Strange vs. Moser

**Fastcar** · 02-12-2012, 07:08 AM

Just like the sun rises every day, the differential on my TA self-destructed the way GM had planned from the beginning. I replaced it with a Strange S60, but in a little over a 1 year period I developed a leak at the lower drain plug and an axle shaft seal blew out. Has anyone else had problems with Strange rears (keep your mind out of the gutter!)? Would Moser have been a better choice? Just curious...

**35th-ANV-SS** · 02-12-2012, 07:21 AM

I had an issue with my axle seal on my Moser 9". After 2 unsuccessful replacements, I finally got it on try 3. I built a homemade tool to install the seal perfectly straight and used a generous amount of RTV around the OD of the seal. That was 2 years ago now and it's been fine since.

**Firebirdjones** · 02-12-2012, 07:56 AM

Strange all the way hands down. Avoid Moser like the plague. I've preached why in the past so I'll refrain. In a nutshell Strange quality and workmanship is head over heals compared to Moser, and customer service from Moser doesn't even compare.

**02transamce** · 02-12-2012, 08:27 AM

I have a Moser 12bolt and the quality is far from what I expected from a $3000 rear axle.it whines like hell,which is.common for a Moser from what i understand,It also is moist under the pumpkin( not enough to drip on a driveway but it does smell like axle fluid when I walk behind the car) and I have wondered if I should have gotten a Strange.

**Knight** · 02-12-2012, 09:27 AM

Moser 9" here. Only had one axle seal give me a problem, but I didn't use rtv on the install, so I may be partially to blame. I'm happy with it. Bolted it up myself in less than a day, and it takes all the abuse I can throw at it. I'd buy another if the need arose.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 02-12-2012, 10:29 AM

No leaks or issues with mine since I fixed the axle seal. That was a problem from the shop. The axle seal was installed backwards. Mine is also quiet. Running 4.11 gears.

**pajeff02** · 02-12-2012, 12:59 PM

Moser 12 bolt hear. Noisy sumbitch, but other than that it works fine.

David -- any chance your vent hose is leaking? I had to re-tighten the clamps on mine after I noticed the bottom of the rear was wet not too long after installation. Been dry ever since.

**Firebirdjones** · 02-12-2012, 01:08 PM

Most all of those 12 bolt mosers are noisy. That was the issue that I had which started the spriral downfall of using Moser for me.
Turns out it's a housing issue. Doesn't matter who's gear you put in. Darn housing wasn't square with the pinion when we put it on a jig. Moser didn't want to hear that

Just to let everyone in on a little tid bit,,,,Moser casts their own housings in house while everyone else like Strange and Currie use an outside source.

**pajeff02** · 02-12-2012, 04:24 PM

How would you check for this with a dial indicator?

**Firebirdjones** · 02-12-2012, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

How would you check for this with a dial indicator?

Well that's the problem. I'd set the gears up according to specs with the dial indicator (pinion depth/backlash etc..) and everything looked great. What it would do though is show a funky gear pattern with the marking compound. I always use that stuff after I set everything per spec, just as a last effort of checking my work.
I was never quite happy with the pattern, it made it appear as though the pinion depth was too low. Shimming it more never seemed to correct it completely. I tried setting it both ways as well as break in procedure with cool downs before putting a load on it. 5 miles on it's first trip it sounded like a school bus.

Richmond was nice enough to send another gear set no charge, I got the same issues. Perfect setup via gauges with odd readings on the gear pattern. Same issue, sounds like a school bus. Richmond sent another set of gears no charge, but I didn't install those. I installed a set of Motive gears because at this point I had decided I wasn't using this housing.
Same issue with those gears. That's when I hauled the housing to a buddy to setup on a jig. He concluded the pinion centerline was off kilter. Maybe a core shift during casting? I don't know for sure, and it might not be the case with all Moser's. Anyway, went round and round with Moser over that deal and got nowhere. This was 1998.

I buttoned that thing back up and sold it. Told the guy it was going to make noise. He was good with that and took it.

I then bought a strange housing, installed that last set of new Richmond gears they sent me that I didn't install in the old rear. Setup was perfect, great pattern, gears were super quiet. When I did some checking I found that Moser was the only company casting their own housings while the others were using an outside source, (name escapes me at the moment). I've used Strange housings ever since. I do remember learning Currie using the same outside source for their 12 bolt castings that Strange uses so that should be another good one. I've only used Currie for brackets and such however.

