Click Click Click

Ok, so maybe I'm an idiot and don't know much about my diff.

Last Summer I had to replace all of the little bolts that hold the clutch pack to the ring gear, because one bolt head had snapped off but didn't cause any visual damage other than cosmetic blemishes on the other bolt heads (which were replaced). When we put everything together I put in the GM positraction additive, and used Lucas differential fluid.

Fast forward to this spring, I've noticed that during hard acceleration I hear "clicking" coming from the rear of the car. It doesn't hammer at low speeds or around corners, it just "clicks" under hard acceleration. My u-joints are in great shape.

Does anyone know what this might be? BTW, I heard much louder "clicking" right before the bolt head snapped off last summer, thus my concern.

I think you mean you replaced the Ring Gear bolts to the differental carrier case. Assuming you did this, I would suspect the bolts may have backed out again. The bolts backing off is not uncommon in high HP applications. I use ARP bolts and drill them for saftey wire when I'n doing a "race spec" differential rebuild. I have observed many times a ring gear carrier with fretting on the surface where the ring gear mates (signs of movement due to loose fasteners.) The bolts GM sells right now have serrations under the head of the bolt, I wouldn't use the presently offered GM service bolts on anything not even a 1980 305cu/in Vette. Mark Williams sells ring gear bolts already drilled for saftey wire, they are the same bolts as a 12bolt differential uses and as a bonus, you will have 2 bolts to lose in the workshop when doing the exchange

As I stated I obviously don't know much about the diff. Thanks for the info, I guess I'll have to crack it open again, I used Loctite last time to try to prevent this.

So I am going to have to safety wire my ring gear bolts? That seems awfully extreme, and what holds the safety wire? The only safety wiring I've ever done dealt with missile launchers in the Navy, I was unaware there was an automotive application for it. How would I go about doing that and would you happen to know where to find the part number to the bolts you are referring to?

Running the wire from bolt to bolt going all around the case, that'll hold the bolts (if you wire them properly) you could also use some loctite.

When using the ARP bolts, make sure you check if the holes need chamfering. Refer to Garys articles, it's in there.

Just a quick question as this seems to be a sign to me, what about the rebuilt diffs offered from some of the major brands? Keep in mind that this 'vette will NEVER have over 400 horses. I've been eyeing a 3.70 diff. from Mid America for a while now and if I am going to have to pull the differential again, then I might as well put in some lower gears.:thumbs:

buy one off gary or tracdogg2, then you know you buy quality.

Thanks, I completely forgot that we have the best here.

I hope I can afford it.

Both of us rebuilders are here.
If you replaced the ring gear bolts with new ones from GM it's possible you have one backing out again. The locking teeth under the head don't work. Also look to see if the ends of the inner u-joint u-bolts are starting to hit the case.
Where is Leveldirt?
Mike

It's Levelland, but most of us call it Leveldirt since we don't get much water up here.

Ok so try this on for size, today I drove around a little after work, did a few hard acceleration runs, no clicky, no clunks, no weird noises whatsoever. WTF?

ARP Ring Gear Bolts

If you plan on using ARP ring gear bolts with your rebuild, now is the time to countersink the holes on you posi case. Gary touched base on this in one of his posts. Basically, what he found was there was a shoulder on the ARP bolts which prevented them from seating flat. The case I bought from Gary already had the holes countersunk, so that saved me from having to do it. A step drill might work to slightly countersink the holes too, but you'd have to ask Gary about that one. This step is mentioned in ARP's instructions as well.

If this sound is my spider gears what am I looking at here?

The reason I ask is because today I was turning around on a slick concrete parking lot, I was turning real sharp and not on the throttle at all, maybe doing 5 mph and the rear was clicking slowly along with the inner tire chirping.

I've also noticed that sometimes one tire spins more than the other.

The rear doesn't click every time I nail it, only sporadically. I notice it more on inclines as well.

I'm saving up money right now to replace the diff. but I'm asking just in case I don't get the money saved up in time, what can I expect to happen?

SmokeyVette said:

If this sound is my spider gears what am I looking at here?

The reason I ask is because today I was turning around on a slick concrete parking lot, I was turning real sharp and not on the throttle at all, maybe doing 5 mph and the rear was clicking slowly along with the inner tire chirping.

I've also noticed that sometimes one tire spins more than the other.

The rear doesn't click every time I nail it, only sporadically. I notice it more on inclines as well.

I'm saving up money right now to replace the diff. but I'm asking just in case I don't get the money saved up in time, what can I expect to happen?

Click to expand...

Add some GM posi additive, and do some figure 8's. It's the clutch paks chattering.

big2bird said:

Add some GM posi additive, and do some figure 8's. It's the clutch paks chattering.

Click to expand...

I guess I could give that a try, I hadn't thought of that.

Thanks.:thumbs: