Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

1. I assume that its going to come with no oil...do I use regular or synthetic in it? Reason I ask is because I ran Royal Purple gear oil in my 10 bolt. Is that ok to use or does Strange not recommend synthetics in their rears?

2. I ordered it with the super strength posi...is it going to need posi additive?

3. Is there anything that Im going to have to modify, change, relocate, purchase, etc. for the installation? I know that they say its a direct bolt up, but theres always something. Just want to prepare myself.

4. Is all my Spohn suspension (torque arm, LCAs, PHB, & sway bar) all going to work with this 12 bolt?

Thanks so much. Sorry for all the questions. If there is anything else that you would like to include, feel free. Thanks.

NHRAFORMULA00

iTrader: (2)

the rear comes full of NON SYNTHETIC gear oil, and they recomend that you use reagular gear lube with 1 bottle of GM additive when you change the lube( with the ss posi). there will be a break in sticker attached to the rear, i followed the heat and cool cycles that they recomend then changed out the fluid, and found nothing in it but dirty oil.as far as installation goes,it truely is a bolt in!! my rear has about 50 passes down the drag strip and is great. i painted my rear pewter same color as the car.did not want too see it get rust colored in a year or so. GOOD LUCK

WAHUSKER

iTrader: (4)

The Posi Mfr says don't use synth lube ever, but I am going to as soon as my 500 mile break-in period is over. Go to the race track...all the big names use the stuff. So it's RP all the way for me. As long as it says 'Limited Slip additive" on it, it should be fine.

You might have to modify your body where the torque arm mount is. I had to for my 9" on my 00, and my buddy had to on his 96? for his 12 bolt. All of your suspension parts should bolt right on. You might need a shock mount spacer if you have after market shocks. I did, as did my friend. Good luck!

Murdock

iTrader: (2)

I've got a strange 12-bolt behind a 6-spd. It will bolt right in. The only fab work that I had to do was solder the wires for the ABS. I used quick connectors at first and kept getting ABS lights in the idiot cluster. I've got 3-channel with the wires coming out of the top of the pumpkin. I soldered them, if you ever need to remove the rear, the wire that you've soldered can be disconnected from the body just in front of the lefthand axle. Besides the soldering, I needed some washers between the panhard bar and the bracket on the rear. The strange bracket was a little wider than stock. I think I also used a washer on each lower control arm.

During my install I called Strange a couple times with lube and break-in questions. They were very courteous on the phone and I figured they were the bottom line for any tech questions.

http://www.strangeengineering.net/ Phone number is on this page.


Also, last night I pulled my rear out of the car in order to install 4.56 gears. If you run into any snags, post up or give me a PM. I'm pretty much doing the same swap that you'll be doing, if you get stuck I might be able to help.

If you are working by yourself on jackstands, a transmission jack is nice for supporting the rear. If you don't have access to one, a regular floor jack will work. Just take your time once the axle is free of the car. They're kind of heavy, but easy to balance on a jack and move around.

Good Luck

EDIT: I forgot about the swaybar mounts. I'm not sure about your bar, but my stock bar needed to be spaced so that it wouldn't contact the diff cover. I went to Autozone and bought longer endlinks, then made some steel spacers to lower the swaybar mounts under the axle. I think I used 1/4" steel, stacked 2 together to make 1/2" spacers. In retrospect, the easiest way to make the spacers would be to use some 1"x1" square tube to make 1" spacers. That wouldn't hit for sure, and it'd be alot easier than drilling 4 holes through 1/2" of steel!

Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

Does the option aluminum cover have drain and fill plugs as the T/A Performance cover does? How does it compare to the the T/A? Does it have c-clip eliminators? Lastly, does the rear come with any kind of coating on it or is it just bare?

Murdock

iTrader: (2)

I've got the standard cover, it has drain and fill plugs. No c-clips. Mine was bare. I primed and painted it with black Krylon spray cans. I haven't personally checked out the T/A cover.

Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

I know that T/A makes a cover for the 12 bolts, but it was $17X vs. $115. I know that the T/As have fill and drain plugs, but I didnt know if the ones that Strange offered did as well. I already ordered it with it, so hopefully it does. Didnt know how much difference there was between the 2.

So you got the standard chrome cover and it came with fill and drain plugs?

Murdock

iTrader: (2)

I got the standard cover, but it's not chrome. It was bare like the rest of the axle.

Dragula

iTrader: (5)

Just a heads up. The Spohn TA axle mount will make contact with unibody. I drove it around a little bit to identify where it was contacting. Then I jacked the rear up and hammered in the unibody where the contact occured. It's not a big deal, the spot you hammer in is under the rear driverside seat cushion. I used a 1 1/2" diameter wooden railing pole and rounded off the end and hit it against the unibody with a hammer. It worked fine.

Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

I wasnt sure if I was going to need this kit or not:

http://www.spohn.net/product.cfm?productid=1310

Sure it a lot of money just to make my swaybar fit my 12 bolt. Does anyone else make this kit? (cheaper) I dont mind getting it if theres no way around it, but if there is, what can be done? Thanks.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

I have plans for this as well, so I'd like to know too.

TTT for ya.

Steve

Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

Mine will be here within the next week, so I need to know for sure because the rear end isnt just a plan for me.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

I hear ya man...

DaveSchott

iTrader: (5)

The stock sway bar won't fit with a Strange. I used that exact kit AND also used their longer link kit. With those 2 kits it went together perfectly. If you don't see the link kit listed, call Steve.

Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

The kit that I provided comes with the spacers, end link bolts, end link sleeves, and everything else needed to make the swaybar fit. Im not using stock swaybar, but I would assume it wouldnt make a different. Maybe Steve combined the kits together into 1. He said that if I use spacers, then I need to lengthen the end links as well to keep the correct geometry.

Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

Just wondering what alternatives I have if I dont use the kit? Im sure not everyone uses this kit. I wanna make sure that I dont waste my money on this kit when there is a cheaper way to do it and is equally effective. Thanks.

Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

Im not sure what type of finish its going to have, but I would assume none.

1. So I was wondering what to coat it with? Im want something that is going to look nice and clean, yet durable.
2. What kind of oil to use?
3. Synthetic or not?
4. Brand?
5. Will it need posi additive?
6. Is the computer going to need any tuning for the rear since the gear ratio is going to be different?
7. What am I going to need to make my 25mm rear swaybar fit?

If there is anything else that you would like to include, please do so. Thanks.

Brains

iTrader: (7)

<strange computer voice> You have exceeded the maximum number of questions marks allowed in one post.. </strange computer voice>

1. Paint (try POR15, holds up great -- but my rattle can black is holding up fine too)
2. Gear lube, GL5 or better
3. Depends - ask manufacturer of posi unit you are using
4. Your choice
5. Depends - ask manufacturer of posi unit you are using
6. Yes (duh)
7. 25mm sway bar bushings and U-bolts to match axle tube size

Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

The swaybar is currently on my 10 bolt and came with the bushings, is there any reason to get different ones? I just took a look at it and the axle tube size doesnt seem like it would affect the bushing size. What is GL5? Is that the quality of the oil? The rear end is coming with the super strenght posi if that helps any. Thanks for you help.

Brains

iTrader: (7)

1. No - just get the right U-bolt. On my Moser I'm using a regular old 3" muffler clamp. Re-use the bushing and strap you're currently using.
2 & 3. GL5 is the grade oil, you'll see it marked on the back of the bottle. Use the weight recommended by the rear end vendor.

I'm not doing your research for you, go find what the "super strength posi" requires.