Rearend Gear Question
Overdrive Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,042
From: IL
Can you say EXTENDED WARRANTY?! -- for $1500 you can get a nice 3yr/36k or more policy that would cover this failure... 
Bad news; a nasty click/popping sound started coming from my rear end - it sounded like it was coming from the fender well. All was good with the rotor and bearings, so I had the rear plate removed, sure enough, the pin is beat to dust on both ends and the housing is wore flat (well, not really, but almost) on one side.
I didn't take the time to count, but I assume I'm running 3:23 - it definitely is lim slip.
I have to have a new (or like new) rear end put in. Do 3:73's have posi, or are they lim slip also? Would it be beneficial to have posi or lim slip with 3:73?
Also, what sort of price should I look at? the guy at the shop said it would be cheaper for me to buy another rear end than to repair the one I have (just the gears, bearings and maybe carrier - but the axles fine).
In other words, what should I NOT pay? What is overpaying and what is a fair price?
Thanks guys - this'll help immensely.
I didn't take the time to count, but I assume I'm running 3:23 - it definitely is lim slip.
I have to have a new (or like new) rear end put in. Do 3:73's have posi, or are they lim slip also? Would it be beneficial to have posi or lim slip with 3:73?
Also, what sort of price should I look at? the guy at the shop said it would be cheaper for me to buy another rear end than to repair the one I have (just the gears, bearings and maybe carrier - but the axles fine).
In other words, what should I NOT pay? What is overpaying and what is a fair price?
Thanks guys - this'll help immensely.
Overdrive Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,042
From: IL
Have you checked your caliper slides? Are they lubed and smooth? If not, lube them, if grooved/rough -- replace them. The lack of ABS may not be your only issue...
Drilled rotors serve no purpose. Slotted can help clean your pads, however.
Drilled rotors serve no purpose. Slotted can help clean your pads, however.
I can't tell if it made a difference or not because I haven't gotten on it yet.. A new problem has come up; my front wheels are getting really hot, and when I drive I can hear a clapping sound (like a piece of tire tread on hitting the road). When I get out of the car, I can smell what I think are my brakes - and like I said the wheels get extremely hot. If you put water on them, it makes a hissing sound. The wheels are 9.5 inches wide, bead to bead.
edit: I haven't checked yet, but tomorrow I'm going to jack my car up and see if anything is rubbing, but even if it were, that wouldn't explain the wheels getting as hot as they are. I have drilled and slotted rotors, so I'm going to switch them (the spiral shape is facing the rear of the car, I'll swap them so they face the front) and see if that makes a difference. I think the first thing though when I jack the car up, I'll spin my tires and see if i can hear that clapping noise again. If not, I'll switch rotors and give it a test drive. If that doesn't fix it, I'll put my old wheels on the front and see if that does it. If that DOES fix the problem, then I'll have to put my old wheels back on, all the way around, and order two new wheels at 8" wide for the front (I have 9.5 all the way around).
edit: I haven't checked yet, but tomorrow I'm going to jack my car up and see if anything is rubbing, but even if it were, that wouldn't explain the wheels getting as hot as they are. I have drilled and slotted rotors, so I'm going to switch them (the spiral shape is facing the rear of the car, I'll swap them so they face the front) and see if that makes a difference. I think the first thing though when I jack the car up, I'll spin my tires and see if i can hear that clapping noise again. If not, I'll switch rotors and give it a test drive. If that doesn't fix it, I'll put my old wheels on the front and see if that does it. If that DOES fix the problem, then I'll have to put my old wheels back on, all the way around, and order two new wheels at 8" wide for the front (I have 9.5 all the way around).
Allegedly, drilled rotors help better braking during wet weather conditions - but I haven't tested that.
Where do I get an extended warranty from? A Chevy dealership? Will the warranty cover upgraded parts?
Where do I get an extended warranty from? A Chevy dealership? Will the warranty cover upgraded parts?
Drilled rotors help get operating temperature up and help a lot when the brakes are dry OR dirty. They also prevent pretty much any gas build up from happening so there's practically no brake fade. Drilled rotors are also dangerous though as even the best can crack at any time.
