I am about to try this 355 swap soon and have ordered some used spider gears and side gears that go on the axle .they arrived and look good until I seen there are fewer splines than a old pair I had .I have not taken the ones off the truck yet so I don’t know how many there should be any one know the spline count on the axles.
Okay took one axle out and spline is 17 . Now to male things more confusing I had a gear from a spare rear axle that had sat with water in it and it has 17 also but the teeth that mesh with the spider gears are different as well as it is deeper and 15 teeth on one and 16 the other .I took one gear out of mine and also there are brass cups or washers behind the spider and side gears .I got the number off the ring gear it is GM 1805220 9-37 (411 ratio).
Anyone know how smooth the surface is supposed to be were the axle gears and spider gears sit in the carrier.Mine had water and has some pits..picture is from the net .
