Tax season and Creative steel.
01-27-2016, 12:22 AM
#1
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Tax season and Creative steel. The wife says i can get it and im going for it any tips or tricks CS 8.8 guys how do you like it?? Any alternatives to CS? Budget ford 8.8 with the Cs brackets? help me out fellas.
01-27-2016, 08:23 AM
#5
All the information you need to budget build an 8.8 swap is in the thread below but you better understand what you're reading. While the info is in there, its gotten a little "muddy" so putting it all together will require a certain amount of automotive knowledge and ability. If you don't have it, you're better off getting the CS kit.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-...ld-thread.html
If you're building or having someone build your diff, set the pinion up on the tight side and research your gearset thoroughly. IIRC, the OE gears are the way to go from a noise perspective but you'll want to confirm that and there is a lot of info on 8.8 pinion noise/clunk/setup so you'll want to research that as well. Mine was setup by CS from all I can tell (I got my kit already installed in another car) and it clunks and whines. Not bad enough to warrant pulling it out immediately and going back through it, but at some point that will be happening which is disappointing.
Edit...I believe there are also a couple of different locker/posi units available for the 8.8 and while "I got what I got" I think you would do yourself a favor and research those before pulling the trigger. Mine has whichever one CS puts in their kits and I like it. It isn't aggressive enough to chew up tires daily driving it but it seems to lock up when I need it. But I'm on a stock motor and not drag racing it either.
Also, it appears that there are a couple of different axle/CV options. I'd go for the top of the line stuff if you have the funds for it but most of that revolves around the fact that I'm lazy and don't want to work on it twice.
Before installing the diff in the car, put a drain plug in the case. You will not get the cover off the diff without a significant amount of work once its in the car and pumping the diff out to change fluid, while certainly not "undoable", is a bitch so why bother.
Make sure your put cradle bushings in it while its out and if you go with the driveshaft adpater, do yourself a favor and get the voodoo rebuild.
Overall a worth while venture....
https://ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-...ld-thread.html
If you're building or having someone build your diff, set the pinion up on the tight side and research your gearset thoroughly. IIRC, the OE gears are the way to go from a noise perspective but you'll want to confirm that and there is a lot of info on 8.8 pinion noise/clunk/setup so you'll want to research that as well. Mine was setup by CS from all I can tell (I got my kit already installed in another car) and it clunks and whines. Not bad enough to warrant pulling it out immediately and going back through it, but at some point that will be happening which is disappointing.
Edit...I believe there are also a couple of different locker/posi units available for the 8.8 and while "I got what I got" I think you would do yourself a favor and research those before pulling the trigger. Mine has whichever one CS puts in their kits and I like it. It isn't aggressive enough to chew up tires daily driving it but it seems to lock up when I need it. But I'm on a stock motor and not drag racing it either.
Also, it appears that there are a couple of different axle/CV options. I'd go for the top of the line stuff if you have the funds for it but most of that revolves around the fact that I'm lazy and don't want to work on it twice.
Before installing the diff in the car, put a drain plug in the case. You will not get the cover off the diff without a significant amount of work once its in the car and pumping the diff out to change fluid, while certainly not "undoable", is a bitch so why bother.
Make sure your put cradle bushings in it while its out and if you go with the driveshaft adpater, do yourself a favor and get the voodoo rebuild.
Overall a worth while venture....
Last edited by ls1247; 01-27-2016 at 08:30 AM.
01-27-2016, 12:11 PM
#6
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All the information you need to budget build an 8.8 swap is in the thread below but you better understand what you're reading. While the info is in there, its gotten a little "muddy" so putting it all together will require a certain amount of automotive knowledge and ability. If you don't have it, you're better off getting the CS kit.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-...ld-thread.html
If you're building or having someone build your diff, set the pinion up on the tight side and research your gearset thoroughly. IIRC, the OE gears are the way to go from a noise perspective but you'll want to confirm that and there is a lot of info on 8.8 pinion noise/clunk/setup so you'll want to research that as well. Mine was setup by CS from all I can tell (I got my kit already installed in another car) and it clunks and whines. Not bad enough to warrant pulling it out immediately and going back through it, but at some point that will be happening which is disappointing.
Edit...I believe there are also a couple of different locker/posi units available for the 8.8 and while "I got what I got" I think you would do yourself a favor and research those before pulling the trigger. Mine has whichever one CS puts in their kits and I like it. It isn't aggressive enough to chew up tires daily driving it but it seems to lock up when I need it. But I'm on a stock motor and not drag racing it either.
Also, it appears that there are a couple of different axle/CV options. I'd go for the top of the line stuff if you have the funds for it but most of that revolves around the fact that I'm lazy and don't want to work on it twice.
Before installing the diff in the car, put a drain plug in the case. You will not get the cover off the diff without a significant amount of work once its in the car and pumping the diff out to change fluid, while certainly not "undoable", is a bitch so why bother.
