Who has best replacment ring & pinions?

[MDFarms]

Looking for advice on the best manufacturer for repalcment Ring & Pinions. Going from 3.07 to a 3.73 ratio GM 12 bolt Axle housing

Any reviews on following

- Richmond
- Richmond Excel

- Yukon

- Would love Dana or Eaton but not sure if available

[HO455]

Is for a street driven truck?

[C101972]

MDFarms, Contact Quick Performance in Ames Ia. Very knowledgeable guys, they sell new and used. Many different brands and great prices. I bought a complete Eaton posi unit and Yukon 3:73 ring and pinion from them. Thanks Chuck
Posted via Mobile Device

[Accelo]

I am unsure if any of the gears are built here in the USA anymore. Possible exceptions may be the OEM's. I just looked up one seller.

realtruck.com
Listed where the headquarters were, where shipping took place and not a single manufacturing facility. Then they use “USA Standard Ring & Pinion Gears” on their page. Seems any manufacture with USA, Chicago or a US city in the name is likely an import.

A good friend of mine when through two sets of gears in a 12" GM differential and then two more on a 9" Ford to get one to run quiet. This was for his 1968 Camaro.
The 9" was dropped shipped from a major manufacture.
I have installed plenty of them and I am not sure it's just lucky to get a quiet one.
I’m not talking about some back yard installation. I have all the tools and background to do it right. Including the pinion depth gauges for the ones I work on.
So, using the reseller with the best reputation and price is the only real advice I can give.
I have used Randy's Ring and Pinion in the past. I always get the correct part from them. However, better pricing is available else-wear.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by C101972

MDFarms, Contact Quick Performance in Ames Ia. Very knowledgeable guys, they sell new and used. Many different brands and great prices. I bought a complete Eaton posi unit and Yukon 3:73 ring and pinion from them. Thanks Chuck
Posted via Mobile Device

I second this . I purchased a complete 9 inch for my chevelle with disc brakes . The housing was used but everything else was new and nobody could touch the price

[grousehunter 61]

I went through summit, at first they sent me the wrong one, I sent it back and was told that it would be 7 to 9 weeks before they would have one, I went to Randy's and they said the same thing. It looks like Yukon is leading the race if you want new. That's what I just put in mine. to early to tell how it will last.

[MikeB]

GM and Yukon YG-series. Very quiet and easy to get a pattern.

[burnin oil]

No problems with motive gear or yukon. No experience with Richmond but have been warned away from them for a street vehicle due to gear whine.

[Richard]

Used Yukon gears in my first gear change ever in my 94 C1500 daily driver and all is well after driving for almost 1000 miles. Yukon gears are in my custom high pinion Dana 60 front axle for the 72 and I plan to purchase Yukon gears for the gear change in the 11.5 swapped into the 72. Have not heard good things about Richmond gears when used. IDK? If I can do it on my first time with the Yukon gears and a shop has trouble I would be wary. I purchased from East Coast Gear for my R&P + install kit and custom axle. Will probably get gears and locker from them for the rear axle. Decent prices and excellent customer service.

[un4gvn!]

I use 3:42 USGear in my 69 big block C10. No noise or vibration. I also use Superior Axcels. All made here in the USA. I race this 3,900 pound truck. Runs mid 12.00's all day long. Look them up on your computer.

[the67Beast]

I'm sure there will be all sorts of differing opinions on this subject. Just got my rear housing back a few months ago from the shop. Went with a Richmond 3.73 ring and pinion and Auburn Carrier. I'm on a tight budget so I had to be thrifty. In speaking with the guy that sets up my gears, he said that Richmond is a very hard and strong gear which makes it noisy. If he has a choice he said right now that US Gear would be what he goes with. It's not as hard strong as Richmond but runs very quiet. I have not finished my truck yet so not on the road yet.

[geunther]

I know OP was looking for GM 12. But there was mention of Ford 9" so for others I would mention that I have had good results with Ford Racing gears. Made in US at Sterling plant.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by Richard

Used Yukon gears in my first gear change ever in my 94 C1500 daily driver and all is well after driving for almost 1000 miles. Decent prices and excellent customer service.

My very first, too. I bought a 3.42 gearset, bearings, etc. from Randy's Ring and Pinion (now Randy's Worldwide). Installed them in place of a 2.73 in a GM 10-bolt rear end. Had to call tech support a couple times, and they were very helpful.

Since then I have rebuilt two GM rear ends using the original gears and new bearings. Have to say even gearsets with over 150K miles still looked great and were very quiet. When properly set up, I suspect they would outlast most vehicles!

[BASE]

I haven't ever heard anything bad about Yukon, but I've never used a R&P from them. I paid a premium for OEM gears in the last 2 axles I rebuilt (Dana and AAM). Nothing on either package indicated that my $ had bought me made in USA parts though.

[w314speed]

AAM Gears are the OEM gears GM used as built. They set up as original GM. Most cases use the same pinion shim set you back lash and out the door. Good Luck, Dan

[68Stepbed]

www.quickperformance.com

[Joyridin]

I use Dana gears. They are usually more expensive, but they come with the all the bearings and by the time you buy those, it is usually a wash.

Supposedly, all the gear blanks are made in China these days by 2 companies. Yukon, Dana, etc. all buy their blanks from these 2 companies and manufacture them accordingly. When I rebuilt my rear-end, I found an old unit and used those gears as they used to grind them all instead of just cutting the teeth like they do now.

[jimijam00]

Finding someone that knows how to install and set them up is probably more of a concern that gear brands. Finding gears actually made in America, not just an American company that buys their stuff from China, with American metal is not easily done anymore.

[HO455]

Here is some reading on the subject. I know. Reading! Uhggg!

https://www.differentials.com/two-cu...ive-cut-gears/

https://www.crownracegears.com/gear_cutting.html

https://www.transmissiondigest.com/p...-pinion-gears/

[MDFarms]

Well if this is what they stated on Ebay I bought this NOS GM 12 Bolt Truck 3.73 rng and Pinion
Hope it was as advertised.