I personally use either slotted or high quality blanks.
Posi and limited slip are the same thing. Just go buy an entire rear end out of a Z28/SS/TA and get shorter gears and install them if that's what you want.
I personally use either slotted or high quality blanks.
Posi and limited slip are the same thing. Just go buy an entire rear end out of a Z28/SS/TA and get shorter gears and install them if that's what you want.
Overdrive Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,042
From: IL
The gassing is not a current issue. Drilled rotors are much more likely to crack with stress from hard use, so they are not too practical for heat reduction, but used for weight reduction on some race cars...
Why waste a whole rear-end when yours is fine? Just replace gears and carrier and related parts.
Why waste a whole rear-end when yours is fine? Just replace gears and carrier and related parts.
Drilled rotors help get operating temperature up and help a lot when the brakes are dry OR dirty. They also prevent pretty much any gas build up from happening so there's practically no brake fade. Drilled rotors are also dangerous though as even the best can crack at any time.
I personally use either slotted or high quality blanks.
I personally use either slotted or high quality blanks.
Last edited by libertyforall1776; Oct 29, 2010 at 06:47 PM.
Overdrive Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,042
From: IL
Got mine from a Credit Union -- similar to what CarMax offers, but cheaper. It was the same company, not sure if it still is...
They generally cover only parts that the manufacturer makes or provided, so if they are GM parts, should be yes, if it's a covered item. Once you start modifying with significant aftermarket performance parts, the Ext. Warranty company may have a reason to deny your claim -- if it caused a covered failure...
Here's the statement in my policy about this:
"In addition, we will not pay benefits:
...
For a breakdown caused by or involving modifications unless those modifications were performed by the manufacturer (e.g. oversized tires, lift kit, after market performance parts or systems)."
Here's a link to the one I have:
https://www.mrclaims.net/b2c/
They generally cover only parts that the manufacturer makes or provided, so if they are GM parts, should be yes, if it's a covered item. Once you start modifying with significant aftermarket performance parts, the Ext. Warranty company may have a reason to deny your claim -- if it caused a covered failure...
Here's the statement in my policy about this:
"In addition, we will not pay benefits:
...
For a breakdown caused by or involving modifications unless those modifications were performed by the manufacturer (e.g. oversized tires, lift kit, after market performance parts or systems)."
Here's a link to the one I have:
https://www.mrclaims.net/b2c/
Last edited by libertyforall1776; Oct 29, 2010 at 03:33 PM. Reason: Added Ext. Warranty detail
April 2011 ROTM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 22,023
From: Tokeland, Washington
ROTM Winner's Club
The first is heat. When the brake pad grabs the rotor, it creates friction, which creates heat. If that heat can't escape, it leads to brake fade, which reduces the brakes' stopping power. The second reason is gas build up. This actually isn't much of a problem any more; however, the materials used in some older types of brake pads caused gas to build up between the rotors and pads. That gas also limited stopping power. The last reason is water. If a car drives through a puddle, a carwash or even a rainstorm, the brake rotors can get wet. A wet brake rotor is slippery and difficult for the brake pads to grab. Having drilled holes on a brake rotor makes it easy for heat, gas and water to be quickly moved away from the rotor surface, keeping the brake performance strong.
The downside of using drilled rotors on your vehicle is that all of those holes tend to weaken the rotors -- just like punching holes in the wall of a house would weaken the wall. After repeated stressful driving, the rotors can even crack.
But what if you're into driving performance? Are drilled rotors right for you, or should you consider another kind of brake part for your spirited driving? Keep reading to find out.
April 2011 ROTM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 22,023
From: Tokeland, Washington
ROTM Winner's Club
the rest of the story.
Slotted brake rotors are popular with performance car drivers because the type of driving they
do puts a lot of stress on the rotors. As we mentioned on the previous page, drilled rotors have been weakened, which makes them prone to cracking around the holes, particularly when they've been repeatedly driven hard. Because they tend to be a little more durable than the drilled brake rotors, slotted brake rotors may be a better brake part choice for some performance car drivers.
