KYWes

So I'm in the process of installing the 12 bolt rear end I bought from Moser Engineering. I've really liked working with these guys. They've been very good about answering my questions. They also got my rear end built fast. It was ready in a week. I drove to their factory in Portland, IN and picked it up. With the package I bought they say some assembly required and there is. They have MusclePaks that are complete rear ends but I saved a bit of money by buying the rear end kit that required me to transfer my brake caliper mounts to the new rear end.

I really like the axle. It is beefier than my Strange Engineering axle. I bought it with the Eaton Truetrac and I'm very interested in getting it on the road. Here's some things I've found for those who are considering it.

In my application I elected to install my stock brakes. They do offer Wildwood brake packages but I needed to save some bucks. Since I went with my stock brakes I had to pull the axles from my current rear end and have the caliper mounting blocks removed from the old axle and installed along with the new bearings on the new Moser Axles. My machinist did that for $40/axle for me.

The 33 spline axles for my Eaton Truetrac are a bolt in only option but that really was easy. Just slip them in to the rear end housing and engage them into the differential, bolt them in with the provided nuts and bolts and you're done. No C-clips to have to deal with. It is necessary to install the axle seals into the rear end housing before you install the axle. They are a good snug fit. I used a large 36mm socket and a hammer to drive them in.

Moser bolts in the torque arm differently. In stock configuration two long bolts go through the torque arm and mounting holes on the rear end housing. On the Moser there is the same mounting location but the holes are threaded and require four bolts (provided) to be screwed through the torque arm securing it to the rear end. I found this easier and I much prefer it over the 12" (ish) bolts and nuts.

There are no provisions for the brake line for the rear end. I drilled a hole on the top cast brace on the rear end housing to mount the T-block for the brake lines. I then ran a bolt and nut through to secure the block. The T-block, as I call it, receives the rubber supply line and has connections for the two hard lines going to the wheels.

There is also no provision to secure the brace where the hard line for each wheel connects to the rubber line that goes to the caliper on the wheel. However, there is a part of the rear end housing that can accept the brakeline support brace. Once I had the t-block bolted in place and the brake caliper bolted on, I was able to position the brace where the hardline connects to the rubber line against a support piece on the rear end housing on each side, mark a location, and drill a hole. Then I bolted the brake line brace to the rear end housing.

The original driver's side brake line was not long enough to reach from the brace to the t-block so I bought a 30" long 3/16" brake line, cut it, flared it, and bent it as needed. For nuts on either end I cut the old line, removed the nuts, and installed them on the new line. Your part house and my parts house may have the needed fittings but I did it this way because I thought it was easier than browsing through fittings. My brakes are fitted and secured.

The sway bar was the next obstacle. I had sway bar mounts welded onto the rear end housing. However, they do not extend down far enough. They are the right spacing and the mounting holes are drilled at the right locations for the stock sway bar mounts. However, if you bolt the sway bar to the mounts directly to the welded on pads the (my) sway bar hit the rear end cover and there was not room for the sway bar links to be bolted in. The sway bar needs to be mounted about 2" below the welded on mounts. (Moser instructions mention this but don't give much information). I got 2 pieces of 2" square steel tubing from a local metal supply house, drilled two 5/16th" holes, and used 3 1/2" bolts and nuts to mount it all together. This allowed me to install the sway bar links and my B&M rear end cover that is considerably deeper than the free, chrome cover I had purchased.

I have the 3 channel ABS in my 1995 Z28. This setup has a reluctor ring on the ring gear in the differential. A pickup sensor is needed to read the signal and pass it on to the PCM. I found a Standard brand, 2 wire ABS sensor, that fits. The part number is ALS316. The stock wiring plug fits.

Unless you stay with the differential cover that comes with your rear end, you'll need to purchase a differential cover gasket. The Moser guys use an adhesive to secure the gasket and it destroys the gasket when you remove the cover. It is not necessary to remove the cover. You can slide the axles into place without removing the cover so depending on how you do it you may not need to remove the cover. Just know if you do the gasket will be destroyed and you'll have to replace it. The rear end housing takes a regular GM 12 bolt 8.875" differential cover gasket.

Finally, I has purchased the 1350 yoke for my rear end. This takes a larger u-joint than stock. Because the driveshaft has the stock u-joint mount, a hybrid, or some call it a crossover, u-joint is needed. My Strange axle had the same setup so I already have the needed u-joint and will be able to bolt it up. If you're going from the stock 10 bolt to the Moser 12 bolt with the 1350 yoke, you'll need to locate the necessary u-joint.


Driver's side sway bar mount. I got 2" square 1/8" thick steel square stock. Cut to 4-1/2", drilled 5/16th" holes on the centerline with hole center 23mm from one end then 3" on center for the other hole. Bolted with 3-1/2" 5/16-18 bolts (3" would have been enough).

Same procedure as driver's side.

I found this vent tube at Grainger.com It is part number 1U570 and they called it Protected vent 1/4. height 1.19. It screwed right into the hole provided by Moser Engineering.

The bottom torque arm bolts.

The top torque arm bolts

The passenger side brake brace. The Driver's side is similar.

The t-block for the left and right hard lines and the main supply line. I drilled a 5/16" hole in the center bracing.

Injuneer

Keep an eye on the torque arm bolts. In the “olde days” they were known to loosen up with use.

The “cross-over” U-joint is readily available. You have the one from your Stange because it was included with their package.

Were there any shims included for spacing the caliper brackets correctly on the axle? That was another common issue with the Moser “back in the day”..

KYWes

I'm getting more and more in the habit of checking bolts on the car for coming loose. I'll add the torque arm to my list.
Crossover is a better term and yes I'm fortunate I have one from my Strange setup. When I worked AutoZone I'd have guys coming in looking for the crossover u-joint. We had to look them up in the catalog as there was no application in the computer for them.
Yes, they included two shims to be used on the 93-97 F-body.

KYWes

Very pleased with the new rear end. I've done some day trips in it and drove it on the motorsports track. It's doing very well.

97 6SPEED Z

I am currently "in the market" for some sort of rear end "upgrade" from the stock 7.625" 10 bolt. In your first post you said "It is beefier than my Strange Engineering axle." Do you still have your "old" Strange axle assembly? What do you like better about the Moser vs the Strange? What was "wrong" with the Strange axle assembly you had before ...... you went to the Moser?

Finally, can you "ballpark" the cost of your new Moser axle, as you ordered/purchased it, and how much you saved over buying their complete "MusclePak" rear end?

TIA for any further info.

KYWes

I have my Strange rear end and I'd like to sell it if you want it for a lot less than new. It is actually nothing wrong with it. I thought it did but the Moser didn't fix what I was after either. The Strange worked great for me at the strip. My engine is making 417HP RWHP. So let me know if you're interested and we can talk further.

The Moser does seem to have a bigger axle tube which adds strength but it was less of a bolt in than the Strange. Literally on the Strange it was take out the 10 bolt and put in the Strange 12 bolt. With the Moser I had to fabricate some sway bar mounts. The other difference between the two is my Strange has a Yukon posi-differential. The Moser has an Eaton True-Trac which I like and is the main reason I bought it. My Moser as configured was $3,206.50 and is not powder coated, $250 more. The Strange is powder coated, and was similar in cost but included the powder coating.

So either are excellent axles. Injuneer has a Strange in his car and there is another guy on here with one as well.

97 6SPEED Z

KYWes :
You have a PM.