Gears & Axles - Experience w/ Stock 10-bolt (45k at 700 HP)

I figured I would post up my experience being I'm in the process of rebuilding my 10-bolt for the 4th time since going to a 700 HP setup - 8 years and about 45k miles ago

Folks always ask whether or not the 10-bolt will hold up so I figured I would give some insight as to how exactly they 'hold-up' behind a 700 HP daily driver.

In short, not too well. Things that I have had fail since 2004:
- Pinion Gear (3.42)
- Ring Gear (3.42)
- Differential
- Pinion (3.73)

However, even with all of the failures, I've only spent about $1,400 on this thing. With every rebuild (all bearing replacements, new pinion, new ring) I get about 2 seasons out of the rear.

The housing is stock, but I run a beefed up cover with cap supports and everything else studded. I run a pretty sticky tire (Toyo R888), but never drop the clutch - don't need to anyways. I beat on it daily, but don't track race it that often.

So, if you don't go to the track that often, don't mind turning wrenches, and don't mind rebuilding every other year I think it lasts okay.

I run it because I like a quiet setup, and have driven too many f-body's with a whining/miserable 12-bolt or 9" to make me want to change just yet.

Just figured I would share...

1400 total so far isn't that bad...I just hate going up to a street light wondering if this is the intersection I am going to break at. I bearly ever beat my car and I heard way to many stories of them going even from a light throttle. So my piece of mind was a 2000 s60. No worries there!

My 10bolt got 140k now and I have been beating it since I got the car at 100k. Its had about 50bottles thru it, now its living under boost and gets abused all the time. Granted im only around 500rwhp but its all in how you treat it

The centersection/diffy bearings are putting up a fight. Never had a problem getting them off before with a puller and a press, but not this time.

Any pointers when cutting these things off?

I plan on just hitting it with a dremel over the the thick ridges of the inner race then whacking it with a chisel.

Mine lasted 7 yrs before blowing up. The last year and half it made a couple hundred 10 second passes . Wheel hop killed the center section broke it in to pieces. Stock 3'42's , an LPW cover , and Redline shock proof gear lube.

For anybody else that ends up with a stuck carrier bearing or having to cut the inner race off.

Dremel and chisel is about as easy as having a press.

Stuff that made it easier:
Put the diffy between your legs or close enough out in front of you so you can stare down the axle hole while cutting. Use safety glasses. Looking vertically down at the bearing makes it alot easier to see when you are about to go through the bearing and into the center section. I started dremeling at the top till I was about 80% through the bearing. I then ground my way down the bearing to the thicker section, trying to make it all to the same depth.

I found a small chisel worked better for me. I had better luck striking it at the top of the race (where it is thinnest) to start the crack. Once I saw the bearing shift even a little bit, I went back to a 2-prong puller. It should come off with just your hand torque on the puller.

I made a *very* slight mark on the center section where the chisel pushed through on one of the hits and scratched the center section shaft. I just grabbed a very fine file and sorta sand-stoned it flat. Took just a couple rubs and it was fine.

In the end, took about 10 min to get the stuck bearing off. It was easy enough where I didn't even bother pulling the 2nd. I just cut and cracked it again.

I am actually pretty impressed and surprised at the same time with your results. I am not even in the ballpark of 700 HP (best Dyno run was 440 @ 6k elevation na) and have also gone through 3 sets of gears/setups. My current 3.73 r&p look ok, but are screaming loud. There was a 150 shot too for a bit..LOL
However, can't say that the clutch hasn't been released rather quickly on a few occasions.

I'll see how the S60 does when I put the hiya down on it.

Found out what took out the rear.

Turns out it wasn't gear issues this time - although that was the collateral damage.

Looks like the retaining plate/clip for the Eaton posi clutch pack popped out and was shot to the back of the housing. The pinion picked it up and that was the end of that gear set.

Brand new diffy. Fucking eaton.

Anyone know where I can get an eaton rebuild kit or clutch pack for a good price? EATON 19599-1 unit.

I found it. For anyone that doesn't want to spend 2 hours on the internet looking for Eaton rebuild parts.

http://www.eaton.com/ecm/groups/public/@pub/@eaton/@per/documents/content/ct_128302.pdf

Find your diffy. The associated part number then google away for that part number.

Thanks for the link. I'm going to be selling my eaton soon. No reason to have yet another axle in my garage.

Found out what took out the rear.

Turns out it wasn't gear issues this time - although that was the collateral damage.

Looks like the retaining plate/clip for the Eaton posi clutch pack popped out and was shot to the back of the housing. The pinion picked it up and that was the end of that gear set.

Brand new diffy. Fucking eaton.

Anyone know where I can get an eaton rebuild kit or clutch pack for a good price? EATON 19599-1 unit.

Same thing happened to my eaton except it just took out a tooth on the spider gears instead. I didn't even know it happened until I did a routine fluid change.