Rear end gear swap

[White Elephant]

Hey all. I tried searchin the forum for this info but couldnt find none that was definate so here goes. My spider gears were goin bad in my truck with a limited slip 4.10 ratio so i pulled em and called around today and the only place i could find anythin wants to sell me the whole carrier for 600 somethin so i said the heck wit that and went to the junkyard this evenin. Down there i found an axle with 3.55 gears and an open diff. and pulled the cover and they look alright and everthin. and i was wonderin if the spider gears would slide in my 410 limited slip or would i have to change out the whole open diff carrier wit the good spiders in my housing and bolt on the 410 ring gear. any imput would be helpful cause i plan on gettin it tomorrow and im tryin to get my truck back on the road as soon as i can. thanks

 

[hairyboxnoogle]

Theoretically from what i was told about the Dana 60 / 70 rears everything in them is interchangable. But unfortunately like the search button im not 100% if that applies to open diffs and limited slips.

 

[White Elephant]

both of these rears are th 10.25 sterlings.

 

[bghnkinf350]

How are the spiders bad? Are they pitted or gouged? Either way there will probably be corresponding damage on the case or side gears. Might be worth checking a few yards to try to find an L/S case, or for the right price, swap in a whole rear.....still cheaper than the $600 diff.

 

[bghnkinf350]

Since it is a sterling, might be worth getting the whole open diff case and putting it in. No splits in the diff case and the 4.10s will mount up. Sure it will be an open for now. It will give you an excuse down the road for a Lock Right.

 

[MUDKICKR]

you would have to change the whole diff, not just the spider gears, the limited slip diff has clutches which in turn means they are cut out deeper to fit them, just throwing in a set of open diff spider gears wont work due to them not being made to fit correctly. so randys ring and pinion doesnt have what you need? or completeoffroad? or even the ford dealer?

 

[jam0o0]

how do you know the spiders are bad? it takes a lot of f-ing around to mess up spider gears. usually it's the actual gear set or bearings that go bad. if the spiders are really bad then i bet your carrier is messed up too.

limited slip parts do not fit in open carriers and vice verse from what i've been told. the carriers are very different.

if it is just the spiders i would find a local off-roading forum and offer $50 for a set of spiders or an open carrier. offroad guys usually just throw those away if they put in a locker. my sterling open carrier when to the scrapper when i got my detroit.

 

[White Elephant]

spiders are bad because i took em out and looked at em and i found at least one of the teeth starting to crack off. (luckly it didnt all the way) and the pin that holds them in was gettin a little loose on the gears (and maybe on the carrier itself a lil bit) yea i do rag my truck out pretty hard but thats the way i am i guess. And im just doing what i have to to make this truck last about a year until i can afford a newer one. But let me get this strait... so i can swap in the whole open carrier from the 355 and bolt my 410 ring in its place and just have a open 410. and yea i know i know ill have to check the wear pattern and all that and the spacing on the sides but it can be done right?

 

[Simp5782]

accuautoparts.com has the spider gear kit for $185 shipped. just search for your vehicle on there. They have the bare cases for 245$

Or depending on where you are in Tennessee call Truck parts specialists on E Brooks rd in Memphis. They will have them in stock.

 

[bghnkinf350]

Yes, there are no case breaks on the sterling. Put the 4.10s on there, set it up with proper preloaded and backlash and you are good to go!

 

[jam0o0]

if you do decide to swap the gears see if you can find a place that has the solid pinion bearing spacer and shims instead of the crush sleeve. if you do work your truck hard these tend to be less prone to loosening up like a crush sleeve.

 

[White Elephant]

Thanks guys. I went and got that junkyard axle today and will probly get it swapped in tonight. I'll let yall know how she turns out.