I can get a gear install for a much fairer price at this shop that primarly does 'vettes. They sound very knowlegable and confident and have many good reviews. I just don't know how much different our cars are from a gm car. Is a gear install the same on every type of rwd vehicle. Or should I pony up the few hundred bucks more to let a Mustang only shop do it?
TIA

 

Gears are gears. It all comes down to whether or not they are good at doing their job. My gears will be getting installed by a shop that works on all makes and models. They are the best in my area and have worked on my stangs in the past.

 

what he said /\ /\ if you feel good about the lesser expensive shop go with them

 

Just an FYI.......I took my 06 GT to a place called the Corvette Clinic. They had a fair price and were recommended. I had to take my car to the dealer for some warranty work and was introduced to the Ford tech who later did all of the work on my car. Anyway, there was a whine from the rear end of the car and when he looked into it. The Corvette clinic guy had installed them wrong. I'm not saying this would happen to you, just sharing my experience. I will say this though, as long as the shop/installer has a good reputation you should be fine. But then again, the Corvette clinic had a good reputation too.

 

GMs use different rear ends. If he hasn't touched many 8.8s I wouldn't do it

 

If your confident with them then yes,but take the car for a ride first and make sure your happy.

 

I voted no, because I agree with Dustin. Get someone that knows the 8.8" rear end, you'll have less to worry about.

 

As long as they understand backlash, pinion depth measurment and how to read and adjust with the shims then gears should be gears. I can't imagine the 8.8 is a lot different from a GM rearend as far as making sure these measurements are correct. Myself and 2 club members did 2 rearends in the same day and none of us are mechanics. No whine on either set, it is all in the measurements and using something to check the mesh on the gears, we used a dab of bearing grease.

 

Keep them coming

 

I can't say it better. If the guy (regardless who or where he works) understands how to set up a rearend gear and uses the proper fluids and friction modifiers for our rearends than that is all that counts.

 

Playing devil's advocate, would a GM guy know what the backlash, pinion depth measurment and how to read and adjust the shims for an 8.8 Ford rear end?

 

I had done gears in three different GM 12 bolt diffs before I did my two Ford 8.8s' last year. Didn't have any trouble with any of them. I was surprised at how similar the design was. There's really only so many ways to build a differential. As someone else stated, as long as the person doing the work understands things like back lash and pinion depth, proper tooth contact pattern, pinion pre-load, ect there should be no issues. In regards to obtaining the correct setup specifications, that information is easily obtained by any shop. I had no trouble at all finding that information.

 

Total gear backlash is the same for all ring and pinion gears regardless of make. It is between .004-.008 total. This has nothing to do with the manufacturer of the gear but just the proper way to set up a ring and pinion gear. And it may take shims at either the ring or pinion gear to get the setting correct and the pattern to look right... but if the installer uses the correct pinion depth and mearsures for the 8.8 rear end properly than it should not be an issue. They make shim packs with varing thicknesses for both the Chevy and Ford rearends. It really is not a manufacturer issue as much as just getting the proper install procedure for any ring and pinion.
Scott