I havent done anything to the rear end in my Z but change the fluid. I dont know much about them. Everyone says how weak and pathetic they are, so whats the problem? I plan on using 10 inch slicks with the new 383, and I'm sure it will tell me the weakest link soon enough. I want to go from 3.23's to 3.73's. I was also planning on some aftermarket axles, but what else can I do without putting in a 9"?(is never gonna happen, no ford parts in my Z). Any info to help me understand this rear would help.

 

Size of the ring gear.

 

http://www.ws6transam.org/10bolt.html

https://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/t...nguprear.shtml

 

the design of them. theres nothing you can fix, its just too small and weak no matter what. sucks, but its the truth.



yup. you WILL bust it with slicks... heck you can frag one easily with a manual and wide, sticky radials....



dont waste your money... the axles arnt the weak link... the posi and ring gear are going to blow long before the axles ever need upgrading.



gee... lets not put the best possible part in because of the name of the corperation that made the orignal design.
just like you can build a small block chevy without one chevy part in it, you can make a 100% aftermarket 9"..... but why waste the money when you can get a production 9" centersection and still never break it..?



but lets pretend that you actually had a good reason to stay all GM..... you can get a 12bolt direct replacement rear..


other options are the Dana44 and the ford 8.8

 

i'd say the weakest link is they aren't very rigid. that's why you weld the axle tubes to the center section and run a girddle. that is suspose to give you 40% more strength.

 

I see you point Mrdude_1 about my unwillingness to go to a 9''. IF I was making a full race car sure, but I only plan to bolt the slicks on 4 or 5 times a year. I just cant justify spending thousands on a Moser or such. I am liking the link for the newer LS1 type rear. I am constantly reading in GMHTP about all these big HP/TQ mosters, and alot are running the stock/modified rear. Althougth I'll need to read abit more,as I only scimmed the link.

 

all the big power guys, (and anyone running slicks) have either a 12bolt or 9"...... some have the 8.8, and thats becoming a mroe common choice..


the guys running slicks or ET streets or even hard launches with drag radials blow out 10bolts all the time. it just happens.

 

You'll shred the spider gears and the posi first.
Lots of times the ring and pinon survive this.

 

then again, if the teeth on the ring gear go, and the magnet doesnt catch it, everything else goes with it.





more 10 bolt carnage pics here

 

IIRC the deeper the gears you put the easier it will break, like in a tranny. I hear of LS1 cars breaking their 10 bolts after slicks and 4.10's and dumping the clutch at like 4000 rpm.

 

I got it figured out. My buddy is giving me a 2 1/2 rockwell axle out of a monster truck. Anyone think that will break.

 

Good luck getting it to fit...

 

I've seen and heard of thirdgens and fourth gen LS1s
doing 11's , even 10's with a near stock 10 bolt! It's all
on how you drive/beat on your car!

I have modified my 10 bolt with every known part to make
it beefier ( you may think i'm stupid, but am not planning
on using slicks either!). IF it does break, well then I will buy
a Moser 12 bolt rear from Spohn.net or some other place.
You will find that it's an easier swap to do than the 9"
Ford rear. They make them specific to our thirdgens ( or
fourthgens) so it makes things easier to swap into.

That Rockwell axle maybe strong as hell, but you will
be cursing to hell to get it to fit and aligned!!!!

EDIT: they do make Aftermarket Ford 9" rears to fit
our cars, but I would just go with a Moser 12 bolt.
That's just me!

 

Don't take this the wrong way, I just don't want to see someone else make the same mistake I did by sinking $$$ into a 10 bolt and being dissatisfied. There is a good possibility you will break that 10 bolt the first time out with those slicks.

