[onebad82z]

Picked up a used Richmond 4.10 set for my 12 bolt.

No pitting but the heels of the ring gear on the coast and drive side have some light surface rust.

Pinion is much the same way.

I know used gears are advised against but got these for $20 and I install my own gears so it's worth a shot to me.

Any advice to cleaning these up?

 

[big gear head]

Try some Lysol heavy duty toilet bowl cleaner. Let it soak for a minute and rinse with water. If it's just light rust this will probably remove it.

 

[Tod74]

Wire brush on a drill press. I don't think glass beading would hurt it but I am no expert. I've seen used Muncie gears blasted.

 

[gnicholson]

glass beading would be fine or plastic media.the gear contact patch will burnish itself in in short order anyway.dont use anything really coarse

 

[onebad82z]

BGH.. will get some and try that. Nice tip!

Otherwise will try a wire wheel and than blast em. Thanks for those ideas guys!

I looked them over better and there really is very little rust on them. Its like acne spots here and there. Wear spots are smooth but no ridges felt. I am told they have less than 500 street miles and less than 30 passes. But we know how that goes. They look nearly new just looking at them. Comparing with a gear set with high miles they lool good. Time will tell.

 

[onebad82z]

A little bored last night after the family settled in so for hahas I grabbed never-dull and had at a few spots. Rust comes right off but I am left with a small area of black oxidation.

Not pitted, more of a raised area than anything. But not one is larger than a grain of rice.

 

[Andy's Auto Repair]

Just a note, no matter what you do the gears will most likely whine no matter how you prep it. No big deal if you can deal with it. But as long as there are no pits they are useable. I put a set of crusty 3.73s in my Monte and the whine actually went away after a few hundred miles. Just know what to expect.

 

[onebad82z]

Won't be shocked. I expect very little out of $20 gears. The gamble is only worth it cause I can install them myself. If I had to pay they would be out of the box.:thumbsup:

 

[Andy's Auto Repair]

Won't be shocked. I expect very little out of $20 gears. The gamble is only worth it cause I can install them myself. If I had to pay they would be out of the box.:thumbsup:

In that case, tear it up!