Got my TRE rear diff installed by Moore this past week. Picked it up Saturday. I got the HD side cover and the sight glass which is kind of overkill for someone not drag racing, I hear, but I like a hefty safety margin.

This morning I just passed 200 miles.

I know some people say you can't really tell the difference until you are hard on it, but I'm pretty sure I can. Obviously still in the break-in period so not using the throttle much but in the cold rain on an off-camber, tight, slippery sweeper, a little flick and there is no push at all. What little slide i get seems more balanced and the car feels loose in a good way, extremely willing to rotate.

I plan to put 80 miles on it every day until Saturday when I'll change the fluid at 500 miles. Then Sunday, a nice long drive in the mountains, Crest hill road, rt 211 over skyline drive, etc.

My question is this:

How much load can I apply when I take it canyon carving on Sunday? I've been taking it really easy, not more than 30% throttle so far, keeping out of full boost (395 HP). I will not launch this car at all, it's nice and chilly outside so, chance of overheating very low, but how hard can I drive for the next 300 miles? and for the following 1500 (Starting Sunday in the twisties) til my final post-break-in oil change?

Reading here, I think I might be going a little overboard but better safe than sorry.

Please advise.

Thanks.

 

personally i'd keep it light. you don't want to put all your torque through it, but you do want it to go through hot & cold wear cycles. change fluids frequently, it's easy access there. so, don't push power through, but get it hot

 

TRE has break-in instructions on the web site. 5 or more 10-20 mile heat cyles at speeds lower than I think 60mph, with at least a 30 minute cool down in between. And then be very easy (I would say try to keep it out of boost, and keep freeway speeds closer to speed limit) on it for the first 500 miles. Break-in for gears takes a while, and a good break-in promotes long life and quiet operation. Especially when they are setup as tight as Jon sets them up.
My TRE tcase and rear diff have almost 1,500 miles on them, and they're still getting quieter as the miles go up. I starting driving a little harder after 500 and the first oil change. At 1,000 miles I did another fluid change, and pulled the inspection cover off the tcase and could see a really good wear pattern developing, so I pretty much let it have it after that..

 

Good idea to do them together, like that. Hope my transfer case lasts a while.

I just put another 60 miles on it tonight, I'm not really able to keep it out of boost but I'm short-shifting at 4 and 5k and keeping the load under 50% trying to be as smooth and gentle as I can. It's super cold out tonight and I'm on Dunlop SP Winter Sport snow tires and the car feels brilliant, so planted and neutral.

 

someone refresh my memory - is the stock evo 9 diff a 1.5 way or just a 1 way

 

Pretty sure it's a 1 way...

 

agreed. that's why I went with the TRE 1.5 way. every change a little upgrade.

 

any tips on getting the cv axles back into the diff? i got one to pop in but the other will just not go in...

how clean should the joint piece going into the diff be btw? i got a little bit of dust on one

 

Clean it up, grease it with a light coat and if needed tap the cv joint housing if you meet resistance, try using a 2*4 to protect the housing.

 

hit it with a rubber mallet? terrible pics, but here's where everything sits now. just won't go in...

 

HMMM, There is just a clip on the axle (or in the diff) that snaps in to place just like a Honda. I do remember having a similar issue just cant remember how I resolved it. Is there a flange on the aluminum color part after the cv joint that you can tap. Just that the cv boot is fragile and the cv slides absorbing force if you push on the axle end as I feel sure you have.

 

yea i was chatting with a friend, maybe the spindles aren't perfectly aligned.. i can pull it out and try again

 

okay fairly certain what the issue is - the axle has a little bit of spindle, retainer clip, and the rest of the spindle. i can just get it in so that the first bit of spindle is in and engaged with the driveshaft, but can't get it in any further for the life of me.. i think the retainer clip is just refusing to go in.. any tips?

 

Just saw your email...long weekend for me I'll tell you about it later. Anyway I had a similar issues getting one of my axles to pop back in actually. Unfortunately I don't recall what I did to get it to seat.

My recommendation would be to lower the diff down a little and physically push the diff to the side where it wont pop in. Assuming the splines are properly lined up it should just pop right in. This may pop out the other side in the process but sometimes it'll fight you and other times it wont.

If that doesnt work then try the opposite and bolt up the diff so its sitting where it should be and then just pop that sucker in there. In the same manor that it requires a quick jerk to pop out the axles just give it the same quick jerk inward. I really don't have any other useful info to add. I do remember mine doing the same thing but just played with it a little and go it in there.

 

just tried to hammer it from the silver plate with a 2x4 and it just popped off the axle so i guess that's not the way to go...

the ring must have gotten deformed it's just not really going on there