Truck 10 bolt in an Fbody (yes we can)
02-13-2017, 08:10 AM
#121
G80's are to truck forums what 7.5's are to here. Never ending, gone on for years **** storm. Some people say they will break if you look at them wrong, other people say they run 37's and 500hp and never have an issue. But an F-body is a whole lot lighter than a pickup.
02-13-2017, 10:30 AM
#122
90% of the stuff over 10-12 years old up here is so rusty underneath they reach the point where expense to meet annual inspection becomes a losing proposition. Couple that with extremely low scrap prices at the moment and between gm trucks with 8.5 posi's and explorers with 8.8 posi's ( I think most are even 373's...)
If you play your cards right you can get the whole vehicle in the 200-500 range part some stuff out , keep the rear get 200 or so scrap for the truck another 50 or so for catalytic if it still has one around $20 for every aluminum wheel ,etc... pretty easy to get a free rear end with a little effort.
If you play your cards right you can get the whole vehicle in the 200-500 range part some stuff out , keep the rear get 200 or so scrap for the truck another 50 or so for catalytic if it still has one around $20 for every aluminum wheel ,etc... pretty easy to get a free rear end with a little effort.
02-13-2017, 10:48 AM
#123
Teching In
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
02-13-2017, 12:59 PM
#124
LS1Tech Administrator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Schiller Park, IL Member: #317
Posts: 32,044
Likes: 0
Received 1,492 Likes
on
1,074 Posts
I wasn't aware that the truck 8.5s were so cheap, I guess this makes sense due to how plentiful they were. I've just never been in the market for a truck version so the comparatively cheap prices quoted above surprised me.
G80 is just an RPO for LSD/Posi, it doesn't universally indicate a type or brand. Same code is used for the Auburns and Torsens in our F-bodies.
G80 is just an RPO for LSD/Posi, it doesn't universally indicate a type or brand. Same code is used for the Auburns and Torsens in our F-bodies.
02-13-2017, 08:20 PM
#125
There are literally 10's of millions of truck 8.5 rears roaming around as we speak.
And they don't explode every 5 minutes like 7.5's do, lol.
That is why this is so interesting to me. Not for hardcore Fi drag racers. But for mild cars with drag radials that want to worry less on the cheap.
And they don't explode every 5 minutes like 7.5's do, lol.
That is why this is so interesting to me. Not for hardcore Fi drag racers. But for mild cars with drag radials that want to worry less on the cheap.
02-14-2017, 12:43 AM
#126
LS1Tech Administrator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Schiller Park, IL Member: #317
Posts: 32,044
Likes: 0
Received 1,492 Likes
on
1,074 Posts
There are literally 10's of millions of truck 8.5 rears roaming around as we speak.
And they don't explode every 5 minutes like 7.5's do, lol.
That is why this is so interesting to me. Not for hardcore Fi drag racers. But for mild cars with drag radials that want to worry less on the cheap.
And they don't explode every 5 minutes like 7.5's do, lol.
That is why this is so interesting to me. Not for hardcore Fi drag racers. But for mild cars with drag radials that want to worry less on the cheap.
But back to business...I wonder if there are other 8.5 applications that would be comparably cheap to acquire and perhaps a better fitment for a 4th gen? I was thinking about ones from the B-bodies, but I think those would be a 5x5 lug pattern and usually have drum brakes as well. Older 8.5s from the A/F/X bodies would have the right 5x4.75 pattern but these are usually the more expensive ones because there is some demand for them. Or perhaps this was covered earlier in the thread and I missed it...
02-14-2017, 07:23 AM
#127
Even if you found the right bolt pattern, would the width be right, and the suspension mounting stuff be right? Not likely. In the end there is still a fair bit of fab work to be done. I don't think the 8.5 is necessarily any easier than the Ford 8.8 adaptation. Neither is a direct swap so I'd almost think just get whichever you can get cheaper and go to town fabbing. The GM purists may want the 8.5 though just out of principle 
The rest of us who don't have the tools or skills will just have to pay bigger bucks!
I think we can all agree the 8.5 should have been the default rear to put in these cars from the factory though.
