I want to rebuild my stock 10 bolt in my car for next year. I have about $1500 to drop. Can I make the rear end beefy enough to habdle my 400hp motor ??

 

street or strip?

For a street car, go back to the TGO main page and in the tech articles you will find a good writeup on building up a 10bolt.

For a strip car, your better off finding a 12bolt or 9"
The 10bolt will hold up well on street tires but with slicks and constant hard launches, its only a matter of time before it grenades!

 

Mainly a street car with maybe going to the track about 5-7 times a year

 

You'll have a $1500 10 bolt and still have a weak link of a tiny ring and pinion.

You can pick up an aftermarket, bolt in, 9" housing with axles for about $1000. Find a center section with a reasonable gear ratio from the junkyard. Make sure the axle splines in the carrier is the same as the axles ordered with the housing. Ford 28 spline axles are much stronger than GM's 28 spline and will easily survive a street car. You can easily find and upgrade to 31 spline axles.

With what you have left over, you can upgrade the rest of the system like brake lines, park brake cables etc. You'll have a very strong 9" for about the same as what you want to waste on the tiny 10 bolt.

 

i went with an eaton posi(380 new) gm 3.42s, superior 28 spline axles, welded axle tubes, lca brackets(60), and a summit aluminum cover(150).

if i could go back, i'd go with one of those bolt in 9 inch jobs, maybe currie.

 

Definitely look into getting a Moser 9-inch housing and axle package. I think they're $985 w/the torque arm mount and $885 w/o. I ordered mine w/o the mount because I have SSM rear suspension... and they sent it to me anyway. You might try ordering it w/o the mount and maybe you'll get it for free like I did. If they don't send it, you can buy it from them separately- it just bolts on.

I'm not sure they offer them with 28-spline axles. Even if they do, I'd get 31's as you can find used 31-spline center sections on eBay or local swapmeets & they're a bunch stronger than 28's. If you're on a budget, don't go for the 33 or 35 spline axles with the kit because then you're locked-in to using an aftermarket center section which is pricy.

 

for another 700$'s u could buy a new complete bolt in strange 12 bolt.
i wouldnt waste any money on the 7.5 10 bolt,id deff save up a lil more and get the 9inch or 12 bolt

 

Forget the 10 bolt.. $1500 you can build a 9" ford.

I was foolish at the start too. I spent $1000 upgrading my 10 bolt. Locker, yukon axles, new bearings, seals, TA support cover, etc..

It lasted untill I got good traction. Once my 60' times got into the 1.60's The rear let go. Broke the pinion.

Then I swapped in another 7.625" 10 bolt and put my better parts in it.. The ring gear on it broke the very next weekend.

Now I'm going to a ford 9".. The $1000 housing and axles, and a used thirdmember and 4th gen rear disc breaks. Total for something like that would be in the $1200 to 1500 range

 

Now that dosent sound bad night rider. All i have been finding from moser and strange are rear's costing $2200 and up.

 

84 z28... Yeah the full bolt in rears are high and over priced but if you think it over and look at your options you can do it your self at close to half the price they go for.

Moser bolt in housing and axle package with bearings for $988 + shipping.
Third member from a junkyard ford car/truck with 9" rear.

Here's a list of cars with 9" rears that someone posted on nastyz8 for me when I asked

rom a HMM i found here;

57-59 ford station wagons, inclusive ranchero and sedan delivery
58-90 F100 and F150
57-67 thunderbird
63-69 falcon and comet
57-64 ford and mercury full size cars
63-69 fairlaine
58-60 edsel
66-77 bronco (5 on 5 1/2 inch bolt pattern)
75-78 ford granada and mercury monarch
71-76 torino, ranchero and mercury montego
77-81 lincoln versailles
70-79 lincoln continental
72-85 E250
65-73 mustang
67-73 cougar

Trucks F100, F150, and vans will probbly be your best bet. The gears in alot of the trucks was around 3.50 so thats not too bad, and you might luck up and find one that had LSD (limited slip, posi, what ever you wanna call it)

Most junkyards will see the third member for $50-100, or full rear end for $125 to 250.

After you get the housing and third member the only thing thats left is the brakes.

The moser housing won'y take stock third gen drum brakes..

Options are big ford drum brakes, but then you would need ford wheels or aftermarket uni bolt pattern wheels.

Third gen rear disc brakes.. Hard to find and kinda high

LT1 4th gen disc brakes.. Needs alittle modding to work

LS1 4th gen rear disc.. Pretty much bolt on

You can look the junkyards over and find the 4th gen disc set up for around $100-200

Ebay is also an option for the ford 9" third member and the 4th gen brakes