Based on car in sig, plus looking to in the future go to a HSR and possibly bigger cam, what can i do to my 10 bolt to hold up to some high 12's to possibly high 11's in the future on slicks or dr's. Budget build definitl keep in mind...

My stock is a 10 bolt w/ drums.. 2.73.. looking at what the best way to get 3.42's/posi and rear disc's and strong enough to handle the tq. Thanks for all suggestions..

 

Why don't you try getting a fourth gen rear end, beefing that up a little, and that way you would have rear discs as well.

 

You will have a hard time keeping any 10 bolt alive with slicks and 400 lb ft of torque. There isn't any real way to beef up a 10 bolt effectively. Your best bet is to replace it.

 

He said that he was on a budget, so I gave him a direction that would be a little less expensive.

 

Oh don't get me wrong you are right. Sometimes a used posi 4th gen rear end can be cheaper than getting new gears and a posi plus installation. then again you are faced about what to do for wheels because or the dimensional differences and having your stock wheels stick out. There is always a catch. However, you cannot truly beef up a 10 bolt. Power alone won't hurt a 10 bolt, tracion and power will.

 

Thanks guys.. yea.. thats the thing.. if i decide to actually stick any slicks on this puppy and a higher st converter.. its bound to go.. i think i am going to just concentrate on suspension and steering for now.. maybe just a upgrade from 2.73-3.42's and stick to my street tires runs. Any other suggestions are still good for future reference. Thanks.

 

could always just get some stonger axles and maybe and differential cover with the cap adjuster bolts that should hold up to 12's

 

The 10-bolts order of weakest parts are as follows:

1.) puny gearset (7.625" ring gear! A Toyota uses an 8" one!)

2.) carrier walk

3.) axelshafts

1 & 2 can be partially compensated for by using a TA girdle and a good set of gears and quality bearings. Then the problem is the shafts. The 26s are very weak, and the 28s are only marginally better. Upgraded shafts are an option (better material, because 28 splines are the max for this 10-bolt). Then the weak link is again the gearset. A lot of guys run stock axels as a fuse to prevent the gears from blowing. A broken axelshaft is fairly easy and cheap to replace, but setting up gears is pricey and a pain.

The truth is that if you are planning to run 11s on slicks the 10-bolt isn't going to survive. It sucks, but the addage is true. Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?