Make sure your put cradle bushings in it while its out and if you go with the driveshaft adpater, do yourself a favor and get the voodoo rebuild.
Overall a worth while venture....
https://ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-...ld-thread.html
If you're building or having someone build your diff, set the pinion up on the tight side and research your gearset thoroughly. IIRC, the OE gears are the way to go from a noise perspective but you'll want to confirm that and there is a lot of info on 8.8 pinion noise/clunk/setup so you'll want to research that as well. Mine was setup by CS from all I can tell (I got my kit already installed in another car) and it clunks and whines. Not bad enough to warrant pulling it out immediately and going back through it, but at some point that will be happening which is disappointing.
Edit...I believe there are also a couple of different locker/posi units available for the 8.8 and while "I got what I got" I think you would do yourself a favor and research those before pulling the trigger. Mine has whichever one CS puts in their kits and I like it. It isn't aggressive enough to chew up tires daily driving it but it seems to lock up when I need it. But I'm on a stock motor and not drag racing it either.
Also, it appears that there are a couple of different axle/CV options. I'd go for the top of the line stuff if you have the funds for it but most of that revolves around the fact that I'm lazy and don't want to work on it twice.
Before installing the diff in the car, put a drain plug in the case. You will not get the cover off the diff without a significant amount of work once its in the car and pumping the diff out to change fluid, while certainly not "undoable", is a bitch so why bother.
Make sure your put cradle bushings in it while its out and if you go with the driveshaft adpater, do yourself a favor and get the voodoo rebuild.
Overall a worth while venture....
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01-27-2016, 01:30 PM
#9
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i jumped on the Black Friday sale....... but went with 3.73 gears and 1 piece aluminum driveshaft...... did i screw up? i'm not an avid drag racer and thought the stock 3.73's felt fine and i wasn't able to find concrete evidence against the 1-piece aluminum driveshaft.
Guys saying this still cracks me up.
01-27-2016, 01:55 PM
#11
i jumped on the Black Friday sale....... but went with 3.73 gears and 1 piece aluminum driveshaft...... did i screw up? i'm not an avid drag racer and thought the stock 3.73's felt fine and i wasn't able to find concrete evidence against the 1-piece aluminum driveshaft.
Keep us posted.
01-27-2016, 02:06 PM
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i'll keep y'all posted about the driveshaft. a friend that had an 04 GTO recommended it, so if it sucks i blame him, lol.
01-27-2016, 05:45 PM
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01-27-2016, 06:38 PM
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It's safer? I need to use that line for sure.
I just find it kind of funny that men were labelled as "alpha" since the early days, but we still need to "ask our wife's" if we can purchase something.
01-27-2016, 06:38 PM
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01-28-2016, 05:51 AM
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Oh don't get me wrong, it's definitely respectable to discuss with your wife first, as I would do the same.
It's safer? I need to use that line for sure.
I just find it kind of funny that men were labelled as "alpha" since the early days, but we still need to "ask our wife's" if we can purchase something.
It's safer? I need to use that line for sure.
I just find it kind of funny that men were labelled as "alpha" since the early days, but we still need to "ask our wife's" if we can purchase something.
01-28-2016, 06:25 AM
#18
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"Happy wife, happy life."
words to live by. i had to "sell" the purchase to my wife also as we're expecting our first child in May. i basically told her that the stock rear is the weakest part of the car and solidifying that now would allow me to have fun and be happy with the car for a long time.
words to live by.
i had to "sell" the purchase to my wife also as we're expecting our first child in May. i basically told her that the stock rear is the weakest part of the car and solidifying that now would allow me to have fun and be happy with the car for a long time.
01-28-2016, 07:52 AM
#19
TECH Fanatic
If I were doing my 8.8" over I would have kept the OE driveshaft. The adapter wasn't available when I got mine, though.
I initially got 3.55's which helped make up for the low 1st gear. Now that I have an aftermarket Trans with different gearing, I'll be going with 3.90's or 4.10's. The 0.50 6th gear helps.
I initially got 3.55's which helped make up for the low 1st gear. Now that I have an aftermarket Trans with different gearing, I'll be going with 3.90's or 4.10's. The 0.50 6th gear helps.
01-28-2016, 09:35 AM
#20
If I were doing my 8.8" over I would have kept the OE driveshaft. The adapter wasn't available when I got mine, though.
I initially got 3.55's which helped make up for the low 1st gear. Now that I have an aftermarket Trans with different gearing, I'll be going with 3.90's or 4.10's. The 0.50 6th gear helps.
I initially got 3.55's which helped make up for the low 1st gear. Now that I have an aftermarket Trans with different gearing, I'll be going with 3.90's or 4.10's. The 0.50 6th gear helps.