9 bolt > Dana 44!
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Car: 87 GTA
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Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
9 bolt > Dana 44!
Direct quote from High Perfrmance Pontiac magazine, December 1984........
"Available in open or true positraction designs (as opposed to the Eaton Locker), this rear is stronger than the 26-spline Chevy version which has a 7 5/8-inch ring gear, and is even stronger the the highly touted Dana 44 axle. The new B-W is the only axle on the new generation F-body to stand up to Pontiac's Woodward test schedule.
What's the Woodward Schedule? That's where they launch the car by sidestepping the clutch at 4000+ rpm and powershifting through every gear at the redline. So far, Pontiac has run about 30 of these axles through 200 Woodward test without a single failure of any axle component. Even the Danas broke in this test. Elimination of C-clips in the Borg-Warner and the use of tapered roller bearings at the wheels are additional strong points of the design."
"Available in open or true positraction designs (as opposed to the Eaton Locker), this rear is stronger than the 26-spline Chevy version which has a 7 5/8-inch ring gear, and is even stronger the the highly touted Dana 44 axle. The new B-W is the only axle on the new generation F-body to stand up to Pontiac's Woodward test schedule.
What's the Woodward Schedule? That's where they launch the car by sidestepping the clutch at 4000+ rpm and powershifting through every gear at the redline. So far, Pontiac has run about 30 of these axles through 200 Woodward test without a single failure of any axle component. Even the Danas broke in this test. Elimination of C-clips in the Borg-Warner and the use of tapered roller bearings at the wheels are additional strong points of the design."
Last edited by Stephen; 12-07-2009 at 04:59 PM. Reason: Added the last line in the quote
#2
Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
I wonder what part of the Dana broke? The 9 bolt has a 4 pinion Borg Warner limited slip differential and I think the Dana only has 2 pinion gears. That might be where the Dana broke. I can't see the ring & pinion being stronger in the 9 bolt. The Dana has a 8 1/2 inch ring gear where the 9 blt only has a 7 3/4 inch ring gear.
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Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
It usually all comes down to traction/bite for the app, in general.
If its skating on ice your not gonna break allot of parts.
But stick 800lbs of sand in the hatch and dump that clutch at 4000
You will find all sort of "weak" parts.............
If its skating on ice your not gonna break allot of parts.
But stick 800lbs of sand in the hatch and dump that clutch at 4000
You will find all sort of "weak" parts.............
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Car: 87 GTA
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Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
No "Well, the M78 was probably on ice & the Dana 44 had slicks on a dragstrip launch pad." bs crap.
Equal tests........1 survived, 1 didn't.
Last edited by Stephen; 12-06-2009 at 05:59 PM. Reason: mispelling fixed
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Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
IMO a large contributor to the strength apart from the 4 spider gears is the small yet bulky carrier, the dana and eaton units with their wet clutch packs are big open housings with large windows and often sharp edges and casting defects (smoothing and polishing those does help) and they are drilled for a center pin. It's very common to crack these from the pin outward or crack one of the windows.
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Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
thats great that a 1984 mag/gm test said that, but find a real world example of this. 9 bolts are only MODERATELY stronger than a 7.5"/7.65" ten bolt, thats an accepted fact, and D44 were used as warranty replacements by GM for 9/10 bolts that broke, and they were used by SLP in the firehawks.
so unless your going to say that SLP, and GM are incorrect in using the D44 as a stronger replacement for 9/10 bolts, because you found it in a magazine from 1984 (well before the SLP firehawks, so they would have heard of this "woodward test") you may want to reconsider what you believe as fact.
Also, having talked to numerous people running D44's in their third gens, as well as a very reputable axle shop (pyle bro's in houston), i have never heard of breakage that wasn't from a WELL above stock output motor unless there was a part defect. ESC here on TGO has been running a D44 at 300-500+hp power levels for years, and has never had a problem with his D44. Just putting my 10 bolt internals next to my D44 internals, there's no way the minimal size increase in size that the 9 bolt has over the ten bolt can come close to being as strong as a D44
so unless your going to say that SLP, and GM are incorrect in using the D44 as a stronger replacement for 9/10 bolts, because you found it in a magazine from 1984 (well before the SLP firehawks, so they would have heard of this "woodward test") you may want to reconsider what you believe as fact.
