I wouldn't say it was luck. The 10 bolts do suck but A4's can preload the drivetrain before launching. That puts a lot less stress and allows them to last a lot longer with an automatic tranny. I have talked to guys who were hitting high tens and still running on the stock 10 bolt. But I also talked to some guys who broke them with a high 11 pass so it depends on who is launching and what thier teqnique is.

Manuals on the other hand can break them even under stock power. A set of drag radials and a hard launch is all it takes. It's pretty much a fact of LS1 F-body drag racing that M6 guys need a new shifter, clutch and rear end. Auto guys need a torque converter, shift kit and tranny cooler. And both need stickier tires and launching skills.

 

Actually it was about 200 passes after the install and it wasn't a catstrophic failure as much as they just wore out, the car was never out of commission.

I've also seen M6s take their rear end to the low 12s on ET streets and not break it.

The 10 bolt isn't bullet proof, but it takes a lot more than people give it credit for.

 

Funny you should say that, I know one particular guy w/ a LS1 SS A4 that is on his 3rd rear and the car at that point ran no faster then a high 12...He doesnt even drag race that much. Tranny/stall/gears was also untouched from the factory.

 

There are always exceptions to any rule. But for the most part A4's can run in the 11's with 1.6-1.8 60' times without incident for quite some time. Like anything else it will eventually break and need to be replaced it just seems with M6's it's sooner and with A4's it's later. I'm gonna run mine until it blows up and hopefully it'll last a long time with the mods I have and what I am in the process now of doing.

 

amen I hated rush hour before my M6 SS, now I really hate rush hour, thank god I work midshift (10-6) no rush hour any more