I need a 12 bolt or 9", but man, $2300+ sounds like a small fortune for a rearend. Does anyone have any other ideas to get a strong rear for cheap? Like maybe a boneyard 9", get the housing resized and buy correct length aftermarket axles. Get a TQ arm mount put on. Then all new bearings, a good posi/locker and some new gears? What would that end up costing, about $1200-$1300?
How strong would this rear be compared to an aftermarket?

 

a quick browse over at spohn and i saw 12 bolts for 18/1900 and a 9" for a little over 2 grand, i never knew they were that serious, but then again, those are complete and heavy duty.

first thing i would say is hit the junkyards like you said, although im not sure how it would compare... but itd be your only alternative to a rear end that expensive, besides stealing of course lol jk

 

Depends on how serious you are about being a Drag Racer, if you are, then its cheap for the Sport. Otherwise forget about it.

 

I was gonna tell you to get the Moser bolt in package and get a center section built up but then looking at Moser's web site, they've jacked up the price of their F body package w/torque arm bracket. I got the Moser package with torque arm bracket, 31 spline axles, and bearings for $695, but that was in 1996. Now they want $920 for the same package! I guess back then hardly anyone was doing 9" swaps. I then got a center section from DTS complete with an Auburn for around $800. Some misc parts and machine work brought my total just above $1500. So to me $2300 is too much for a 9".

I think your best bet with a minimal amount of hassle is to go the route I did and just buy the stuff seperately and assemble it yourself. Moser package for $920, rebuilt pumpkin with a locker should run about $600, misc parts and machine work about $60. Total= $1600, give or take a few dollars.

If you know how to set up gears there's $150 you save right there. You may or may not be able to do it for less, but I definitely would not spend over $1800 for one.

 

This sounds good. Something else I found... I have emailed a few guys over at LS1tech.com about a Ford 8.8 rear modified for the f-body. They say w/ the aftermarket 31 spline axles, it'll stand up to low 9's all day, low 8's w/ 33 spline. Cost is also around $1500 INSTALLED in your car. Either way, 8.8 or the 9" as you suggested, $1500-1600 is way more reasonable for a rearend. $2300 or more is just ridiculous.

 

most likely the most cost effective way to have a bolt in 9" is to buy an empty houseing from moser and do the assembly yourself, either buying the rest of the parts from moser or other sources as well as looking for used parts.

 

The 8.8 is something I didn't think about but I do remember reading about it on ls1.com. Sounds like another good alternative, as parts are plentiful and they're also strong as hell. I believe they're lighter than the 9" and take less power to drive one.

 

the cost has bothered me allot too. i've been trying to justify buying one for 2 years and can't do it.its become my competitions hope that my rearend will brake someday and they'll win.what about the brake issue? when i spoke with moser they told me i had to buy their drum brake package, another $300?you'd think as long as these cars have been out something better would have come up. i did see a guy selling 8.5 rearends for our cars on ebay but he wanted $2300 for his setup.

 

If you want a 12 bolt or 9" rear for a third gen that will be a direct bolt in your going to pay in excess of 2000 bucks for it, plus shipping.....thats how it is. Ive been researching these damn things for a few years now, and the best bet as far as cost vs quality and customer service is probably moser or currie.

im going to order a 33 spline 12 bolt posi from moser for my car in the next several weeks. with shipping its gonna be about 2400 bucks done and done.

i thought about buying a housing and building it myself, or buying a junk yard 12 bolt and having it sized and building it,

it all came out to about the same amount of money, if you factor in the amount of frustration and work it takes to do that stuff along with the cost.

just bite the bullet and buy a good rear. the pay off will be in 5 years when it still hasnt broken and never given you a problem

 

All's I say is you pay the $2,000 and then you don't have to worry about breaking the rearend, or replacing it again. the only thing you would have to replace is maybe a posi unit after 40 to 50,000 miles on it. I say $2,000 well spent.

 

ya pretty much everyone agrees that the quality of the bigger name aftermarket bolt in housings is great

 

Do some searches on some of the other boards, like LS1.com, Z28.com etc. People have been having problems with the 12-bolts breaking, leaking because of the c-clip eliminators, excessive gear noise from Moser setting up the gears, etc.

Just because you pay $2 grand plus for a rearend doesn't make it perfect or bulletproof. Lots of people have had problems with the 12-bolt, and Moser's quality and installation issues.

 

http://www.ls1tech.com/ubb/ultimateb...c;f=2;t=005954

 

well thats because c-clip eliminators suck. i have them on my 10 bolt and they leak like a sieve. you should buy the rear that never had c-clips with pressed on bearings and retainer plates (ford style, like a 9" or a 9 bolt chevy)

most of the gear noise is the product of people who didnt realize when they got into things that aftermarket alloy gears whine. ask anyone who owns a set of richmonds how quiet they are. There isnt anything wrong with them. the allow is much softer, and creates alot more noise than hard OEM gears.

because the alloy is softer it is much stronger and can absorb a much tougher hit than OEM gears. However, theres a trade off, they dont last 2000000000 miles like OEM gears and they tend to be loud. gear whine with aftermarket gears is normal....unless its like horrific, which is rare.

moser is like every other company, there are people that bitch about everything. Being in business you learn very quickly that you cannot please everyone. NO one is perfect by any means, and im sure moser screws stuff up on occasion. But the VAST majority of people are very happy with their products and will be glad to tell you about it.

of course people break 12-bolts......if i wanted to i could destroy one of those mark williams 11" rears. If you beat any part hard enough its gonna break. we're talking about racing here folks, not remanufactured alternators with lifetime warranties

the point is the 12 bolt is a much better rear axle assembly and moser is one of the better of those.