Also, having talked to numerous people running D44's in their third gens, as well as a very reputable axle shop (pyle bro's in houston), i have never heard of breakage that wasn't from a WELL above stock output motor unless there was a part defect. ESC here on TGO has been running a D44 at 300-500+hp power levels for years, and has never had a problem with his D44. Just putting my 10 bolt internals next to my D44 internals, there's no way the minimal size increase in size that the 9 bolt has over the ten bolt can come close to being as strong as a D44
#7
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Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
Just because some dumb-*** who writes magazine articles says the 9-bolt is stronger than a Dana 44, does not mean its true. If it was, you would see people making conversion kits to take their weak Dana 44 out of their Corvettes and Vipers, and put a 9-bolt in them. One other point, how come all the Camaro/Mustang Challenge racers look for Dana 44's and won't run a 9-bolt. I have had 10-bolts, 9-bolts, Dana 44, 12-bolts, and Ford 9-inch, in my Camaros. Also, if anybody wants one of those "weak" Dana 44's, I have a spare one that is fresh with an aluminum cover and 91-92 PBR brakes on it.
Jerry
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Car: 87 GTA
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Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
thats great that a 1984 mag/gm test said that, but find a real world example of this. 9 bolts are only MODERATELY stronger than a 7.5"/7.65" ten bolt, thats an accepted fact, and D44 were used as warranty replacements by GM for 9/10 bolts that broke, and they were used by SLP in the firehawks.
so unless your going to say that SLP, and GM are incorrect in using the D44 as a stronger replacement for 9/10 bolts, because you found it in a magazine from 1984 (well before the SLP firehawks, so they would have heard of this "woodward test") you may want to reconsider what you believe as fact.
so unless your going to say that SLP, and GM are incorrect in using the D44 as a stronger replacement for 9/10 bolts, because you found it in a magazine from 1984 (well before the SLP firehawks, so they would have heard of this "woodward test") you may want to reconsider what you believe as fact.
In-house parts, not Australia imported parts. Lets ignore ANY strength issues. Lets just look at the money side for GM, which is what any LARGE portion of what any corporation looks at. Is is cheaper to use an in-house unit vs an "imported" unit?
Not to mention, there was only what.....23 Firehawks built? Were they even covered by warranties, in racing applications? No. So who cares if something on 1 of the 23 broke? Not like GM was gonna be out any money on warranty coverage for that car anyways!
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Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
You don't hafta post as royal *****. If you don't believe GMs test results, thats fine. Just don't hafta post up & be a real a$$ about it.
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Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
thats great that a 1984 mag/gm test said that, but find a real world example of this. 9 bolts are only MODERATELY stronger than a 7.5"/7.65" ten bolt, thats an accepted fact, and D44 were used as warranty replacements by GM for 9/10 bolts that broke, and they were used by SLP in the firehawks.
so unless your going to say that SLP, and GM are incorrect in using the D44 as a stronger replacement for 9/10 bolts, because you found it in a magazine from 1984 (well before the SLP firehawks, so they would have heard of this "woodward test") you may want to reconsider what you believe as fact.
Also, having talked to numerous people running D44's in their third gens, as well as a very reputable axle shop (pyle bro's in houston), i have never heard of breakage that wasn't from a WELL above stock output motor unless there was a part defect. ESC here on TGO has been running a D44 at 300-500+hp power levels for years, and has never had a problem with his D44. Just putting my 10 bolt internals next to my D44 internals, there's no way the minimal size increase in size that the 9 bolt has over the ten bolt can come close to being as strong as a D44
so unless your going to say that SLP, and GM are incorrect in using the D44 as a stronger replacement for 9/10 bolts, because you found it in a magazine from 1984 (well before the SLP firehawks, so they would have heard of this "woodward test") you may want to reconsider what you believe as fact.
Also, having talked to numerous people running D44's in their third gens, as well as a very reputable axle shop (pyle bro's in houston), i have never heard of breakage that wasn't from a WELL above stock output motor unless there was a part defect. ESC here on TGO has been running a D44 at 300-500+hp power levels for years, and has never had a problem with his D44. Just putting my 10 bolt internals next to my D44 internals, there's no way the minimal size increase in size that the 9 bolt has over the ten bolt can come close to being as strong as a D44
Fact.
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Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
I shoulda added the next sentence...
"Elimination of C-clips in the Borg-Warner and the use of tapered roller bearings at the wheels are additional strong points of the design."
"Elimination of C-clips in the Borg-Warner and the use of tapered roller bearings at the wheels are additional strong points of the design."
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Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
I have seen a 9 bolt break and axle where a 12 bolt didnt. Doesnt mean 12>9".
From MY personal experiences, i built my 86 TA with a 355, unported vortec heads, 230 .050 duration cam, no stall with 3.07 gear in a good 9 bolt. 1 trip to the track had the damn gears whining.
