Drive Pinion and Ring Gear Identification

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2004 GMC Sierra, 2004 GMC Cab & Chassis Sierra, 2004 Chevrolet Silverado, and 2004 Chevrolet Cab & Chassis Silverado. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Production drive pinion and ring gears are manufactured by using a 2-cut or a 5-cut method. The 2-cut drive pinions and ring gears can be identified by having a groove cut into the outside edge of the ring gear and a ring on the stem of the drive pinion. The gear tooth contact patterns that are produced from each style of gear set differ slightly. A 2-cut gear will produce a pattern that is bias from the toe to the heel of the tooth (drive side), while a 5-cut gear set will produce a square pattern from the toe to the heel of the tooth (drive side). When diagnosing the gear tooth contact pattern, regardless of what type of gear set it is, a correct pattern will be centered within the area of the tooth, from toe to heel and from top to bottom.