Cam and a 10 Bolt. Are you doing it?
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TECH Resident
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 896
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From: Holmes County (thats right Amish Country), OHIO
Cam and a 10 Bolt. Are you doing it? Ok guys here is my thing. I really want to do a cam swap however I'm afraid my 10 bolt will disagree. I would like to know how many of you guys are doing it. I would probably go with a fairly good sized cam because the car only gets driven in nice weather and so on. Eventually I hope to get a 9" in but until then what are you guys doing? I know DR and high RPM launches are out of the question but I still want to hear how it holds up for you guys. I don't go to the track. I would like to start next year. Juts looking to see if I would be best off to wait til I have a 9". Thanks
If you dont have to rely on the car, its not much of an issue, the 10 bolt can break with stock power, so anything above that is just pushing the envelope more and more. Its not just launches, its shifts and honestly just power. Ive broken mine from a shift, a launch and just rollin into power in first.
Got a big cam/heads on a 10 bolt. I riped the teeth off of the pinion gear, and cracked an axle. So I went with Moser Axles and 4:10s now..I set them up really deep so it so It would help from breaking, it makes them noisy but can help from breaking..but its ganna go anytime. Dont plan on it lasting. If I let my g/f drive it..it would last the liftime of the car..ENJOY IT drive the **** out of it..fix it when it breaks.. Im really hard on mine too..400+ to the tires and a several races...but if It dead hooks Im done I know..Iv got a 9in in the works now..
Also I have an Axle Brace kit from LPW, I was going to send it back because Im going to this 9 inch...if your interested PM me and Ill show u some pictures..its helps with tube flex and thats one of the common problems with the 10 bolt.
Also I have an Axle Brace kit from LPW, I was going to send it back because Im going to this 9 inch...if your interested PM me and Ill show u some pictures..its helps with tube flex and thats one of the common problems with the 10 bolt.
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
I'm running the stock 10 bolt with 408hp and 389tq to the ground. It seems that as long as i'm running the stock clutch and gears i'm fine,but as soon as i upgrade the clutch & gears i break teeth off the ring gear or ring the pinion shaft if the tires hook
I put a MS4 cam kit and a monster Stage 3 in and the same time Car Made 400WHP and my 30k 10bolt only lasted 4k after the swap No Hard launchs and no DRs or Track and it still went out ......Time for a 9in!!!
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Mine broke also after a monster stage 3 and tick master cylinder. I didn't even do anything crazy. Just practicing smooth launches leaving at 2500 on street tires at 2500, ON THE STREET, and then I started to hear noises when going around turns. Shifted into 3rd hard about a week later and BOOM!!!! (Cam only 390 rwhp) Hopefully she will get a 9 inch by spring.
I have a MS3 in my car, RAM Powergrip HD clutch, Spohn adjustable torque arm, BMR LCA's, UMI relocation brackets and KYB AGX shocks
I put down 412rwhp and 381rwtq...
I have launched it a dozen times at the track between 4k-5500k launches. The stock 10 bolt was as silent as the day it came off the factory line....these were with 3.42's...I beat the ***** off my car. I have the stock gears sitting next to me and they look brand new with a excellent wear pattern.
Now, last week I just had 4.10's installed. Im sure that will be a different story.
I put down 412rwhp and 381rwtq...
I have launched it a dozen times at the track between 4k-5500k launches. The stock 10 bolt was as silent as the day it came off the factory line....these were with 3.42's...I beat the ***** off my car. I have the stock gears sitting next to me and they look brand new with a excellent wear pattern.
Now, last week I just had 4.10's installed. Im sure that will be a different story.
I have a ms3 and my 10bolt just took a crap again, now its time for the 9in to go in. It can be done but its not that fun, I always had to worry about it breaking when I went to the track.
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: RI
after my cam install in the spring i broke 2 10 bolts im on my 3rd one much cheaper than buying a 9inch but still cost alot after awhile, would reccomend getting a rear first. i broke the center pin on my auburn diff and also broke the stock gears i have a new auburn diff and 410 motive gears now and it make a lot of noise again. but my buddy also makes 400 whp and his rear has been fine for over a year now its just the luck of the draw mostly i dont have much luck i guess lol
Running 9.7's at 142 in my stock 10 bolt... automatic trans with 1.49-1.59 60 foots. 2.73 gear tho.
my 3.42 10 bolt has gone 10.6's with 1.41-1.45 60 foots on a previous motor..bone stock rear. automatic trans.
My buddy has gone 1.38-1.39 60 foots and 10.0's on another stock 10 bolt but with 3.73 gear i believe. Automatic
If its an automatic it should hold fine... but deeper the gear ratio you go, the less material on the ring gear so it may fail. My 3.42 failed finally but it was a worm gear in the zexel unit that chipped...gear was fine.
manual trans and sticky tires with grippy clutch may frag the 10 bolt soon. My buddy went 1.38 60' with his th350 but swapped to a T56 and did many 1.5x 60's with quick slip of clutch off line. That was a 11.0 car with the stick, mid lower 10's on spray.
my 3.42 10 bolt has gone 10.6's with 1.41-1.45 60 foots on a previous motor..bone stock rear. automatic trans.
My buddy has gone 1.38-1.39 60 foots and 10.0's on another stock 10 bolt but with 3.73 gear i believe. Automatic
If its an automatic it should hold fine... but deeper the gear ratio you go, the less material on the ring gear so it may fail. My 3.42 failed finally but it was a worm gear in the zexel unit that chipped...gear was fine.
manual trans and sticky tires with grippy clutch may frag the 10 bolt soon. My buddy went 1.38 60' with his th350 but swapped to a T56 and did many 1.5x 60's with quick slip of clutch off line. That was a 11.0 car with the stick, mid lower 10's on spray.
My 10 bolt in my old car held up fine. Auto with MS4 and bolt ons. Eventually rebuilt it when I went with 3.73's, but it was fine with my 3.23's. Was going 1.7-8's with nitto dr's.
Now with this car, I just broke the 10 bolt on stock power with street radials. Powershifting and a few trips to the track did this one in.
Now with this car, I just broke the 10 bolt on stock power with street radials. Powershifting and a few trips to the track did this one in.
cammed a4 just a little over 300hp. 170k miles and i beat my car daily since day one and it held fine, until rear blew diff bolts out the cover just going into 2nd gear less than half throttle. i turned the corner and started to take off and bang! it was gone, 30 minutes before that launched it at least 10 hard times and ripped some donuts and it was just fine. so your just living on borrowed time on a 10 bolt.
After bolt-ons, I'd recommend upgrading back to front. Better safe than sorry. It'd be better to have a bolt-on car running a 12 bolt rear and a built tranny, than a h/c/i car that can't leave the driveway because the rear is in pieces down the road.
