http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/store...10002_42878_-1
Does anybody know if an axle tube brace is worth getting. Jegs makes a kit for the 10 bolt, it has the TA look alike cover with axle tube bracing on it. Would it be worth it to install? What is the main cause of the 10 bolt failure? The tube brace stops forward movement so it could be worth it.

 

The LPW products are far superior to any of the other covers on the market. The idea behind the tube brace kit, which I have installed on my 85 Z28, is to help eliminate case flex, which is the primary reason behind gear failure on the 10 bolt. If you buy that kit, the tabs require welding to the axle housing. It would be a good idea to have the axle tubes welded to the housing at the same time!

BTW - Jegs does not make that product. LPW does.

 

That seems to be a good deal then. The case and the brace kit would be around $300 then. I have the jegs magazine with the exact parts for the ultimate cover and the brace but I can't find it on their website. I'll have to get the part number. I wonder if it actually eliminates or minimizes the flex.

 

Waste of time and money IMO. 10 bolt is a lost cause, ride it til it breaks and put that $300 towards a real rear end.

 

A new camaro magazine just replaced the inside of the 10 bolt with all moser stuff. New lsd, new axles, new cover, new gears and they say it will hold up to the power levels of the 12 bolt. It cost under $1000 to do this and looked real simple. Could be an idea.

 

i'm sure it would help to an extent. But like what kaliente is trying to say.....basically the 7.5" 10bolt is just overall TOO small. You could replace every piece of that rearend with moser or whatever, weld the axle tubes, put braces on it, etc. But in the end your still left with a tiny *** rearend. But its your money.....

Now if you were an auto car it might be worth it a little more to build up the 10 bolt. But being a 6 speed car.....it is almost useless. It will last for a while....but the one time you hook up hard it will break.

Brent

 

I was thinking of a different route than a whole new transplant. Has anybody tried that upgrade before?

 

What different route?

We have discussed this article ten times on here. I wish I could buy up all the copies and burn them because it is a crock of ****. Unless you have an auto, you are wasting money building up the ten bolt.

I don't understand why people just don't 'get it'. All day long people post pics of their blown up 10 bolts. It is not a worthwhile project.

It's always amazing to me that people will spend thousands of money making their car go fast, and then whine about spending $2k on one of the most important things, your rear end. Making eleventy billion horsepower does not mean jack if you are trying to push it through a 10 bolt.

Let's break down the cost, again, of a 10 bolt.

gears - $150
axles - $250
rear cover - $125
stupid axle brace - $150
differential - $600
fluids and bearings - $100

So you're up to $1375, and that's not even including labor, which can be at least another $300. Ok, so you do all of that. You've spent $1675 on your stupid 10 bolt, and guess what, there is no guarantee you won't shear all of the teeth off of the pinion tomorrow. Or that the housing itself won't twist. Or whatever. With the 10 bolt you are ALWAYS LIMITED BY SIZE. This is why we get aftermarket rear ends like 9 inches, 12 bolts, and S60's. They are bigger, they are beefier, and you will break 5 "built" 10 bolts before you hear a peep out of an aftermarket rear end.

Trust me, if there was a cheap alternative, people would do it. There is a reason these rears cost what they do. If it was easy for Joe Schmoe to get a 12 bolt out from a 1974 pickup and slap it under his 4th gen, moser wouldn't be selling them for $2k.

Even though people will drag their feet about buying one, it's one of the best things you can buy for your car. Buy it. Install it. FORGET ABOUT IT!! And that's it, no worrying about breaking....

 

So what you're saying is the 10 bolt isn't worth trying to make stronger??



I'm just kidding but I agree the only way to fix the problem is to go with a 9", 12 bolt or S60