Cone style suregrip synthetic gear lube.

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68383GTS

68383GTS

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Do you guys run synthetic gear lube in your cone style suregrips? I installed a 355 that has been sitting in a bucket for years. I used Valvoline synthetic gear lube and Red line friction additive. I only drove it about 5 miles but it is chattering going around the corners. Maybe it just needs drivin for awhile. What are your guys thoughts?
 
Yes there is a little room. I have read the cone style 489 suregrip is made by Auburn and you are not suppose to use synthetic gear lube. Also read if you add to much friction additive they will act like a open rear end. Not sure if this is correct or not?
 
i run the stinky ford stuff in all of them
 
I always use 80w90 GL5 and mopar used to have the stinky friction modifier , now use CRC Posi additive . Not a fan of synthetic, not recommended To break gears in on .
 
My thought is this...
I had a good friend who ran his own rear end shop. He specialized in 9in fords for racers, but would work on anything. He did my Detroit locker 8 3/4.
He refused to use synthetic in anything. If the customer insisted on synthetic gear lube, his policy was "warranteed for six seconds or six feet, whichever comes first."
He used Torco in everything.
Me too.
Edit: if you don't want to change the lube, mitch's ( my buddy) advice in your spot was to find an empty parking lot (shouldn't be too hard, now) and Do a series of slow, tight figure eights, to work the lube well into the cone.
 
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So does anybody know for sure if I will have to change out the synthetic gear lube? It is not a new unit.
 
68383GTS said:
Yes there is a little room. I have read the cone style 489 suregrip is made by Auburn and you are not suppose to use synthetic gear lube. Also read if you add to much friction additive they will act like a open rear end. Not sure if this is correct or not?
Click to expand...

68383GTS said:
So does anybody know for sure if I will have to change out the synthetic gear lube? It is not a new unit.
Click to expand...

I can’t tell you for sure that you should, but I can tell you I would.
Some say you don’t need the modifier at all with synthetic, but you see for yourself what can happen if you don’t.
Some also suggest using a thicker oil.
After doing a lot of reading from places that do diffs the consensus was to use 90wt dino oil with the modifier, and this was the overall I got from it.
Thicker fluid will not as easily get into the cones or clutches causing a lack of lubrication and overheating of the surfaces.
That made total sense to me.
I used Valvoline 90wt and one bottle of the modifier and had some chattering on corners as well as a bit of shudder when the sure grip let go going into a corner, or coming out of one under load.
Then I added another bottle of modifier and everything smoothed out and the unit seems to work just fine.
 
Well, I'll throw my hat into the ring.
I run Amsoil 75-90 with 2 bottles of Ford friction modifier in mine.
It is a '69 489 case cone sure grip.
I haven't had any issues with noises or chattering for 5 years now, so I'll call it good.
I had the same gear lube combination in my old '69 Super Bee that I installed a '68 3:54 Dana 60 in it that had the clutch sure grip and had zero problems with it, and I drove that car for years that way.
Also, I am a firm believer in doing the 20 or so figure 8s in a parking lot to work the lube into the clutches and or cone.

If you are doubtful on anything, then my suggestion is to follow what the F.S.M. for the year of diff you are working on recommends and you will never go wrong with that, or the gear supplier for that matter......
 
I run dyno and a half bottle of that whale-oil. I traded my 4.10s for these used 3.55s, in about 1998, and they have been in near continuous use since, I'm guessing I put over 120,000 on them since 98. I freshened the cones in year 2004ish. I set the turning torque to 120-ish ftlbs using that mix; works real nice. At 130 it tends to act like a spool. At 100 it slipped too easy .You can check this on the car.
I would drop that full-synthetic in a heart beat.

And I tried to run thatchit in my 4-speed with no luck. The brass just would not bite. I took that trans down 3 times in a week, making mods to the brake cones and such. I mean I really tried. I was down to 17 minutes to pull; the trans, the GVod behind it, and dropping the dual 3" pipes; on a 4-post hoist of course.
In the end I installed 50/50 Dextron II and 85/90, and the thing shifted like lightning.
So this cowboy is done with synthetics, at least for EP substitutions.

Like I said, you can check the turning torque of your cone-type, in your driveway. With dyno oil and a half bottle of whale-oil, thoroughly mixed,and at the pinion with one wheel imobilized;
> you need at least 100ftlbs; then your "posi" will work in a straight line. 110 is better.
>If you don't have at least 100 ftlbs, your cone-type needs to get rebuilt.
>If you have over 130 with 1/2 bottle of whale-oil , and it's a streeter, and it consistently squeals the inside wheel on turns; you can add up to 2 bottles of whale oil to get it to behave. If it doesn't, then you need to take it apart and re-shim it.
Yes cone-types can be rebuilt.... but not indefinitely.
I find 120 with my 295/50-15 BFG radial T/As adequate for power sliding. Yet the inside only squeals on sandy turns. Otherwise it differentials nicely
 
I have a 489 case with cone suregrip and 4.10 gears bought from Dr. Diff. He said to use 85w-140 with one bottle of modifier.

I pulled the car out of the garage since the rebuild and I can feel the rear skipping as I turned around. Should I add another bottle of modifier?
 
plumkrazee70 said:
I have a 489 case with cone suregrip and 4.10 gears bought from Dr. Diff. He said to use 85w-140 with one bottle of modifier.

