I have recently been able to wrap up some of the problems with my car. I installed a Golen built 383 and an ATI D1SC with 12 psi and twin high flows in my 1994 Trans Am. With the Cahall built 4L60 E, 2400 stall converter and stock 342 rear the car managed during tuning 573 hp / 592 lbft torque.

My next endevor will be a rear end. My question is which one. The car is built for me meaning I dont want to cut it up and install a roll cage since I plan no real track time. I just wanted something fast for me to enjoy without worrying about blowing up my investment. I have been told a well built 10 bolt will be fine for street only use even if I use Nitto 555r or BFG drag radials. Others have said I still will not be safe.

My question to those who hopfully know best is which is truely better? I have heard Strange Dana is the best. Others say the 12 bolt is fine. Strange, Moser, Currie?

What do you guys use and why as well as any pics would be a help. Good or bad, lets hear it.

Thanks

 

for you sence you dont plan to run it at the track I would say a strange 12 bolt, the 10 bolts are just junk, Id go strange over moser for a 12 sence it has through bolts instead of 4 seperate bolts like moser has that people keep on having problems with comming loose.

 

The Dana 60 is apparently the strongest (also the heaviest at 215lbs), and is efficient, but Strange's quality is inconsistent with these at the moment, and some people are complaining about noise.

The 9" is tried-and-true, strong, good parts availability, ~200lbs. Disadvantage is it has the lowest efficiency. May or may not be available to work with ABS - I don't know.

The 12-bolt is not as strong as the Dana 60 or 9", but at 189lbs is the lightest, with good efficiency. The 12-bolt is more than enough rear for probably 99% of people.

If your car is only street driven, with regular performance tires, you might never break the 10-bolt stocker.

If Strange wasn't having quality issues, I'd say Dana 60 all the way and be bullet-proof. Also, it doesn't help your decision that most companies' 9", 12-bolt, and Dana 60's are pretty much all similarly priced. I'd agree with lethal93ta's recommendation for the Strange 12-bolt. Unless you want to do what I'm doing... keep driving it with the stock rear, and hope that it holds together long enough for Strange to sort out their noise issues with the Dana 60s.

EDIT: And just to add... the Dana 60 needs a shorter-than-stock driveshaft. If you're still running the stocker, you'd probably be upgrading anyway.

 

I actually have 2 stock rears. I took one out that is a 373 motive geared unit with stock posi and new bearings and seals. Axles are stock and feel fairly tight. .025 on axle end play but the set up is noisey. The other is completely stock 343 and lots of slop. Axle end play is .058 and .038 lt/rt sides. It is fairly quiet though.

What is the most power you can stuff through a 10 bolt with sticky tires on street usage?

 

With sticky tires (i.e. drag radials or slicks), I wouldn't personally try more than 225 - 250rwhp through a 10 bolt without a tow vehicle standing by. Plenty of 10 bolts have broken at stock power levels on street tires...then again, a handful have made it into the 10's on slicks. There's some luck involved but statistically, they just don't last long with sticky tires....as power goes up their average life span shortens even more.
With your setup, I wouldn't bet on a 10 bolt making it more than a few thousand miles of aggressive street driving, assuming you run tires that provide traction in the lower three gears. OTOH, if you run crappy tires and smoke 'em all the way into 4th every time you take off, it might last a little longer With a 10 bolt, traction is your worst enemy.

Bottom line - to have any kind of reliability, you need a stronger rear end.

 

12 Bolt all the way. A 9" or a Dana 60 is overkill.

 

Thank you for the help. I have a chance to get a used 12 bolt which has LS1 rear brakes already installed on it. Is there any advantage to LS1 rear brakes vs LT1 brakes?

 

from what ive been told and researched myself.... A4 = 12bolt M6= 9 inch
with that kinda power i believe you would be plenty ok with a well built 12 bolt....just my .02

hope this helps

good luck with whatever you decide...

dan

 

Im sorry man, but I cant take you seriously with your spelling.

 

A 12 bolt is your best bet for your application. You'll be getting the most HP to your wheels and it'll last forever behind an auto that isn't pulling 1.3 or better launches at a track.

Alot of people like the strange 12 bolt. But then again, TS&P has Moser 12 bolts for a decent price and alot of people swear by them as well.

Good Luck

 

well what about the dana? No one recomends them? Yeah its stout, but stronger, and more effecient?? and cheaper! and ABS. 25 pounds heavier yes, but so? its more wieght where you need it, isn't it? Or did I miss the boat here and Im left standing on the dock waving frantically for you to turn around?!

 

I have a Moser 9", it was simple to setup and intall. Just take the housing, plop in the center section, press the bearings and retainers on, slide the axles in and bolt it up using all the stock harware. And don't forget to fill it too.

Here are some pics of mine:
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...t/41022354.jpg
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...t/9186c6a8.jpg
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...t/96b34d50.jpg
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...t/b40314db.jpg
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...t/8c3bec8f.jpg

 

Hopefully Strange will get the noise complaints with the Dana 60 dealt with. Then, IMO, there won't be any reason to go any other way. I know the DS has to be shortened with the Dana 60, but most people should be upgrading that at the same time that they go to a new rear anyways.