I spent $1455.00 (included labor to rebuild it) on the 10 bolt on my car, and its still a 10 bolt waiting for me to break it. I didn't realize how much I had spent on it untill it was done and over with because I spent a year buying-gathering parts, not paying attention to the costs compaired to a new 9 inch or 12 bolt. If I had researched it I would have a 9 inch under the car right now because it is within a hundred bucks price difference of the 12 bolt and far superior. Currie sells a 9 inch ready to go with drum brakes and a Traction Lock diff and your choice of gears for around $2250.00.

 

i see your edit, but im going to say it anyway..

the 9" is easier.... with the 12bolt, you have to get the bearings pressed on the axle after you uncrate it..

the 9" can be put in right away.


not a big deal or hard by anymeans, but you do have to have a shop press them on..... :lala:






btw, the far cheapest, bolt in strong axle route is to get a aftermarket housing and axles, then get a production centersection.

 

I havent checked this post in awhile, got a new job that been keeping me busy. I have formulated a plan I will not use slicks at first. I will have a new motor, that I will still be trying to tune via a labtop. I dont think I will get it completely tuned the first couple on times at the track. But when its tuned, I will bolt on some slicks and see how long it will last, then get a 12 bolt or a dana 60....My buddy alway goes with me and brings his truck on a trailer, so when and if I bust it, the Z has a ride home. Speaking of my friend, his S-10 has a SBC witha tunnel ram with 10" slicks. He has only ran it last season, and we managed to bend the crap out of the leaf springs,but the 10 bolt marches on. Now he has a new NOS fed 406, putting out about 600HP off the bottle..... we will see what happens to the 10 bolt P.S. The part about the Rockwell was a joke, I dont want to plaz out the back half of the car, LMAO.

 

Yes, I was bass ackwards there!
I meant that the "Ford" 9" aftermarket custom rears
are easier to install than the "Chevy" 12 bolt. I was even
convinced to look into buying a Currie 9" rear. Reason 1,
it's fully assembled from their shop. Reason 2, it's got
full 11" rear drum brakes, an easy swap. Reason 3, it's
only around $2,405.50. It's about $1,000.00 more than
my modified 10 bolt. So, I may not even get it. Depends
on how long the 10 bolt will last.

 

Why not look into a 9 bolt? Parts are hard, but still a very respectable option...

 

If you could find one with posi and a gear ratio you want it would be better than a 10 bolt, I can't say how much better I have no experience with them. They are expencive to rebuild that is all I know.

 

I think I am going with the 8.8 conversion, the more i read about it, the more it intrests me and it'd cheaper. I don't care if it's a ford part or not, if it will hold up to be beating on it and is almost a grand cheaper, hell yeah.

And that pick of the broken rearend made my stomach turn, that's just ugly.

 

That's the way I'm doing my 9" swap. Got a friend that has a ton of ford parts laying around including some center sections. I might get a couple for street and then strip Still got to figure out brakes though grr.

 

Here's a suggestion if you're on a Budget. Moser sells the axle housing separately. You could hit the swap meets, E-bay or bone yards to find a center section. Might be able to save some money there.

Mosers 9" F-Body housing package includes axles ( with studs ), bearings and retainer plates. $920 US. You can also buy the housing alone for only $585 US.

http://www.moserengineering.com/mose...ts.asp?CatID=8

Shop around a little bit and I'm sure you could find a good used 9" center section for under $300 with gears and Posi.

 

I didn't see any pictures on the site, is it just the housing/ center section or what?

 

Here ya go. You have to go to the bare housing link to see a picture.

http://www.moserengineering.com/cata....asp?ItemID=31

 

So all I would need is a 9 inch center section and some axles to be cut down? Which would require me to get different rear wheels cause the bolt pattern is different

 

What's with thye MAD smilie? You can also order it as a package with axles and studs...which I mentioned. That is the way I would go.

Or you could scrounge some axles. Redrill the bolt circle ( no big deal ) and shorten the axles. Lots of guys do that.

 

I ment it to be a sad smily, since I am running GTA rims.

I might have to look into this and compare the cost with the 8.8 conversion.

Jason