I didnt even have a damn stall!! Pathetic.
My buddies 9 bolt a few weeks earlier had the pinion bearing lock up, slap full of fluid, does that make the 10 bolt better than the 9 bolt?
As stated, everyone ditches the 9 and 10 bolt for something better. Not to mention, BUILD a 9 bolt and a D 44 and then beat on them, the 9 bolt will bitch out WAY sooner than the 44.
From MY personal experiences, i built my 86 TA with a 355, unported vortec heads, 230 .050 duration cam, no stall with 3.07 gear in a good 9 bolt. 1 trip to the track had the damn gears whining.
I didnt even have a damn stall!! Pathetic.
My buddies 9 bolt a few weeks earlier had the pinion bearing lock up, slap full of fluid, does that make the 10 bolt better than the 9 bolt?
As stated, everyone ditches the 9 and 10 bolt for something better. Not to mention, BUILD a 9 bolt and a D 44 and then beat on them, the 9 bolt will bitch out WAY sooner than the 44.
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Car: 1988 IROC-Z camaro
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Axle/Gears: Dana 44 3.31 posi pbr brakes
Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
I have seen a 9 bolt break and axle where a 12 bolt didnt. Doesnt mean 12>9".
From MY personal experiences, i built my 86 TA with a 355, unported vortec heads, 230 .050 duration cam, no stall with 3.07 gear in a good 9 bolt. 1 trip to the track had the damn gears whining.
I didnt even have a damn stall!! Pathetic.
My buddies 9 bolt a few weeks earlier had the pinion bearing lock up, slap full of fluid, does that make the 10 bolt better than the 9 bolt?
As stated, everyone ditches the 9 and 10 bolt for something better. Not to mention, BUILD a 9 bolt and a D 44 and then beat on them, the 9 bolt will bitch out WAY sooner than the 44.
From MY personal experiences, i built my 86 TA with a 355, unported vortec heads, 230 .050 duration cam, no stall with 3.07 gear in a good 9 bolt. 1 trip to the track had the damn gears whining.
I didnt even have a damn stall!! Pathetic.
My buddies 9 bolt a few weeks earlier had the pinion bearing lock up, slap full of fluid, does that make the 10 bolt better than the 9 bolt?
As stated, everyone ditches the 9 and 10 bolt for something better. Not to mention, BUILD a 9 bolt and a D 44 and then beat on them, the 9 bolt will bitch out WAY sooner than the 44.
Now that being said i have a 9 bolt myself that was supposedly "tight" when i bought it but did nothing but one wheel peels. So..into the rear i went to rebuild it. I like the design of them to be honest. Very simple and straightforward. Would i still take a dana if one came up cheap...? Hell yes. The big advantage of the dana to me is the bigger ring gear, more splines on the axle, and more of an aftermarket for the posi units. Those three things right there, in my mind, set the dana leaps and bounds ahead of the 9 bolt.
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Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
FYI, yes, the 9 bolt i mention was from behind a 305 and was well maintained with only a bit over 50 K miles.
So yea, VS the 370 HP or so with no stall, pathetic that it went out like that.
Now, as mentioned, Eric(ESC), a mod on this forum has been beating the snot out of his for 20+ years with no problems, rebuilds and it is still going, and he has engines in the 500 HP range and even Autocrosses VS me taking it to the track 1 time.
Case closed.
So yea, VS the 370 HP or so with no stall, pathetic that it went out like that.
Now, as mentioned, Eric(ESC), a mod on this forum has been beating the snot out of his for 20+ years with no problems, rebuilds and it is still going, and he has engines in the 500 HP range and even Autocrosses VS me taking it to the track 1 time.
Case closed.
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Re: 9 bolt > Dana 44!
FYI, yes, the 9 bolt i mention was from behind a 305 and was well maintained with only a bit over 50 K miles.
So yea, VS the 370 HP or so with no stall, pathetic that it went out like that.
Now, as mentioned, Eric(ESC), a mod on this forum has been beating the snot out of his for 20+ years with no problems, rebuilds and it is still going, and he has engines in the 500 HP range and even Autocrosses VS me taking it to the track 1 time.
Case closed.
So yea, VS the 370 HP or so with no stall, pathetic that it went out like that.
Now, as mentioned, Eric(ESC), a mod on this forum has been beating the snot out of his for 20+ years with no problems, rebuilds and it is still going, and he has engines in the 500 HP range and even Autocrosses VS me taking it to the track 1 time.
Case closed.
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