i know the stock 10 bolts are known to break, if I get the LE3 head/cam package with the 3600 stall and the 4.11 gears and BFG drag radials, how long can I expect the rear end to last? right now i'm trying to figure out if I should go with the LE 2 cam and the LE 3 heads, which I could run the 3.73s with and get some better times OR to go ***** out and go with the LE 3 heads and cam and get the 4.11s. (BTW I have a A4 trans)

 

I am about to find out. I have a set up close to the LE2 package (slightly different cam) with 4.10s in the stock 10 bolt. I will be running the stock rear until it breaks before I buy the 12 bolt.

 

22.6 runs

In an auto it can hold up well. Depending on how hard your converter will hit the tires, it could last you a long time. But it is still a 10 bolt and no gaurentee that it will last for 1 run or 5000 runs. Just depends on how well its built, how hard you are on it, and if you have any luck. But in an auto you can make it work.

Ive been running a 10 bolt for years. I broke the carrier last year and rebuilt it... been holding up to my car ever since....

 

Thats a little too open ended of a question. It's kinda like asking when a volcano will erumpt. The short answer is Who KNOWS. All depends on how hard you hook up.

The longer answer though is the same as the original engineering on the rear end. It was designed to be "just" strong enough to live providing the tires spin instead of hook. When you add the sticky tires and more power to the equation, it gets to be flip of the coin thing. I've got friends who have run bottom 11's to high 10's on the stock rear with no issues for almost an entire season. Me personally - I killed my first 10 bolt with ET streets and a stock motor. Replaced it, and now I'm on the replacement rear with a 383 and a stall running high 11's on motor AND ET streets, and it's still alive (although it's whining a LOT now). If I were you, I would go ahead and save up for a good solid rear (12 bolt or 9 inch - take your pick) so you can get some good 60' times out of the car without fear of grenading the rearend. I know thats what I'M doing next...

Sorry I couldn't give you a more straight-up answer. I would if I could, I just don't have one.

Dave C.

 

Mine lasted 2 seasons in the high 12's and one in the low 12's before it took 4 teeth off the ring gear (4.10's). This equalled around 200 quarter mile passes. When I had my 10 bolt rebuilt, I put an Auburn posi, solid pinion spacer, all new seals and bearings, and a DTS girdle on it.

I'll let you know how it holds up to the new 847 cammed 355 with a 200 shot I'm swapping back to my 4.10's, also. A swap to 3.73's slowed me down .2 last season.

Frank

 

Dead hook a few times and watch the pinion gear go bye-bye. That's why I stayed with 3.73's... killed my ET but I was able to make quite a few runs.
Steve...

 

Mine didnt like slicks one bit. No problem on DRs cutting 1.9s, but the slicks killed it before it moved.

 

theres no really telling. all depends on how much you beat the crap outa the thing and what kinda tires you run

 

I'm only looking at running BFG drag radials... only P255/60/16.. and not going to be doing too many hard launches on it. So i guess i'll have to just find out how long it lasts.

 

You got an idea of how much a 12 bolt or 9 inch conversion generally costs after labor for install??

 

do you think what you did to your rear end made it bullet proof?? i was thinkin about doing all of that but with new 30 spline axles and hoping it would last so i would need a 12 bolt and i would be able to keep my abs....

 

You can keep your ABS with a 12-bolt. If you're going to race regularly, your money would be better spent on the 12-bolt or 9-inch.

 

it's going to be a multi purpose vehicle.. more street than track but it will see the track

 

Save your money and get in on a GP for a 12-bolt. The Strange unit is truly a bolt-in proposition, and really reasonably priced through a GP.

 

Sorry man, but I don't know the numbers for going back into a stock setup, and I have no idea on labor rates for such. I do all my own work. Mines getting a back-half job with a chassisworks 4-link kit and I'm planning on using a fab9 housing with strange guts. I built the motor to take a 300 shot, but I'm not about to even plumb the thing for it and kill myself on this crappy suspension.. Besides, you don't see too many tubbed 95 camaro's running around town

A friend bought a 12 bolt outright (can't remember who from though) for around 1300 if I remember right (coulda been more/less), but he drove up and picked it up himself (saved a buttload on shipping!) and installed it himself as well and made up a set of relocation brackets. If I had to venture a guess, I would say a one day labor rate would probably suffice. At around 50 an hour, that would work out to be 400 to 500 labor, so I suppose you could be looking at anywhere in the 2000 to 2500 range including the shipping. If you have someone nearby who is good with tools, it's not that big of a deal to do. Just time consuming. Oh, don't forget to NOT sell your old rearend though, as you'll need the brakes from it to put on the new one. The ability to STOP costs more

Dave C.