Isn't that where the pattern look that you see comes from? I've seen some gears with a very pronounced pattern and some that was pretty faint but all the gears I've set up had it. The set of Motives I'm about to set up have a pronounce pattern on the pinion but not so much on the ring. Btw, the only way I set up is with a pinion depth setting tool which involves the use of a dial indicator. The pattern never looks right to me but the setups have never been noisy. Have had a couple with a low hum but you had to listen for it. Now if you have a set of factory 8 3/4 gears, you will have to set up using what's called 'mounting distance' dimension or the pattern method.

 

[Mike67]

Probably because most are not expierenced in doing so or do not have the tools to diagnose.
I agree totally with your statemnet about due diligence but that's is dependant on ones knowledge and experience...otherwise it is a formed opinion based solely on speculation and assumptions.
So what's wrong with going to someone more expierenced that deals with it daily, has evidently been successful as the business has been around for a while... I wouldn't try to diagnose a heart issue myself ...I would go to a cardiac specialist ... no different with going to a differential specialist for an opinion... but like any specialist you have to provide them with accurate facts and not assumptions...

 

[m79ded]

Gentlemen,
It sounds as if this person can predict the future (or perhaps walk on water)...? Once again taking the word of someone (aka "expert") not ultimately aware of your issues or skills and abilities and experiences prevails. Why would you not diagnose your own set up or installation?.....and then determine the fix, should any be required.
Usually, when a gear set is manufactured (gears are hobbed after forging and heat treatment) to a very close tolerance and then "matched" to minimize any slight differences that may exist, then marked (on the pinion head), to allow for shim adjustments upon assembly in the differential housing. Any noise that may result during operation, may be attributable to the gear ratio, as high numeric ratios can be noisy (perceived or otherwise real). Just my opinion of course....
Bob Renton

Setting up rear ends is beyond my capability to do it really well, so I would definitely have an expert do it. The reason I asked about the brand etc.... is years ago I got a set of 4.30 from Mopar Performance for my 9.25 diff and they howled. With that said the person at the Dodge dealership that installed them has set up many and he said that some gears just are noisy. I went to another diff shop and had it checked out and they said it was a good install and setup correctly, just a noisy set of gears. I had 410 in my Dana 60 and 3.54 and very little noise which is great. I wanted to ask my Mopar community because of peoples vast knowledge and experiences for advise and or opinions on this type of situation, I just want to avoid a sour experience if I can with a gear install.Thank you