I am on a budget on my build and was wondering if anyone has built on of these rear ends to handle any amount of power. I am shooting for 550 hp in a 70 gs with a TH400 and will run 4.10 gears and 275 60 r 15 MT drag radials. I have a 9" in my "other car" but unfortunately funds won't allow it on this one. Just curious. Thanks.
Moser claims your 8.5 can be built with similar strength to a 12 bolt .. Some of the 9- 10 sec GN's would agree..
No problem. I know of a guy Jim Flipowski, he runs mid eights at about 164 with an 8.5 and stock gm gear set. I beleive his car is about 3300lbs.
I've been running the same 8.5 10 bolt for 28 years now; 11.80's and quicker since 1990. That's with welded tubes, Mark Williams axles and spool and c clip eliminators. Best run this year was 10.28 @ 130.2 mph, 3950 lbs. K
....although I did break a ring and pinion this year :error: I am going right back together with the same style, though... :laugh:
The main reason ring and pinions break is because too much backlash. They should be set to extreme minimums for dragracing.
Thanks! That's from Martin this year (you might have known that). Additional info: I did go back and look at the data on this ring and pinion. I installed it in August of 1996 and it had roughly 500 passes on it. FWIW - K
The 8.5 has more pinion support in it than other muscle era 10 bolt's. Have personally built numerous 8.5 A-body rears that have held up for years in 3600-3800 lb A-bodys that are in the low 10's with mid 1.40 60 foot times. In a lighter cars, one will see builtup 8.5's holding up in even quicker rides. For a moderately heavy A-body in the low 12's with auto trans & footbraked, a blueprinted 8.5 A-body stock axle rear will hold up. Running quicker than that & have to have posi, not a spool, consider upgrading to Moser 30 spline axles & HD Eaton carrier. Got posi? :3gears: Roger
