I was out with my buddies this weekend, and this kid pulls up in his LS1 camaro. We start talkin about stuff. Then the subject of rear ends comes up. He was saying that if you get a set of different axles for a 10 bolt. It'll hold up to 700+ RWHP. I think that sounds a little far fetched if you ask me. But I was just wondering if this was true. If a couple hundred dollar set of axels can save my little 10 bolt. Hell i'd get em!

 

While you do hear, now and then, about someone who snapped or twisted an axle, they are not usually the weak link. Don't waste the time and money, IMHO.

Rich

 

The gears are what breaks in the 10 bolts normally. Under hard acceleration with sticky tires, the axles try to "walk" forward of the housing, which causes the gears to serparate ever so slightly, reducing their contact area, then they fail.

There was a write up about building a 10 bolt on here, basically it included a new housing cover and braces to hold the axles in place, as well as stronger axles etc.

Having the larger gears that come in the 12 bolt, 9inch, etc, allows for bigger/stronger teeth on the gears. For all the fabrication, and a grand in parts to build the ten bolt, and still have the 7.5 inch gear, I'd pay the money for the 12 bolt, with the larger gears.

 

Interesting...i knew the kid was BSin me...

 

Interesting article in High Performance Pontiac magazine on strengthening the 10-bolt. They dumped about $1700 into it, replacing virtually every piece, including the axles, than decided it would probably be strong enough for an automatic making up to 450HP. Didn't even want to attempt to guess whether it would hold up to an M6 with sticky tires. For that kind of money, you're in 12-bolt territory.

Buddy of mine with a 99 SS, M6, running low 11's with nitrous and slicks snapped a stock axle on the 10-bolt... right at the root of the splines.

 

Yeah that seems like alot of Cash to dump into a 10 bolt, when you can pick up a 12 or a 9 for about $2100. I think i'm just going to to start saving again haha.

 

would getting a thunder racing diff cover and motive gears be able to hold 380rwhp without anything else breaking?
with street tires*

 

Keep street tires on it and spin and you probably won't have any issues.

If you plan on hooking (and you do if you want to win) it won't last very long at all.

I have been through 2 60Es and 2 10 bolts. With a bolt on LT1 no less.
That was enough for me.

 

A fancy differential cover that doesnt actually prevent the axels from moving (via braces) wont do much good.

Stick with street tires and you should be fine.