1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

Check out this rear end, anyone have any guesses as to what it is.

Fixed the image here, been a while since I posted pics on TGO, forgot you had to rename the extensions.

Twin_Turbo

iTrader: (25)

10 bolt w/ TA perf. girdle cover

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

It's quite a bit larger than a 10 bolt

88FormulaKiller

iTrader: (8)

yep, it is

Goany

wtf are you saying can't you count?????? 10 bolt are you wanting to know more?? like what gear ratio or what?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Maybe a darker more out of focus picture would make the identification easier?
It's hard to see clearly because the picture is so bad, but it looks like it's got mounts for upper control arms cast into the center housing. I wouldn't want to venture a guess based just on this pic, but it looks like it could be a Ford 8.8.

danandamy

I was actually thinking that as well.

Dan

AlkyIROC

The shape of the different rear covers


Ford 8.8" bolt pattern


Ford 8" pattern


GM 7.5" pattern

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

Ford 8.8 it is! Out of a 95 Mustang, the length was almost perfect. My weld 15X10's on 5.5 cleared everywhere, even the bump stops. I'm not on my PC at the moment but I have more pics. The pic would be better, but for some reason the forum won't let me post jpeg pics, I had to convert it to a .gif.

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

BTW Graony you might want to think twice before smart mouthing a senior member on these forums. Do your homework bud there's a lot more to a rear end than how many bolts go on the cover.

big gear head

What did you do about the torque arm?

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

He originally wanted to do a mini ladder bar setup that would have been adjustable by welding stand offs and mounting them about mid way to the control arms. This made me pretty nervous because all of the force would be going into the axle tubes so he worked out this setup using 4 rod ends and a ton of bracing. Notice the nicely welded up axle tubes just for good measure

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

I also swapped off my 15X10's with 8.5 slicks for a set of 15X7 or 8's (didn't care which) and a set of ET Street radials to pay some of the fabrication debt, here she sits now prettier than ever. BTW no that isn't rust on the roof, my car has the notorious Cali car paint cancer and I sprayed primer on it to keep the roof from rotting out.

big gear head

What was used to weld all of that steel to the cast iron case? Did he use nickel rods? If not then you stand a good chance of ripping all of that off of the housing.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

It couldn't be a Ford 8" because the 8" is a front loader like the 9".

Interesting to see a 8.8 converted to work. It makes good sense though. Ford 8.8's grow on trees. A good posi (traction lok) 8.8 can be had for under $100. The factory traction lok carrier is cheap and easy to rebuild, and the assembly can take a beating. Aftermarket upgrade parts are plentiful and affordable too. I'd thought about the 8.8 as an option under other GM cars, but never gave it much thought in an Fbody. Good idea!

danandamy

I wish I could weld worth a darn

Dan

AlkyIROC

Thanks. I wasn't even thinking about that when I loaded the pictures.

Goany

yeah maybe but its still a 10 bolt... point served
also i wasnt justifying the axle nor was i wrong with my conjecture so by telling me to do homework you are wrong it was a 10 bolt...

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

"Did he use nickel rods? If not then you stand a good chance of ripping all of that off of the housing."

I really don't know, the guy's a professional fabricator and said straight up he had to use a lot of heat to hold on the cast, he does this every day so I'm pretty sure it'll hold. I've already launched it twice on slicks and nothing's given up yet.

Goany you got foiled which was pretty much the point of the thread so I can't be mad at you You are right, there are 10 bolts there, but try stepping into a Ford forum and telling them their 8.8 is the same as the GM 7.5 because of the bolt count

Goany

I understand that i just want to sorry if i really came over as a dic* or jackas* i really wasn't trying to

bart91406

Your assumption of it being a ten bolt by counting the bolts on the rear cover is actually flawed, the reason it is called a ten bolt is actually the bolts from the carrier to the ring gear, not the cover bolts. In most cases the number of ring gear and cover bolts is the same, but not in all, I believe that the gm 8.5 "O" rear actually had a 12 bolt rear cover. So if you go to a boneyard and see a gm rear with 12 bolts and pay for it, but then find out it is just an oddball 10 bolt, I bet you would be a little dissapointed.

big gear head

The 9 bolt has 8 bolts in the ring gear.

