Im going insane...
04-11-2005, 05:01 PM
#1
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Upper Marlboro, MD
Posts: 1,297
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Im going insane... I recently bought a used Strange 12-bolt from a '95 Trans Am. I knew the rear brakes were different, and would require ordering more parts from Strange or just use LT1 brakes and lose ABS/TCS. Well I opted to spend the extra $100 to keep my ABS/TCS, and took the rear up to FBodyCentral today to get it converted to LS1.
For those of you who dont know the difference between an LT1 12bolt and LS1, I'll do a quick tech for you.
LT1: Axle bearings sit in a 1-1.5" spacer that bolts to the end of the axle flange.
LS1: Axle bearings sit inside the end of the axle flange
This is where the problem arises. Apparently this rear was made Pre-LS1 Fbody. Therefore Strange didnt incorporate the flared end on the axle tubes for the axle bearings
Jason was on the phone with Strange for damn near 2 hours trying to come up with solutions. In the end, this is what I have to chose from
1- Sell the rear to someone with an LT1, buy a new rear. I can get a Moser for $2100, and it ships out in 3 days.
2- Use LT1 brakes and lose ABS/TCS
3- Have someone cut off the end of the axle tubes and weld the newer style flanges on there. This requires teardown of the differential and resassembly afterwards, so it would be $250+labor+cost of new flanges.
No way in hell I'm gonna dump that much money into a used 12bolt.
In no way am I blaming the seller for this little mishap, he bought the car with the 12bolt already installed so he didnt know it was pre-98 style axle tubes. Not his fault at all.
But man does this get me discouraged.
I really just want to run the LT1 calipers and lose ABS, but my father is spazzing out that I'll get in an accident, hit someone, and they sue us and take our house
Paranoid much? Right, cuz every car ever made without ABS was in a horrible car accident. Ok I'm off my soapbox now. 
For those of you who dont know the difference between an LT1 12bolt and LS1, I'll do a quick tech for you.
LT1: Axle bearings sit in a 1-1.5" spacer that bolts to the end of the axle flange.
LS1: Axle bearings sit inside the end of the axle flange
This is where the problem arises. Apparently this rear was made Pre-LS1 Fbody. Therefore Strange didnt incorporate the flared end on the axle tubes for the axle bearings
Jason was on the phone with Strange for damn near 2 hours trying to come up with solutions. In the end, this is what I have to chose from1- Sell the rear to someone with an LT1, buy a new rear. I can get a Moser for $2100, and it ships out in 3 days.
2- Use LT1 brakes and lose ABS/TCS
3- Have someone cut off the end of the axle tubes and weld the newer style flanges on there. This requires teardown of the differential and resassembly afterwards, so it would be $250+labor+cost of new flanges.
No way in hell I'm gonna dump that much money into a used 12bolt.
In no way am I blaming the seller for this little mishap, he bought the car with the 12bolt already installed so he didnt know it was pre-98 style axle tubes. Not his fault at all.
But man does this get me discouraged.
I really just want to run the LT1 calipers and lose ABS, but my father is spazzing out that I'll get in an accident, hit someone, and they sue us and take our house
Paranoid much? Right, cuz every car ever made without ABS was in a horrible car accident. Ok I'm off my soapbox now. 