Limited slip

[SidewaysTA]

My exp with OLD high mileage R&P's is that if you do anything that alters or caused you to need to reset any part of it, it's never gonna be be right as you will see premature wear. The key reason is you will not duplicate the R&P wear pattern, put money on it it gonna whine sooner or later most likely sooner.

In fact If the R&P has over 500 mi I would never reuse, just toss in the pile for ranch/farm trucks and beaters.

I agree if you don't set it up correctly it could whine/prematurely wear. That said, if you take proper measurements before you take it apart and install it back the same way, there is no reason the r&p would have any problems. As stated, YMMV.

 

[Dawico]

Is that like a spare rear end in case one breaks?

It works for that too.

Lost a U joint and snapped an ear off the drive shaft once. Front wheel drive got me home.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

Dude, it IS pretty easy. There's zero reason the pinion depth will change, or the crush sleeve that is currently in operation will change unless you screw with it. Which you wouldn't, if you're only swapping the carrier. Gear mesh will stay the same, provided the ring gear goes back into the same position it was in. Getting the pinion/ring gear relationship right is a significantly simpler job when you... wait for it .. don't screw with the pinion. You're only concerned with shimming the new carrier into the same position as the one it replaces. Heck, even if you never ran a pattern, if you nail the backlash to be exactly what it was before pulling the old carrier out, you're going to be right on target. Gears will be just as quiet as before.

I literally can't tell you how many times I've done this. Like rebuilding Ford Trac-Loc in 8.8's, sometimes I wouldn't use the original carrier. Or replacing the original Auburn limited slip with a Zexel-Torsen in the GM 10 bolt was actually a somewhat common "upgrade" for a while.

What you say is true in the short term, but in the long run when you change the contact pattern between a R&P and you will it will cause slop in the contact and you will get that dreaded whine.

That said: there are 3 types of whine:
1) on acceleration
2) deceleration (no load)
3) both of the above.

You can extend the life significantly by using and extreme High viscosity-index (VI) oil like RedLine Heavy Shockproof, which is SAE 75W250, but flows like 75W90. In fact I just ordered about 10 min ago a gal for a truck that is experiencing acceleration whine, 2 years after a rebuild. I will pull the cover and I am willing to bet $$$ that the rebuilder did not change out the R&P and I can tell by looking at the contract patch, it will have 2 distinct wear patterns. So to save the customer money or to charge the customer for a new R&P that he does not get buy pays for...just about SOP for 95% of all shops.

If you have early 1 or 2 above, this will greatly extend it's life using the Redline Heavy if you are stage 3 its time to rebuild with new R&P.