I found this guy near me with a 9 bolt, 3.27 posi with disks for sale. He sent me pics of the unit and I am negotiating price. My questions:

• Are the nine bolt, Austrailian units worth a darn? (I'm not going to be running more than 180RWHP)
• What is fair market value for this unit with 100K (claimed) miles on it?
• Can you see anything glaringly wrong with these pics that would warn me away?

As always, TGO wisdom is the best guide.

 

Yes, it will stand up to 180 RWHP nicely

I'm running a 9 bolt and 9 bolts are extremely talked up/well respected on these boards but please for the love of god try to find parts before you buy one. You will quickly realize what a nightmare it has become. Seals are next to impossible to find as are carriers and each side has a different seal so you’re usually stuck finding one through one source and the other through a different one. You can still find cones for the posi but they're in extremely limited supply and the only available gear ratio that I've been able to find and actually be able to buy is 3.73 (a good deal of sites list other ratios but when you get in touch with them they say that they’re out of stock).

From looking at the pictures I can tell you that it most defiantly needs at least one axle seal. You’re best off doing both and to get them off you’re also looking at bearings. Figure about $100-$150 all said and done if you pull the axles yourself and take them to a machine shop. Also, given claimed mileage, you’re probably looking at seized brakes so you’re probably going to end up replacing those too. I bet that the owner blew an axle seal and decided to sell it. There’s also no way of telling just how much oil seeped out. Depending on how much oil leaked out, how much oil stayed in the rear, and how long it was driven like that you could be looking at a nightmare of destroyed parts.

I rebuilt my 9-bolt about a month ago, can you tell? In retrospect I would have saved up the extra $1,000 and bought a Strange rear end. After labor (I didn’t want to install the gears myself) the rear ended up costing about $1700. Another $500 would have bought me a bulletproof 12 bolt with plenty of aftermarket and readily available parts.

 

Might not be an axle seal by the way it ran out.

Might have been stored standing up letting it run out of the weephole on the top of the case.

Again, this is only going by the pics.

I would recommend finding one close enough to you that u can check it out personally and open the cover up and look inside. Check for gashes/gouges/unusual stuff.

The seals are easy to get at any good parts store or the dealer(last time i checked i could get everything at the dealer).

Carriers arent cheap like he said, but u only need them if the cones wear into the case. U can also shim it if it has never been done before replacing the cones or carrier(if not worn) as well.

Bolt in axles are a real plus over any 10bolt with c-clips

I would say 150-200$ if and only if u can visually check it out and all looks well. Only an axle seal or trivial stuff wouldnt keep me from buying a otherwise good rear. Only low mileage and verifiable info would make me pay $300 for any rear from our cars, 10 or 9 bolt.

Try searching under 9bolt and 9 bolt here. There are a few extremely informative posts with pics.

later
Jeremy

 

Did you look at that one picture? There are fluid stains all over the right side and it even looks like there is fluid all inside the right brake. This diff is close enough to go see but I don't think I'll be offering what he is asking for it ($300). I can get a 4th gen rear for that. He's claiming it has the same brakes on it that came with the 1LE.

Anyway, I thank you both for the feedback. I'll feel good about an offer I make on it now.

Cheers!

~C

 

[QUOTE=Gummie]the rear ended up costing about $1700.



Everyone thinks switching rear end gears is cheap.... I wish it was.

 

I had a 9 bolt in the car originally. All of that $1700 went into that very same rear end. No swap involved here unfortunately

 

My was around 1,300.

 

Crap... I'll get a new top before I do this.

I'm disappointed.

 

in the past year i bought two 9 bolts' one 2.77 gear and then i found a 3.27 gear both for well under $100.after i replaced all of the bearing and seals in the 3.27 rear i have less than $200 in it.now that's not counting the brakes.

 

I just found this great thread on the FAQ board about 9 bolt rears.

I got the guy down to $175 for the one pictured but I think I am going to pass on it. I don't really want to rebuild one of these although that gearing is pretty attractive.