Dustytrix

iTrader: (3)

Not trying to steal your thread but, Why do you brace off the rear cover? I have seen several pictures of this being done.Since yours seems to be factory thought I would ask. Thanks.

bart91406

Well, I guess the nine bolt would be an exception, because it has 10(not 8) ring gear bolts, but is called a 9 bolt because of the rear cover. I believe the term "9 bolt" is a nickname used to seperate it from the 7.5 ten bolt, if you just called them both ten bolts it would make it hard to know what rear someone is reffering to. I do believe that when you order parts for these, it is called a GM 7.75.

bart91406

To put it simply, when a rear end recieves tourqe, it will try to spread the case apart, changing the engagement of the gears, and shortening ring and pinion life, if not causing complete gear failure. This is especially notable with a 7.625 rear. The stud girdle(rear end cover) uses thick and rigid aluminum to tie the case together, as well as supports for the carrier bearing saddles.

big gear head

Bart, I'm wrong from time to time, but not this time. The 9 bolt has 8 bolts in the ring gear, not 10. I've got one disassembled in my shop right now and it has 8 bolts in the ring gear.

bart91406

I have looked up the specs, and it says ten, but since I do not have one taken apart, I can not be sure, anyone else have any esperience with this?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

bart91406

Ok, I stand corrected, it is 8.

customblackbird

iTrader: (15)

looks almost as good as mine

no need to weld the axle tubes fully around, since the tq arm mount is attached to only the pumpkin all the force of the rear rotating is ONLY projected onto the pumpkin, therefore maybe 5% of the rotating force is transfered to the axle tubes. basically just extra insurance the way u have it. if the TQ arm mount was attached to the tubes and the pumpkin or just the axle tubes then the axle tubes would HAVE to be welded completely.

the ford 8.8 is just as strong as the 12bolt, only differences being that the ford 8.8 mostly came with 28spline axles. while the 12bolt had 31. the ford 8.8 in explorers had 31 spline axles. but the pumpkins are offset.

ford 8.8 is insane cheap. and strong, i spent 300$ for my 95 crown vic rear( i spent alittle too much i kno), came with 11.5" disk brakes, with calipers. it had 3.23 gears and no posi. i got a used 28 spline posi for 50$ with 3.55 gears, i bought the ford racing carbon fiber clutch pack rebuild kit for high HP holding with ford 150 preload spring (more presser than the mustang ones) that cost me 105$ FOR A NEW STRONGER REBUILT POSI! cant beat that GM. i spent 120$ to set the rear up, and 145$ for the moser support girdle, also spend 20$ for the ARP cap studs.

so for 740$ i got a brand new rear thats stronger than the 10bolt could ever be and the 9bolt. pretty sure i cant break the 28spline axles untill i start making 700crank HP and i run sticky tires.

btw tq arm mount is made of 1/4" steel plate, which cost me 20$ and nothing for fabbing it up bc i did it

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

She sure is purdy, I would have powder coated mine, but my fabricator was smiling ear to ear with how factory it looked. This rear is 31 spline, Auburn pro differential, 3.73 gears, ARP studs, aluminum diff cover. Like I said earlier it came out of a 95 Mustang that was beefed up for war when the guy decided to do something different. I put stock 95 style rear brakes on this because the aftermarket ones that were with it vanished somewhere in the mix. I have to fix that shifter cable and I'll put some drive time on her once it warms up.

BTW what U bolts did you use to mount your sway bar? The stock ones I had were way to small.

customblackbird

iTrader: (15)

i coated mine with POR15. and some spray paint lol. yea that rear is plenty strong. mines only a 28spline. how did u get yours to fit 31spline or how did he get it to fit 31. i cant fit 31 spline in mine with out cutting the tube ends off and welding on larger ends. my rears axle tube ends are necked down. a larger bearing is required for a 31 spline axle which will require a larger tube end on mine.

i acutally just totaled the rear of the car by hitting a curb, snapped the axle like a twig. hoping i didnt bend the axle tube on the pass side.

i didnt run Ubolts for the rear sway bar. i utilized the stock sway bar mounts that came on the rear, they were about 2" shorter together than the stock 9bolt. but i welded in a 1/8" steel plate to box the stock mount and i welded 2 grade 8 bolts to the underside. this allowed the mount to be permanent and i could just bolt the sway bar bushings down with nuts and washers.

the ford 8.8 axle tubes are 3" and the 9bolt/10bolt are only 2.5 or 2.75". so the Ubolts wont work. moser sells a Ubolt sway bar kit for the 3" tube its universal.

weld these on
http://www.moserengineering.com/susp...-f-bodies.html

BMRs sway bar mount kit
http://www.bmrfabrication.com/misc/mount-kit.jpg

about 3/4 of the way down the page.
http://www.bmrfabrication.com/F3-suspension.htm