Okay, I have a problem with the rear end in the Maverick that I drove up to Reno Yesterday. The center section started leaking badly and is making a clunking noise when transitioning fron on throttle to off throttle and back. I need a referal to a local shop that can rebuild the center section in one day. my number is 619-985-0033 if you have any suggestions. Moderators, I posted this in this collumn because it is the most read and I am hoping to get a quick referal to a reputable company before I go to someplace that will rape me over the coals. By 11:00 am, this post can simply be removed rather than moved as I will have the car in a shop somewhere by then. Thanks for your understanding.
Might be quicker to pick up a center from a salvage yard and build your current center once you are home.
I was referred to Precision C.V. Axle and Driveline. We found that the right side axle bearing has failed and that the 2.79:1 Ring and Pinion is dangerously worn. Not to mention just about every other component in the rear being worn out. I ordered an Auborn Limited slip , 3.25:1 ring and pinion, all bearings, etc. Also having longer wheel studs installed to be legal at the various tracks. The parts will be delivered to the shop late today (Friday). The shop is closed on weekends so I am extending my stay until Monday when they will assemble everything. There is NO chance that this rear would have made it home without major repairs. The axle bearings are that bad. The noises coming from the center section were really scarry!!! The bad part is that there were no noises until about 400 miles into the 800 mile drive and they got loud and scary real fast. What should I have expected from my BEATER ?
Sounds about like how the rear in my '73 4 door was. 316,000 miles on the rear end with no maintenance, it didn't sound to good. The 130 mile trip around the interstate to NC in that car was not much fun. I think I was gritting my teeth the whole way with the grinding and clunking the rear was makeing. I've drove some mighty junked out cars before, but that thing took the cake for the worst running and driveing car I have ever drove. I had a little portable radio with me, just cranked it up and prayed it made it.
After the shop put it all together, the car feels like a whole new machine. Going from a 2.79 to a 3.25 really makes a nice change in the way it gets moving.:evilsmile And those are just mild gears. I think I need to get another chunk with 4.11s just for fun...Nah. The poor little came in that engine would run out of steam to early... I did spend a ton more on gas coming home than I spent going up. Bummer. This rear will go into my project car with the AOD so I should get the best of both worlds in that car.
so what kind of rpm and mileage changes did you get? just curious because that is around the ratio i was thinking about. glad the drive was uneventful
The RPM difference was 420 rpm. Or about 16% change. I don't know what the gas milage difference was as I was not keeping track of the number of gallons and the odometer was not registering correctly for the last half of the trip. I spent WAY too much for fuel on this trip. The carb was calibrated for sea level so was running way rich for almost the entire trip. I could have run smaller jets since most of the trip was above 3000 feet and wuite a bit of it was above 4000.
so id save gas going down there 420 rpm isnt that bad of a change,i wonder how many 10ths that would knock off my time