My father had some issues with axles from Moser too (about 2 years after my issue) but that's another story.

Not sure if this helps you, sorry for the book.

**pajeff02** · 02-13-2012, 03:01 AM

That helps. I checked backlash on ours after 500 miles and came up with .011". I remember that it still had the marking compound on the gears when I bought it, but nothing looked out of the ordinary.

**Firebirdjones** · 02-13-2012, 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

That helps. I checked backlash on ours after 500 miles and came up with .011". I remember that it still had the marking compound on the gears when I bought it, but nothing looked out of the ordinary.

That's pretty normal to see backlash that big after some mileage. I usually set them up with .006 or .008 and after a few miles it opens to what you are seeing. Bearings seat in and the gears seat in.
Sometimes I'll go back and reshim, especially for a stick car.

**Supershafts** · 02-26-2012, 10:56 AM

Strange

**INMY01TA** · 03-15-2012, 05:21 PM

My Strange 12 bolt is loud as shit. When it was new it leaked from the vent on the side a little but I honestly don't remember how we fixed it. Never had any other issues other tham the noise.

**LSCyaL8R** · 03-16-2012, 08:53 AM

My Strange is leaking through the axles. When i installed it turns out the axles were a little bent prob at the hub flange from bumps or potholes or whatever. Budget for 2011 was dry so I never got around to getting new axles. It's on the agenda for 2012 along with finally installing my headers and getting y fabbed for my car. Sadly i think the wobble bobble has busted up the seals and bearings which i'm not too upset over since I planned on getting brand new bearings with the new axles as a just in case type thing. Aside from that I have no complaints with Strange. My gears are 4.10 with an Eaton posi. whine like mad at 65 but no noise above 70 or below 60.... at all. the posi was shimmed out by the last owner and is VERY tight to the point it groans and pops on low speed parking lot maneuvers. The launches i've gotten on it all felt great. I don't have that anxiety that something will pop and it all feels very strong. Despite not being the original owner Strange has been very helpful on the phone with tech support and parts. I got the rear off a 4 channel car and strange got me all set up for 3 channel in no time. From the horror stories i've heard of people dealing with Moser.... Strange gets my money every time.

**Smittro** · 03-16-2012, 09:27 AM

IIRC, Strange is one of the very few companies that makes an LSD for FWD (front wheel drive) cars that can handle over 500hp.

Many guys in the 660 forums stand by them..

This is nice that they even consider wrong wheel drive American cars because most companies do not.

Any company willing to put time and tooling into performance parts for more than RWD cars always gets my vote..

Just sayin'..

**Spikito** · 03-16-2012, 02:02 PM

But you see...we dont have FWD cars...and we dont have 660s.....so we really dont care....

**Smittro** · 03-16-2012, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by Spikito

But you see...we dont have FWD cars...and we dont have 660s.....so we really dont care....

Some people have FWD cars as daily drivers and just might..

...And,, I don't care if you don't care double "0" seven...

**Spikito** · 03-18-2012, 06:05 AM

lol, just giving you a hard time. My wifes car i believe is one of your fabled 660s, ive never really checked hers out, its a 2003 Oldsmobile, 3.2 or 3.4 V6

**35th-ANV-SS** · 03-18-2012, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by LSCyaL8R

My Strange is leaking through the axles. When i installed it turns out the axles were a little bent prob at the hub flange from bumps or potholes or whatever. Budget for 2011 was dry so I never got around to getting new axles. It's on the agenda for 2012 along with finally installing my headers and getting y fabbed for my car. Sadly i think the wobble bobble has busted up the seals and bearings which i'm not too upset over since I planned on getting brand new bearings with the new axles as a just in case type thing. Aside from that I have no complaints with Strange. My gears are 4.10 with an Eaton posi. whine like mad at 65 but no noise above 70 or below 60.... at all. the posi was shimmed out by the last owner and is VERY tight to the point it groans and pops on low speed parking lot maneuvers. The launches i've gotten on it all felt great. I don't have that anxiety that something will pop and it all feels very strong. Despite not being the original owner Strange has been very helpful on the phone with tech support and parts. I got the rear off a 4 channel car and strange got me all set up for 3 channel in no time. From the horror stories i've heard of people dealing with Moser.... Strange gets my money every time.

Sounds like a lot of issues to me to still be voting for Strange...