Ring gear bolts came loose

[69importkilla]

So my car got towed home today. 3 of the bolts on the ring gear came out and were bouncing around. No damage to the gears thankfully, but as I checked the other bolts they are all loose.

Question is: Can I put new bolts in and try it from there? Is there anything else I should look for?

[HarleyR]

Safety wire them.... ARP Usually makes bolts that come pre drilled ..if not drill them yourself....

[Chevelle598bb]

If the gears don't have damage then throw a new set of bolts in with red loctite. Then check the wear pattern. Safety wire is a good idea but you have to take the carrier out. I have never had a failure from the ring gear fasteners backing out. I have only safety wired one set if ring gear bolts and that is the 9 inch carrier i am using now.

[Randy67]

Carefully check the gears for any damage, if none then you should be okay.

A buddy had two bolts back out on his Ford 8.8 with a loud bang. He was able to still drive the car, but when we pulled the cover, the bolts were a mangled mass and the ring and pinion both had broken teeth. It also took a chunck out the posi carrier as well.

[69importkilla]

Well the gears the check out OK, I pulled each bolt out one at a time, cleaned it and the threads in the ring gear, used blue loctite and reinstalled the bolts. The cover was damaged by one of the bolts so I have to get a new cover before I can tell if everything is OK....

Side note: Finding a dif cover for the orignal 8.2 is difficult. Anyone know of anyone making non-chrome repoductions?

[69importkilla]

Just wanted to update:

Got everything assembled and took the car out, everything sounds good! Thanks for the help guys...

[badazz81z28]

Just wanted to update:

Got everything assembled and took the car out, everything sounds good! Thanks for the help guys...


Did you initially put red loctite on the bolts? You usually dont see them back out.

[Chevelle598bb]

Red loctite is used not blue.

[badazz81z28]

Red loctite is used not blue.

+1

You want those bolts to stay in place! Blue is for smaller diameter bolts.

[David Pozzi]

I had them back out twice with red loctite on an 8.5" rear axle. Found out the aftermarket bolt heads were 5/8", stock was 11/16" but I hadn't even looked at the old open carrier I pulled out. The 5/8" heads only have around .060" seat on them & they were embedding into the cast iron carrier & coming loose.
I was told they would work if a hardened washer was used.

[69importkilla]

To answer, I never assembled the rear gears, I bought the car with the rear end as is. After removing the bolts, I did notice there was no locking compound on them whatsoever. I nstalled new bolts with hardened washers and blue loctite. I was weary of using red...

Hey guys thanks for pointing out I should have used red loctite after the fact!!! :)

[sccacuda]

I had them back out twice with red loctite on an 8.5" rear axle. Found out the aftermarket bolt heads were 5/8", stock was 11/16" but I hadn't even looked at the old open carrier I pulled out. The 5/8" heads only have around .060" seat on them & they were embedding into the cast iron carrier & coming loose.
I was told they would work if a hardened washer was used.

Yep, on the cheaper gear sets, the bolts have smaller heads that will come loose. You can use a washer, but I prefer to use the factory bolt. It doesn't come loose.

[badazz81z28]

Yep, on the cheaper gear sets, the bolts have smaller heads that will come loose. You can use a washer, but I prefer to use the factory bolt. It doesn't come loose.


Seems very few if any have the larger head bolts anymore. I was lucky to find a guy who had NOS Mr Gasket bolts on Amazon.

[BonzoHansen]

deja vu, the bolt issue just came up at nastyZ, same end result.

http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=244801

[69importkilla]

I just checked nastyZ and those pictures are identical down to the diff cover's damage to my car!

[Chevelle598bb]

If the gears don't have damage then throw a new set of bolts in with red loctite. Then check the wear pattern. Safety wire is a good idea but you have to take the carrier out. I have never had a failure from the ring gear fasteners backing out. I have only safety wired one set if ring gear bolts and that is the 9 inch carrier i am using now.

I did mention red loctite in an earlier post. :)

[69importkilla]

Ha! I noticed it "cough" after the fact....

I have to practice my reading comprehension skills!

[badazz81z28]

deja vu, the bolt issue just came up at nastyZ, same end result.

http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=244801


Ouch!

Good thing I ran across Freddie's bolt warning years ago! I was very anal when I rebuilt mine. Those proper GM bolts are not that easy to find. Only a few seem to have them and they are a little pricey.

[69importkilla]

I'm curious about this GM bolt thing. Couldnt you just subsitute grade 8 fasteners with hardened washers??

[BonzoHansen]

if you follow that link, freddie lists a washer he has used in a pinch. and those bolts are LH thread.

"Any time that I use these bolts I put a hardened steel Ford washer under the head to prevent this from happening"

[David Pozzi]

I got some large head bolts from Summit Racing, I think they were Mr Gasket. The first set with small heads were Raetech brand on a new Eaton Positraction install.

[69importkilla]

Is there any reason someone couldnt just use grade 8 bolts with hardened washer's?

[BonzoHansen]

LH thread?

[69importkilla]

Looking at them in the McMaster-Carr catalog right now.....

[David Pozzi]

What size heads? 5/8" is a standard head for a 7/16" bolt, you need larger.

[69importkilla]

Gotta check again, tomorrow at work. I'll let you know.

Curious, whats the theory behind the actual head size?

[David Pozzi]

Look at the under head seat area of a 7/16" bolt with 5/8" head. It's .060" wide. Under use it will embed into the cast iron carrier & come loose, Locktite won't help. Larger head has more seating surface, or use a hardened steel washer, but be careful about bolt length if the washer is thick.