I pulled the car out of the garage since the rebuild and I can feel the rear skipping as I turned around. Should I add another bottle of modifier?
Click to expand...
Do some figure 8s each way to get the modifier between the cones. 10 or so each way in a parking lot. Kim
 
AJ/FormS said:
I run dyno and a half bottle of that whale-oil. I traded my 4.10s for these used 3.55s, in about 1998, and they have been in near continuous use since, I'm guessing I put over 120,000 on them since 98. I freshened the cones in year 2004ish. I set the turning torque to 120-ish ftlbs using that mix; works real nice. At 130 it tends to act like a spool. At 100 it slipped too easy .You can check this on the car.
I would drop that full-synthetic in a heart beat.

And I tried to run thatchit in my 4-speed with no luck. The brass just would not bite. I took that trans down 3 times in a week, making mods to the brake cones and such. I mean I really tried. I was down to 17 minutes to pull; the trans, the GVod behind it, and dropping the dual 3" pipes; on a 4-post hoist of course.
In the end I installed 50/50 Dextron II and 85/90, and the thing shifted like lightning.
So this cowboy is done with synthetics, at least for EP substitutions.

Like I said, you can check the turning torque of your cone-type, in your driveway. With dyno oil and a half bottle of whale-oil, thoroughly mixed,and at the pinion with one wheel imobilized;
> you need at least 100ftlbs; then your "posi" will work in a straight line. 110 is better.
>If you don't have at least 100 ftlbs, your cone-type needs to get rebuilt.
>If you have over 130 with 1/2 bottle of whale-oil , and it's a streeter, and it consistently squeals the inside wheel on turns; you can add up to 2 bottles of whale oil to get it to behave. If it doesn't, then you need to take it apart and re-shim it.
Yes cone-types can be rebuilt.... but not indefinitely.
I find 120 with my 295/50-15 BFG radial T/As adequate for power sliding. Yet the inside only squeals on sandy turns. Otherwise it differentials nicely
Click to expand...
I certainly agree with you on the synthetic oil in the older 4 speed manual transmission thing. It's just too slippery.
Tried it, it clashed big time, never doing it again.
I am a firm believer in synthetic oils and lubricants, (especially Amsoil) but they are not right for any and all applications.
However, I have run it in differentials of all types for many years with excellent results. Especially at 40 below.
I have also used the greases, and it is excellent especially for keeping water out of the joint and not flying out under stress or heat.
Then there's the 100:1 2 cycle oil.
We ran it in motocross bikes for years and never had a problem at all, and as a matter of fact, after 2 years the rings and cylinders looked like new with absolutely no fouled plugs.
At 100:1, the carb needed to be jetted down 2 or 3 sizes to make it optimum.
And these are results that I have personally observed over at least 3 decades.
BTW, I am not a dealer or ever have been, if you are wondering............
 
oldkimmer said:
Do some figure 8s each way to get the modifier between the cones. 10 or so each way in a parking lot. Kim
Click to expand...

Thanks. Dr. Diff said to run it on the stands for awhile. He said if you didn't coat the cones, that can happen, until the fluid gets in.
 
Hello, I just picked up a cone style sure grip, Ive heard bad things about it and that occasionally it wont lock up. Are there any upgrades that you did to your sure grip or that guys have done to make them stronger and always lock up ?
Dartnut said:
Well, I'll throw my hat into the ring.
I run Amsoil 75-90 with 2 bottles of Ford friction modifier in mine.
It is a '69 489 case cone sure grip.
I haven't had any issues with noises or chattering for 5 years now, so I'll call it good.
I had the same gear lube combination in my old '69 Super Bee that I installed a '68 3:54 Dana 60 in it that had the clutch sure grip and had zero problems with it, and I drove that car for years that way.
Also, I am a firm believer in doing the 20 or so figure 8s in a parking lot to work the lube into the clutches and or cone.

If you are doubtful on anything, then my suggestion is to follow what the F.S.M. for the year of diff you are working on recommends and you will never go wrong with that, or the gear supplier for that matter......
Click to expand...
 
Hugo Gonzalez said:
Hello, I just picked up a cone style sure grip, Ive heard bad things about it and that occasionally it wont lock up. Are there any upgrades that you did to your sure grip or that guys have done to make them stronger and always lock up ?
Click to expand...

I put in a cone style about 3 years ago. I beat on it regularly on the street and haven't had a problem yet.
 
66fyssh said:
I put in a cone style about 3 years ago. I beat on it regularly on the street and haven't had a problem yet.
Click to expand...
Sweet! thats good to hear!

What set up are you running ?
Did you do the Dr diff shim kit rebuild ?
 
I have a 5.9 Magnum and 8.75 with 3:23's. I bought the cone Sur-Grip from a fellow FABO member. He rebuilt it before he sold it to me.
 
I also don't recommend synthetic. It's good stuff, but IMO, it's too slick to allow the cones to really "grab" like they should and instead, they just chatter as they are trying to grab. I like it simple. 80w90 and Ford friction modifier. Lastly, you need to get out in a large parking lot and do some gentle figure 8s to break the unit correctly, or to mix the gear oil in an already built unit.
 
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