Ring gear rivets

[Rooster]

My 54 ring gear is rivetted onto the carrier yet I see the 55 uses a hex head threaded bolt. Were the replacement ring gears bolted on or was there an upgrade from 54 to 55 from rivet to bolts ?

[Bhigdog]

55 ring gears are bolted to the diff. carrier....Bob

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Rooster,

All you probably ever need to know about the differences in 54 and 55 rear ends can be found in the Product School Manual. If you can get one for 54, 55 and 56 it will describe the differences between the close cousins pretty well. So what did that one in the trunk turn out to be?

Sorry you're having so much trouble. I guess it would have been better had I went ahead and swapped the entire thing out here. But then I probably wouldn't have sold her.

[Rooster]

Lamar, I knew what I was getting myself in for :

( I think )

Having the spare 55 rear included I reckoned could make things easier, but alas the gears on that are not much better than the ones out of Irene.

I went ahead and bought new bearings for the 55 centre and tried to get a good mesh pattern but they are too far worn to get anywhere near an acceptable backlash.

The reason for my rivet question is that soon I will most likely have to advertise WTB for a 55 gear set. The ring gear would be easier to get off the carrier ( and cheaper to ship )

As a preliminary question -- has anyone got a good used set or N.O.S. ?