ok i got a question. i found a 9 bolt on a camaro in the junkyard and brought it home. however this mechanic by the house said i would need all kinds of modifications, since he said that 9 bolts are only for fords! is this so? because i have seen many camaros/firebirds with 9 bolts! was this an option or are they really suppose to be for fords and people just make them work on third gens?

 

no ur mechanic is talking about the ford 9inch rear. the 9bolt u have will bolt right in.

 

Wrong.

JamesC

 

My 89 IROC came stock with a 9 bolt posi-rear. I believe they were made in Australia for GM for about 3 years in the late 80's. The 9 bolts were made stronger than the 10 bolts, but because they were made for only a few years it's difficult to find aftermarket or replacement parts.

 

a 9" is Ford, but can/has been put into almost anything.
a 9-bolt is an Australian built 3rd gen GM rear.

 

thanks guys! that was very helpful!

 

Think it over, if you have the ten bolt now. The conversion will cost lamost as much as a aftermarket locker for the 10 bolt. Parts are easier to get for the ten bolt.

 

conversion costs? A 9-bolt is bolt in and is stronger than a 10-bolt.

 

Just keep in mind that the 9-bolt is difficult to find parts for. Don't get me wrong, you can get them, but they are definately tougher to locate. There are also special procedures that need to be followed when working on them that seperate them from the typical 10-bolt.
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What needs to be converted? I believe you simply remove the 10-bolt, and install the 9-bolt. You might change the end-links, but that's about it, or so I think.

 

9 bolts aren't THAT much stronger. a 10 bolt rear end has a 7.5" ring gear, the 9 bolt is a 7.75" iirc, along with one other minor thing.

imo either put some gears in the 10 bolt or save some cash for something tough (ford 9 inch or moser 12 bolt).

 

Are you sure that a 9-bolt isn't much stronger? I don't know much about these rears, but I've heard a lot of talk that they have a large strength advantage over the 10-bolt. Don't take this as a challenge, I'm just inquiring. I have a 9-bolt and being that parts are a bitch too find, I may consider swapping out to a 10. I just haven't because of what I've heard regarding their increased strength.

 

strength isn't just in a gear diameter, it has a lot to do with the housing itself. The less flex there is in the housing, the less the gear can deflect. The 9-bolt case is cast better. After running both, I would say the axles are better material also(plus they're slightly larger).
For a moderate performance street car, a good 9-bolt will hold up a long time. It takes a girdle and upgraded axles to make a 7.5 10-bolt take it very long.

 

unless you are running big #s horsepower what differents does it make from a 9 or 10 bolt they are both for the street not made to race

 

? - with a 4001lb car running 11.7X's with a 1.66 60ft on 17" dr's, I would have to say I'm putting down some big hp #'s. The car was a daily driver(before the tear down) and is running a built 7.5 10-bolt. There are a few members on here running in the 10's on a 7.5 10-bolt, and a several running mid 11's on a 9-bolt. The 10-bolt guys are modded, and the 9-bolt guys basically have none they can do. - If you're looking for much more than that, you're not looking at anything factory......

 

9 Bolts can take alot more abuse than a 10 bolt. You need to get rid of your mechanic if he doesn't know the difference between a 9bolt and 9inch.