Yukon Gear Standard Open Spider Gear Kit For 8.2in GM w/ 28 Spline Axles
The Chevrolet 8.2 in. ten-bolt sat under a lot of 1964-1972 Chevelles, El Caminos, Novas, Impalas and early Camaros, and most of them left the factory with an open differential. Fifty-plus years later the small parts inside that open case are usually what goes first. The Yukon Gear & Axle YPKGM8.2-S-28 is a complete replacement spider gear kit for the open 8.2 with 28-spline axles, so you can rebuild the case you already have instead of hunting for a used carrier that is just as old.
In an open 8.2 the ring gear bolts to the carrier case, and the case carries a single steel cross pin. Two small pinion gears ride on that pin and mesh with two side gears, and the side gears are splined to the inner ends of the axle shafts. Driving straight, the whole cluster turns as one piece. In a corner the pinion gears spin on the cross pin so the outside wheel can run faster than the inside wheel. Thrust washers behind every gear take the side load and set the clearance. On the 8.2 the cross pin also does a second job: it is the stop that keeps the axle C-clips from sliding inward, which is why a worn or broken cross pin is more than a noise problem. Yukon's kit includes two side gears, two pinion gears, the cross pin shaft, the cross pin bolt and the spider gear thrust washers.
A steady whine that rises with road speed is a different problem, normally the ring and pinion or the pinion bearings, and spider gears will not cure it. Our spider gear failure guide walks through how to tell the two apart.
GM built three ten-bolt rears in this era that look alike from the outside: the 7.5, the 8.2 and the 8.5, and their internals do not swap. The quickest check is under the cover. On an 8.2 the bolt holding the cross pin takes a 1/2 in. wrench; on an 8.5 it takes a 5/16 in. wrench. The 8.2 ring gear bolts use 9/16 in. heads with left-hand threads. Confirm the case is open, not a factory or aftermarket posi, by lifting one rear tire with the car in neutral: if the raised wheel turns freely and the other side turns the opposite way, it is open. Then pull an axle and count 28 splines. A Buick, Oldsmobile or Pontiac 8.2 is a separate design with bolt-in axles; if that is what you have, the BOP 8.2 spider gear set is the right part.
This kit fits the open GM 8.2 in. ten-bolt with 28-spline axles. That axle was built from 1964 to 1972 and was replaced by the corporate 8.5 starting in 1970 production, so a 1970-1972 car can have either one. Rear ends get swapped a lot in these cars, so go by the measurements above rather than the model year. If you are not sure, send us the year, model and the axle code stamped on the right axle tube and we will check it before it ships. You can browse every axle part we stock on the hard parts page.
The swap is done with the carrier still in the housing. Drain the oil, pull the cover, remove the cross pin lock bolt and slide the cross pin out. Push each axle inward, remove the C-clips and pull the axles out a few inches. The pinion gears and thrust washers then roll out of the case window, followed by the side gears. Clean the case and inspect the thrust surfaces in the case itself; deep scoring there means the case is done. Lube the new gears and washers with gear oil, roll them in, reinstall the C-clips, slide the new cross pin through and torque the new lock bolt with thread locker. Because the ring gear and carrier bearing shims are not disturbed, backlash should stay where it was; Yukon lists 0.006 to 0.011 in. for its GM setups. Refill with a 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil. An open case does not need friction modifier.
If the axle has whine or the carrier bearings are rough, do it all at once with the Yukon master overhaul kit for the 1964-72 GM 8.2, which covers the bearings, seals and shims. Grooved axle shafts at the seal surface or C-clip area are worth replacing while the axles are already out, and our 8.2 3.55 ring and pinion is there if you are regearing at the same time.
| Brand | Yukon Gear & Axle |
| Part number | YPKGM8.2-S-28 |
| Fits | Yukon Gear Standard Open Spider Gear Kit For 8.2in GM w/ 28 Spline Axles |
| Type | Differential Spider Gears |
| Condition | New |
| Ships | Same business day (in stock), from the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
No. This is the spider gear kit for the open 8.2 case only. A posi case uses different side gears and clutch packs, so it needs parts made for that unit.
Remove the cover and look at the cross pin lock bolt. A 1/2 in. wrench fits the 8.2; the 8.5 uses a 5/16 in. head. The 8.2 also uses 9/16 in. left-hand ring gear bolts.
No. The Buick, Olds and Pontiac 8.2 is a different axle with bolt-in shafts. This kit is for the Chevrolet 8.2 with C-clip axles.
Not usually. The ring gear and carrier stay in place, so backlash and pattern are unchanged. Check backlash with a dial indicator before you close it up to be sure.
Two side gears, two pinion gears, the cross pin shaft, the cross pin bolt and the spider gear thrust washers. Gear oil and a cover gasket are not included.
A 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil. An open differential has no clutches, so friction modifier is not needed.