Of course, slotted brake rotors aren't perfect, either. They tend to wear down brake pads very quickly. Because of this, the most common type of performance brake rotors found on production performance cars are of the drilled variety. While that type of construction is seen as too weak for racing applications, most everyday drivers should have no trouble with drilled rotors on their street cars and can save the slotted rotors for cars that are racetrack-bound.
Slotted brake rotors are popular with performance car drivers because the type of driving they
do puts a lot of stress on the rotors. As we mentioned on the previous page, drilled rotors have been weakened, which makes them prone to cracking around the holes, particularly when they've been repeatedly driven hard. Because they tend to be a little more durable than the drilled brake rotors, slotted brake rotors may be a better brake part choice for some performance car drivers.
Of course, slotted brake rotors aren't perfect, either. They tend to wear down brake pads very quickly. Because of this, the most common type of performance brake rotors found on production performance cars are of the drilled variety. While that type of construction is seen as too weak for racing applications, most everyday drivers should have no trouble with drilled rotors on their street cars and can save the slotted rotors for cars that are racetrack-bound.
Overdrive Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,042
From: IL
Not the whole story there Craby... Get directionally veined rotors if you care about heat.
I will defer, the quotes below are from Sam Strano, emphasis mine:
"Slots aren't there for cooling but for out-gassing which really only is problematic with big race compound pads on cars without power brakes (most race cars) since the gas layer has to be pushed through and power brakes make that easy."
"both pads and rotors can and do glaze. Drilling and/or slotting rotors does not help brake fade or bite in any way.
Most race cars do not use drilled rotors because that's metal that you're missing and can't contact the brake pad--it's like running smaller pads. Racing cars do use slotted rotors, but that's for gassing, and gassing is a race pad thing that happens when things get so hot the rotors glow red. Race cars don't usually have power brakes, and any gas boundary layer hurts the amount of force you can apply through the pads to the discs."
"drilling and or cutting slots in a rotor hurt it's integrity and cost you some amount of swept area."
I will defer, the quotes below are from Sam Strano, emphasis mine:
"Slots aren't there for cooling but for out-gassing which really only is problematic with big race compound pads on cars without power brakes (most race cars) since the gas layer has to be pushed through and power brakes make that easy."
"both pads and rotors can and do glaze. Drilling and/or slotting rotors does not help brake fade or bite in any way.
Most race cars do not use drilled rotors because that's metal that you're missing and can't contact the brake pad--it's like running smaller pads. Racing cars do use slotted rotors, but that's for gassing, and gassing is a race pad thing that happens when things get so hot the rotors glow red. Race cars don't usually have power brakes, and any gas boundary layer hurts the amount of force you can apply through the pads to the discs."
"drilling and or cutting slots in a rotor hurt it's integrity and cost you some amount of swept area."
thats bs liberty
The first is heat. When the brake pad grabs the rotor, it creates friction, which creates heat. If that heat can't escape, it leads to brake fade, which reduces the brakes' stopping power. The second reason is gas build up. This actually isn't much of a problem any more; however, the materials used in some older types of brake pads caused gas to build up between the rotors and pads. That gas also limited stopping power. The last reason is water. If a car drives through a puddle, a carwash or even a rainstorm, the brake rotors can get wet. A wet brake rotor is slippery and difficult for the brake pads to grab. Having drilled holes on a brake rotor makes it easy for heat, gas and water to be quickly moved away from the rotor surface, keeping the brake performance strong.
The first is heat. When the brake pad grabs the rotor, it creates friction, which creates heat. If that heat can't escape, it leads to brake fade, which reduces the brakes' stopping power. The second reason is gas build up. This actually isn't much of a problem any more; however, the materials used in some older types of brake pads caused gas to build up between the rotors and pads. That gas also limited stopping power. The last reason is water. If a car drives through a puddle, a carwash or even a rainstorm, the brake rotors can get wet. A wet brake rotor is slippery and difficult for the brake pads to grab. Having drilled holes on a brake rotor makes it easy for heat, gas and water to be quickly moved away from the rotor surface, keeping the brake performance strong.
Last edited by libertyforall1776; Oct 29, 2010 at 12:14 PM.
