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Is it worth building up the factory 10 bolt or better off to buy a 12bolt?

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Old 01-03-2006, 03:49 PM
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Default Is it worth building up the factory 10 bolt or better off to buy a 12bolt?

Is it worth building up the factory 10 bolt or better off to buy a 12bolt?

I ask this because I have seen many cars from GNX to F-bodys with built 10 bolts running the quarter in 9s and 10s. Then I have heard many people comment that 10bolts are weak and break, so they are not worth building up or not??

My experience is:
94 z28 a4, while the car was stock I broke the spider gears in the rearend at about 80,xxx miles. Drove hard, no track use

Now

I have 01 z28 m6, built a little (dynoed 347/356 hp/tq) with 90,xxx miles and the rearend is fine with the occasional chatter which its done for the last 60,000miles.
This car is driven hard as a daily driver and raced often. I never race slicks, just street tires or street drags.

My initial thought is: since I’m only building up to about 500rwhp for now a built 10bolt should be fine. I will replace the axles, girdle, ring/pinion(3.42 to 3.73) and posi unit along with a master install kit.

Has anyone else done this and what has your experience been with a car producing 350 to 500rwhp?

In a couple of years if I rebuild the engine and do a turbo install, and up the hp to 800+rwhp then I will install a 12 bolt, but for now I cant see spending the $$$ for it.

So is this a good idea or what?
Old 01-03-2006, 04:34 PM
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If your gonna go to 500hp or even close to that with an M6 you will need at least a 12 bolt. Some people have blown the 10 bolt on little more than factory power behind an M6. Also if you try to build the 10 bolt you'd be better off to keep the factory gears. The taller the gear you go the easier it is to break things. And if you are gonna make 800+rwhp, which is a lofty goal, I think you will need more than a 12 bolt. More like a 9". These of course are just my opinions.
Old 01-03-2006, 07:57 PM
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Originally Posted by blue01ta
If your gonna go to 500hp or even close to that with an M6 you will need at least a 12 bolt. Some people have blown the 10 bolt on little more than factory power behind an M6. Also if you try to build the 10 bolt you'd be better off to keep the factory gears. The taller the gear you go the easier it is to break things. And if you are gonna make 800+rwhp, which is a lofty goal, I think you will need more than a 12 bolt. More like a 9". These of course are just my opinions.

I agree with your opinions completely, once I go for 800+rwhp I will definitely got to a 12 or 9.

It is true the factory 10 does blow out on stock fbodys.
But for now with all the 10bolts I see running 9s and 10s in the quarter it leads me to think that building up the 10 is safe.
Old 01-03-2006, 09:03 PM
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I'll be building my 10 bolt and "attempting" to keep it together. A new Tq arm and trailing arms/ panhard rod does a world of good for the weak 10 bolt.
Old 01-03-2006, 09:31 PM
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Originally Posted by TopFlite
I'll be building my 10 bolt and "attempting" to keep it together. A new Tq arm and trailing arms/ panhard rod does a world of good for the weak 10 bolt.
It will only make it hook harder and break the candy *** ring gear,spiders and axles.A cover and stud kit w/good 4.10 gears got me to 12.3X's with out massive clutch dumps.I would give it a controlled clutch slip and get mid-high 1.8's.I know of many A4 guys close to 10's with weight using 10 bolts and so far so good.
Old 01-03-2006, 09:33 PM
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man dont waste ur time on the 10 bolt they are junk,just save ur money and buy a 12 bolt or a 9 inch,and be done with it
Old 01-04-2006, 05:39 AM
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I have seen stock powered 10 bolt cars break the weak S10/Monza derived rear. The automatic cars are easier on them, but the stick cars are brutal on them. I don't advise wasting any money on trying to build the 10 bolt, as every part is small, and the next weakest link then breaks. This rear is much smaller than the 10 bolts used in the G Body's back in the 80's. Bob
Old 01-04-2006, 06:24 AM
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As others have mentioned if you do research on cars running really any faster than 12.0's as far as I can tell on a 10 bolt rear are all A4s. The best argument I've ever heard for getting rid of a 10 bolt was a guy on here who broke his at the track at like 55 or 60mph and the rear locked up on him at that speed. I don't care to ever have that happen to me.
Old 01-04-2006, 11:26 AM
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Originally Posted by Exotic Performance Plus
I have seen stock powered 10 bolt cars break the weak S10/Monza derived rear. The automatic cars are easier on them, but the stick cars are brutal on them. I don't advise wasting any money on trying to build the 10 bolt, as every part is small, and the next weakest link then breaks. This rear is much smaller than the 10 bolts used in the G Body's back in the 80's. Bob

that makes sense. The majority of the 9 sec and 10 sec 1/4 miles cars that I have seen running a built 10 bolt is automatic GNX.

I didnt realize the M6 was that brutal on 10bolts and I didnt know that the 80s 10bolts where bigger.

That answers alot and thanks too!
Old 01-04-2006, 11:43 AM
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When I received my 12-bolt and the stocker was pulled from my car, I put them side by side and the stocker looked like a sad little toy in comparison. It's really no wonder these grenade on people pushing the power these cars are capable of.
Old 01-04-2006, 07:00 PM
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all though my car is a a4. i have 530 rwhp, ran 11.7 so far.
no problems with the rear. i am planning on doing high 10's in the spring.
with the stock rear 3.23's
dont replace it if its not broken.
Old 01-05-2006, 06:22 AM
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What if it breaks on the fly? Also there are people running A4's in the 9s. But to my knowledge know m6/10 bolts in the 10s.




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