this will be happening at 10:00 AM tomorrow...my house. wear something warm...see you there...:Handshake
You asked...Those were the Auburn instructions. Do whatever you want, cuz you likely know better. Back then i put 2000 a year on the car. Nowadays, it is parked and waiting for me to have some extra cash to sink into it. I can drive it to work every day, if I wish...It will be warm in the summer, and finicky in the winters. And drone all year long. But it runs like a charm, and gets 20+ mpg EDIT--Richmond Gears, not Auburn...my mistake.
I understand...another one of thoes... I wish to drive mine...I turn the heater on in the winter...turn the A/C on in the summer...and make tire smoke all year around...
we at san diego gear and axle tell our customers to do 3 20 min trips at freeway speed with at least 2 hours between trips. then 100 miles of easy driving. no burn outs, no towing, no racing. what is going on is the black coating on the new gears is a polishing compound that does the final lap in of the gears. this generates lots of heat and can get hot enough to brake down the oil thus the 20 min and 2 hour times. also do not use synthetic gear oil. its too slippery and will get squeezed out from between the gears. we use a straight 140w oil. lucas oil is very good gear oil to use.
3X20 mins. trips =1h. 3X2 hrs. =6 hrs. 100 miles = 1.5 hrs. total...8.5 hrs...ain't going to happen... we at Sgoda Rd. transmission and rear gear tell our friend to do... 20 min. run in on lift. 20 min. drive to Pizza place for lunch. 2 hr. lunch. 2 hr. drive home. total...4 hrs. 40 mins... ...that's 4 hrs and 35 mins. longer than done at the factory when new... ...
Wish I had seen this thread before now. I would bring another flashlight and relieve Jeff periodically.
this is richmond gears brake in instructions: http://www.richmondgear.com/ringandpinion.pdf A new ring and pinion installation, especially a high numeric ratio with new bearings, can cause an excessive heat buildup in the rear end and cause softening of the gear teeth and bearings if a break in is not performed. Street vehicles should be driven at normal street driving speed for approximately 10 miles, then stop and let cool for 30 minutes. Do this 2 to 3 times. Towing vehicles need approximately 200 to 300 miles of normal street driving before being used for towing. On circle track race cars make approximately 6 to 8 laps at slow speed, then let cool for 30 minutes. Make 6 to 8 more laps at slow speed, then 2 to 3 laps at full speed, then let cool again for 30 minutes. Drag cars need only an initial run-in since they are driven short distances and heat is not normally a problem with proper lube and backlash allowance. NOTE: If after the above break in is performed, overheating of the rear end is suspected, repeat the final portion of the break in procedures. most other quality gear brands recommend similar method of brake in. it doesnt mater to me what you do with your gears after you install them because i dont have to warranty them. i have had customers who ignored the brake in and decided to drive out of town on the brand new gear set and burn up the oil and gears. so its not a myth or hoax to need a brake in. now if you really want to get technical the weight of the car has an effect on the brake in. a light weight maverick will be allot easier on the gears than a full size truck.
I'm with Bryant on the break in for aftermarket(read non-OEM) gearsets. We don't break them in for OEM replacements but we still recommend no towing for 200-500 miles depending on the vehicle but that corresponds to new vehicle break in requirements stated in the owners manual. I broke mine in per the recommendations and it still howls at certain speeds. I called the manufacturer to complain because my setup was spot on and rolled a perfect pattern, they told me that there was nothing they could do, that the quality of the cut wasn't as good as OEM and the noise didn't hurt it's life expectancy. They called it a racing gear, I call it "cheap junk".
we got er done... swapped the rear gear and new tube seals... Jeff, Earl, Tim, Collin and I went afterwards for lunch. then Jeff got the idea he wanted to swap his gears too... a little while later Earl Jeff and myself had him a new set in his mav. with new tube seals...he went from 2:79 to 3:00. Thanks Tim for lunch...:Handshake "A Large Time Was Had By All"
