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  1. #1
    Junior Member VinnieV02TA's Avatar
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    Rear Differential

    I am in the process of changing my rear gears to 3.73 and I am wondering if it is worth upgrading the rear differential in the stock rear end? I am planning on getting a Moser 12 bolt rear end down the road when I can afford it. So is it worth upgrading the rear differential to give the stock end a little more life untill i can get the new rear end. I have mods pushing my car toward 480hp and trying to make the stock end last for a little while longer.

  2. #2
    Team Skeet Captain JHayesLS1's Avatar
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    1999 Camaro Z28

    Being that I am having the problems I am with the stock 10 bolt, I'd say put it towards the 12 bolt rear end. It will break eventually, or it may last for another year longer. But I wouldn't bother with it, I'd just get that 12 bolt and call it a day.

  3. #3
    Member TA98's Avatar
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    save the 500 bucks and put it towards a 12 bolt.

  4. #4
    None Shall Pass Knight's Avatar
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    99 WS.6 - Modified

    I made the mistake of trying to build the 10 bolt in my car to handle the power - doesn't work. I've upgraded everything in it, and the last time I took it to the track I ended up snapping teeth off the gears. Save the money and use it for the 12 bolt.

  5. #5
    Junior Member VinnieV02TA's Avatar
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    So do you guys recommend I don’t even spend the 300 bucks to change my gears to 3.73 and wait till I have the money for the rear end? I don’t have a time when I expect to have the money for it since I just spent 8k in engine mods and suspension but I still want to get reaction that the 3.73 will give me.

  6. #6
    Member c5z28's Avatar
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    On your ass flashing
    my highbeams

    cheap
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    Pick any two.

  7. #7
    Member TA98's Avatar
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    i put 3.73's in mine. i plan on keeping my 10 bolt till i have a need for a 12 bolt or the 10 bolt destroys itself. which will probably be about the same time

  8. #8
    Junior Member VinnieV02TA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by T/A98 View Post
    i put 3.73's in mine. i plan on keeping my 10 bolt till i have a need for a 12 bolt or the 10 bolt destroys itself. which will probably be about the same time
    How long have you been running your stock 10 with the 3.73 and how much power is your car pushing?

  9. #9
    Member TA98's Avatar
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    less than 1,000 miles. its been to the track 11 times total 5 with gears. I have full exhaust, lid, tune so i guess somewhere around 330ish. my rear has been whining though since i bought the car though but has yet to quit on me. ive heard of people running many 10 sec passes on a 10 bolt with just gears in it, not all beefed up. its just luck i guess.

  10. #10
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    I'm turning 440 RWHP on my 10 bolt with the only upgrades being 3.73 gears and at about 110k miles I replaced the dif with an Eaton posi. Still running strong

  11. #11
    Member bberretta's Avatar
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    Let me put it this way- mine was great until I put better gripping tires and a LS7 clutch. That forced the rear to take more abuse because the tires didn't break loose as fast. Rear lasted two weeks after I put the new tires on it.

    I had a stock 10, Aluminum Moser cover and Moser bearing cap studs with a 3.73.

    FWIW- if you're planning on doing upgrades, plan to upgrade the rear. If you just want a car that you can cruise around with, put exhaust on to sound good, but never really beat on- the stock 10 will be fine. IMHO- don't waste the money on changing the gear. Save your money for a new rear.
    2000 Pontiac Firehawk #0041 of 742

  12. #12
    Junior Member VinnieV02TA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bberretta View Post
    Let me put it this way- mine was great until I put better gripping tires and a LS7 clutch. That forced the rear to take more abuse because the tires didn't break loose as fast. Rear lasted two weeks after I put the new tires on it.

    I had a stock 10, Aluminum Moser cover and Moser bearing cap studs with a 3.73.

    FWIW- if you're planning on doing upgrades, plan to upgrade the rear. If you just want a car that you can cruise around with, put exhaust on to sound good, but never really beat on- the stock 10 will be fine. IMHO- don't waste the money on changing the gear. Save your money for a new rear.
    I have already done alot to the car, I have all exhaust work done 3", trick flow heads in cams coming, and FAST 102/92 and ASP Underdrive pulley and electric water pump and the complete rear end has new suspension and body reinforcement from UMI. I am leaning towards getting the Moser 12 bolt rear end now. I managed to push some things around and i am going to go ahead and get the new rear end.

  13. #13
    Exalted Cyclops 67CamaroRSSS's Avatar
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    2002 Z28 A4 NBM
    Sadly now demodded :(

    DO NOT put $$$ into a 10 bolt.