(My 7.5 likely won't break for my current application so I'm not actually worried about it)
The rest of us who don't have the tools or skills will just have to pay bigger bucks!
I think we can all agree the 8.5 should have been the default rear to put in these cars from the factory though.
(My 7.5 likely won't break for my current application so I'm not actually worried about it)
02-14-2017, 07:51 AM
#128
Odd that the guy who scolded others for continuing to talk about the 7.5 seems to keep bringing up the 7.5.
But back to business...I wonder if there are other 8.5 applications that would be comparably cheap to acquire and perhaps a better fitment for a 4th gen? I was thinking about ones from the B-bodies, but I think those would be a 5x5 lug pattern and usually have drum brakes as well. Older 8.5s from the A/F/X bodies would have the right 5x4.75 pattern but these are usually the more expensive ones because there is some demand for them. Or perhaps this was covered earlier in the thread and I missed it...
But back to business...I wonder if there are other 8.5 applications that would be comparably cheap to acquire and perhaps a better fitment for a 4th gen? I was thinking about ones from the B-bodies, but I think those would be a 5x5 lug pattern and usually have drum brakes as well. Older 8.5s from the A/F/X bodies would have the right 5x4.75 pattern but these are usually the more expensive ones because there is some demand for them. Or perhaps this was covered earlier in the thread and I missed it...
02-14-2017, 01:41 PM
#129
LS1Tech Administrator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Schiller Park, IL Member: #317
Posts: 32,044
Likes: 0
Received 1,492 Likes
on
1,074 Posts
My thoughts on this..... Most of the cars that came with 8.5's were either crushed long ago or are in muscle cars. But even so, there has to be a ton of these things out there. Think about how many brand new rears have been sold over the past decade, not for just f-bodys, but in general. There is still a big demand for aftermarket rears. Those factory ones that are being replaced have to be somewhere.
02-14-2017, 02:09 PM
#130
^^^^^True. You know the biggest thing besides from bolt pattern is width. Now any rear is going to need new mounting points, etc etc so it doesn't really matter what it is. That fab work is a given. But if the width were right, or close, even if the bolt pattern is different you'd just need a new set of axles. And if the bolt pattern was the same..... Fab the mounts and done.
02-15-2017, 11:38 AM
#135
Launching!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Surrey, BC
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Go. Measure. Find out. The one we got from the Silverado was about an inch and change wider. If there's a better fit then I'd definitely say go get that. The fab work was just an afternoon. Nothing complicated (as I'm told) lol.
02-15-2017, 11:44 AM
#136
I already have an 8.5" in my car (g body) just throwing ideas out there for others. If your not opposed to running adapters I'm pretty sure the later extreme s10's also got the 8.5". May have only came in the 4.3/5 speed combos. The 4wd are wider then 2wd and the zr2 are wider then the standard 4wd.
02-15-2017, 09:15 PM
#139
Cam someone explain the difference in 8.5 cases. Like the newer 8.5s vs one out of like a 95 Chevy truck. Just trying to get as much info before I buy. I am definitely going to do this so bare with me and we will get this done. It willl be on my 2000 Camaro 6.0 turbo car with 295/55-15 drag radials. I just need as much info as possible before I do it.
Like for instance. With this fit in any year of 8.5
Like for instance. With this fit in any year of 8.5
The 8.5" carrier can fit into the 8.6" housing with the right bearings. The opposite will not work.
They had 30 spline axles from the early 90s.
There may be bearing and seal differences at the pinion gear for the 8.6".
02-15-2017, 09:17 PM
#140
The 8.6" carrier uses a bigger side bearing,has 30 spline axles, and of course the slightly bigger ring gear.
The 8.5" carrier can fit into the 8.6" housing with the right bearings. The opposite will not work.
They had 30 spline axles from the early 90s.
There may be bearing and seal differences at the pinion gear for the 8.6".
The 8.5" carrier can fit into the 8.6" housing with the right bearings. The opposite will not work.
They had 30 spline axles from the early 90s.
There may be bearing and seal differences at the pinion gear for the 8.6".
Other then the different bearings, the 8.5 and 8.6 carriers interchange.