How to Beef up an F-Body 10-Bolt Rear End (Video)
One simple part can help keep your F-Body factory rear from breaking.
As awesome as F-Body Camaros and Firebirds really are, they have their weak points. You know, just like every other vehicle in existence. One of the biggest, of course, is their 10-bolt, 7.5-inch rear end. Throw on a sticky set of tires and a moderate amount of horsepower at them, and you’re quickly looking at broken parts. Which is why many F-Body owners simply swap them out for 9-inch or 12-bolt rears.
Sure, you can beef up a factory 10-bolt if you want. But is it worth the money when you can just buy something stronger to begin with? It’s a question that the F-Body experts at Diablo Formula Racing were asking themselves lately. They’ve got a Firebird sitting at their shop, undergoing a number of mods at the moment. Plans call for 500-600 horsepower, and they’ve already got a sticky set of drag radials mounted.
But this is supposed to be a fun, budget build, not some hardcore racer. With that in mind, they decided to retain the old 10-bolt, but fortify it. So Diablo called up LPW Racing Products and ordered a beefy diff cover. The “Ultimate” version of LPW’s diff cover comes equipped with chromeoly braces to further reinforce it. For around $130, it’s a pretty cheap way to shore up a 10-bolt.
The majority of the swap is fairly straightforward of course. Simply unbolt the old cover and bolt the new one in place. But the braces have to be welded, so that’s one consideration. Still, not too shabby considering the effort (and cash) that goes into a full-on diff replacement. And for this street cruiser/stoplight racer, it fortifies things just enough to keep it all in one piece!
Join the LS1Tech forums now!
