tax season!

**cj3489** · 03-27-2010, 06:33 PM

i'm planning on spending about $3,000 on my car (01 m6 ws6). i have a lid, and sfcs already installed. i have a clutch laying in the back seat and am scheduled to have a roll cage installed in about a month. so now its time to research and order parts. i know i want lts and texas speed trues... and i'll need a tune. what to do w the remaining $2,000? should i dig a little deeper and just buy a 9"? orrrrrr a cam and heads? orrrrr spray and a bigger fuel system? orrrrr what? what upgrades are stock fuel system friendly? too many options and i dunno what direction to go. id like to build a solid foundation for other future mods... any input is greatly appreciated! i just wanna do this as right as i can...

**Knight** · 03-27-2010, 06:36 PM

9" if you want a solid foundation IMO. No sense spending $$$$ on adding hp if you just break the rear. Then you'll have to replace it anyway.

**pajeff02** · 03-27-2010, 06:41 PM

Agree. Best to take care of the weakest link first before throwing money at horsepower.

**cj3489** · 03-27-2010, 06:45 PM

i was afraid of that answer... hahahaha... its the bitter truth tho... atleast i can afford full exhaust and a tune too for this season....

**Knight** · 03-27-2010, 06:51 PM

Yeah, it stinks to spend so much and not feel like you gain anything. But at least it'll let you add the HP without worrying about detonating the rearend. It's not fun - ask me how I know...

**cj3489** · 03-27-2010, 07:25 PM

wellll.... i will ask you.... is a full spool good? i don't road race much... pretty much just a sunday cruiser. but i toy w everyone... if its a potential race, i pull the holeshot... hahah
how many spline do i want? more is better, correct? and will the diff # of splines change anything else?
is a back brace recommended?
may as well add the lca reloc brackets, correct?
swaybar brackets? yay or nay?
and what about abs and tcs? i could do w/o both, but what does it entail as far as things changing to a "direct bolt in/plug and play" project?

**garygnu65** · 03-27-2010, 09:42 PM

if it is not a daily driver a 33 spline spool will work.

**pajeff02** · 03-28-2010, 05:28 AM

Originally Posted by cj3489

wellll.... i will ask you.... is a full spool good? i don't road race much... pretty much just a sunday cruiser. but i toy w everyone... if its a potential race, i pull the holeshot... hahah
how many spline do i want? more is better, correct? and will the diff # of splines change anything else?
is a back brace recommended?
may as well add the lca reloc brackets, correct?
swaybar brackets? yay or nay?
and what about abs and tcs? i could do w/o both, but what does it entail as far as things changing to a "direct bolt in/plug and play" project?

1. A full spool is not recommended for the street. Lots of posi units to choose from.

2. I went with 33 spline axles, but any upgrade over the stock axles will probably be sufficient unless you are throwing some serious torque at it with sticky tires. I believe stock is 28, but more is better -- here's a pic for comparison:

3. I did add a support cover to ours. It was probably more for the "wow" factor than an actual need as our engine is currently not much over stock power level.

4. The relocation brackets are an option when you order a rear. I did add them to ours and am currently running the middle hole to start out. I think it was like a $100 option. The only issue is that you have to modify your parking brake brackets to make it all work. I did a write up on this in another thread.

5. Again, you can have welded sway bar brackets attached to the rear -- which I also did on ours. In lieu of brackets, a 3" exhaust clamp will work. The stock sway bar mount is probably a 2-1/2" clamp, pretty low tech.

6. The ABS/TCS requires a notch machined in the housing ends. It's another upgrade for a price. I did this as well in order to maintain the system on our car.

Overall, it was pretty much a "plug and play" installation with the parking brake brackets being the most work. You do have to swap over your reluctor rings from the stock axles and then press on the bearings and retainers, so a decent size shop press is a necessity. You can check out ours in this thread. It details the entire installation with pics: http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127890

**35th-ANV-SS** · 03-28-2010, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by Knight

Yeah, it stinks to spend so much and not feel like you gain anything. But at least it'll let you add the HP without worrying about detonating the rearend. It's not fun - ask me how I know...

THIS.

I'm a prime example. Almost 11K in and no motor mods yet.

Jeff pretty much covered it on the rear end. I believe on the 9" you can only get up to 31 spline unless you are getting the Wavetrac or the Detroit Locker, which are 35 spline.