8.5" 10 bolt
8.5" 10 bolt Sorry for beating this to death, but it seems like there's a few people here as interested in this as I am.
It seems like the torque arm is the biggest limiting factor here. What if we were to get rid of the torque arm altogether? I have seen something that used to be made for our cars, but it wasn't a big seller, mostly because of poor marketing. Think of it as a mini-4 link. You keep the lower control arms, then there is a link that goes from the top of the control arm to the axle tube. Both ends have sperical ends, and are adjustable. This would eliminate the torque arm.
Another obstacle would be that the 8.5 comes from a leaf spring car. The perches could be cut off and the proper shock/spring mounts/perches could be welded on easily.
What are the other problems? Is the flange to flange dimensions wrong? I would assume that our brakes wouldn't bolt right up to the stock 8.5 flanges, right? Other than the torque arm, what problems would we run in to?
I've done a search, and all I find is people saying that it can't be done, or the torque arm dilemna.
It seems like the torque arm is the biggest limiting factor here. What if we were to get rid of the torque arm altogether? I have seen something that used to be made for our cars, but it wasn't a big seller, mostly because of poor marketing. Think of it as a mini-4 link. You keep the lower control arms, then there is a link that goes from the top of the control arm to the axle tube. Both ends have sperical ends, and are adjustable. This would eliminate the torque arm.
Another obstacle would be that the 8.5 comes from a leaf spring car. The perches could be cut off and the proper shock/spring mounts/perches could be welded on easily.
What are the other problems? Is the flange to flange dimensions wrong? I would assume that our brakes wouldn't bolt right up to the stock 8.5 flanges, right? Other than the torque arm, what problems would we run in to?
I've done a search, and all I find is people saying that it can't be done, or the torque arm dilemna.
Last edited by SprayedLT1; Jan 7, 2006 at 01:24 PM.
12 bolt or 9 inch is still a more durable unit compared to the 8.5 stuff like this was never marketed because theres no real place for it.Unless your looking for something totally different like an IRS I dont belive there will ever be a better more avalible replacement for the 12 bolt and nine inch
TECH Resident
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 807
Likes: 0
From: TAMPA by way of MIAMI!!!
I'm in a little bit of a different situation but similar all the same. The 8.5" is a durable rear but NOT as strong as a 12 bolt of a furd 9" but it also can be made to work for many apps ALOT cheaper than something from Moser or Strange . I'm presently doing this for my Blazer X/LS1 project I don't think I'm going to need a 12 bolt especially at the $2500 price tag. The brakes work I'm actually using LS1/Camaro rear brakes the tq arm I Know nothing about. What I've done is gotten a 30 spline 8.5" out of a early 90's Silverado I will have to narrow it substantialy but once I'm done with everything it will cost less than $1500. The suspension is going to be a triangulated 4 link with adjustable coil overs. The whole project will prolly run me about $2500.
Originally Posted by TRex
Brakes will bolt up, but the length is not right. Pretty difficult to fixture and jig for welding the shock mounts and spring mounts.