    For what I've spent so far on my 10 bolts (3 rear axles, 4 carriers and 5 sets of gears) I coulda bought a Strange Dana 60!
    67 Camaro: K-K + 797-z (look it up), 454/Th400/4.10 12-bolt = 6mpg, PS/PDB/PW tilt, tach, gauges...

    2005 Corvette LS2/M6 Magnetic Red Metallic (What else would it be?) w/ Cashmere interior

    2002 Z28: NBM/Tan, MTI smooth lid, smooth bellows, !AIR, !cats, 1-3/4" QTP SS LT's, 2-1/2" TD's with X-pipe, MagnaFlows dumped at axle, custom welded SFC's, MidWest Chassis body mount adjustable T/A, 3400 stall, 3.23 gears (was 2.73). Tuned: 343rwhp/357rwt (before TD's). Best: 12.559 @ 108+, 1.73 60' @ 3500' DA w/MT ET Street DR's.

    Carbon footprint? CLOWN SHOE!

  14. #14
    Exalted Cyclops 67CamaroRSSS's Avatar
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    2002 Z28 A4 NBM
    Sadly now demodded :(

    Quote Originally Posted by Jay Dee View Post
    I'm turning 440 RWHP on my 10 bolt with the only upgrades being 3.73 gears and at about 110k miles I replaced the dif with an Eaton posi. Still running strong
    And how often do you drag race said car????

  15. #15
    Member bberretta's Avatar
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    I think there are a few inherent problems with the stock 10 bolt. First- the Posi is weak- and that may be an understatement. Because the posi is weak, it allows for excess play in the gears which allows for the pinion to ride on the edge of the ring gear (which are both already too small), leading to teeth breaking. Now, I'm sure it's plenty of rear for the 4cyl S-10s that get a similar rear, but when you put a LS1 at it, it's doomed to fail. Granted, even a 9" will break if you throw enough power at it, but given the potential our cars have, it just seems like a bad idea to throw money at the stock rear.

    Good to hear you're going with a 12. There are a few different options out there so read through all the opinions before you decide on which one to go with. I'm partial to the 9", some really like the Dana60, and some will swear by the 12. Either way you go will be a huge investment and a huge improvement.

  16. #16
    Junior Member VinnieV02TA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 67CamaroRSSS View Post
    And how often do you drag race said car????
    Since all of my mods i have made to the car, i have not got it to the track yet because i have been deployed to the middle east. I am returning state side in dec and plan on hitting the track up at least once a month.

  17. #17
    Junior Member VinnieV02TA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bberretta View Post
    I think there are a few inherent problems with the stock 10 bolt. First- the Posi is weak- and that may be an understatement. Because the posi is weak, it allows for excess play in the gears which allows for the pinion to ride on the edge of the ring gear (which are both already too small), leading to teeth breaking. Now, I'm sure it's plenty of rear for the 4cyl S-10s that get a similar rear, but when you put a LS1 at it, it's doomed to fail. Granted, even a 9" will break if you throw enough power at it, but given the potential our cars have, it just seems like a bad idea to throw money at the stock rear.

    Good to hear you're going with a 12. There are a few different options out there so read through all the opinions before you decide on which one to go with. I'm partial to the 9", some really like the Dana60, and some will swear by the 12. Either way you go will be a huge investment and a huge improvement.

    Yea i have done alot of reading on the different rear ends and i have a friend who is a master mech and also has a TA and he loves the 12 as well so i am going to put my faith with him and go with the 12

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by 67CamaroRSSS View Post
    And how often do you drag race said car????
    With slicks....never, but with street tires regularly. I don't disagree with Anyones position on the matter. The stock set up sucks, but there are affordable ways to upgrade the stock rear. For instance, when replacing the gears I went with a thicker ring gear. On the carriage instead of the stock clutch and spring set up I switched a a more mechanical gear set up similar to a Detroit. I'm not saying it's the only way to go, but it does
    work well.

    Besides, if your making enough HP to go through the rear-ends that fast save your money because the Transmission is next. That's what costs the big bucks to re-build or replace. I've gone through 2 upgraded trannys on the same rear-end.

  19. #19
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    But with all that said, once the transmission is finally done I will likely switch.

  20. #20
    Member bberretta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jay Dee View Post
    Besides, if your making enough HP to go through the rear-ends that fast save your money because the Transmission is next. That's what costs the big bucks to re-build or replace. I've gone through 2 upgraded trannys on the same rear-end.
    You got that right. I'm already saving up for the trans and I haven't even got the rear back in the car!

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