0ski_dwn_it

What is the difference between the rear ends, say a dana 44, in a 89 vette to that of a 96? I saw an add in GM high Tech for systems that allow conversions to ford 9" rears for ~2100 bucks.

I don't have the add here in front of me, it just said lt1 conversions. Are they talking about the camero cars, or is this something that could be adapted to the vettes...

Anyone with any experience know anything that could enlighten me? :cheers:


[Modified by ski_dwn_it, 2:48 PM 1/2/2003]

Caboboy

I'll bet it's F body suspensions they're talking about, rather than Y body. Sure would put your mind at ease as far as the rear end is concerned though.

As far as the difference in the C4 D44 only, I don't think there is one. The D44 for my '87 came out of a '91, so I can't say for sure.

bogus

that would be an Fbody conversion. The Fbodies are notorious for having crap rear ends.

The Dana 44 is well known for being strong as hell.

they do break, but it takes effort.

you don't have to worry...

and I agree, I don't think there is any difference in the D44 from its arrival in 1985 to its exit in 1996... BTW, Dodge uses a D44 in the Viper...

what makes it a D44 is the guts... the cases are not compatible from Viper to GM, I don't think.

0ski_dwn_it

I figured they were most likely talking about the cameros. Probably isn't the demand in the vettes to constitute a 9" conversion, not to mention the loss of the independant suspension would scare away most.

I really think the D44 is gonna be the weak link in my setup. I just hate to drop 1500 bucks and have it explode all over the track, when that money could be going in a bulletproof setup, like a 9".

Its not spending the money that makes me sick, its if it just wasted. :U

Wonder how hard it would be to get a 9" setup in the car? I know its been done, but it probably would be a nightmare for the average person to do, that is why I was inquiring on the ad.

Thanks....

tommelton

There may have been no INTERNAL changes, but the case changed somewhere around 188 or 1989. A change was made to use larger bolts to hold the camber strut rod brackets to the case/cover. So smaller bolts were used in the earlier models and larger bolts in the later models.

Tom Melton
82 CE
86 Z51 Coupe with 1996 D44

Caboboy

That's exactly what I was alluding to when I mentioned putting your mind at ease with the 9" unit. I was thinking the rear end was gonna be the weak link in mine too, but I guess something will always be weakest somewhere :lol:

fullboogie

There's a killer tech tip on how to strengthen the D44. It's got a lot of info and pics on how to add bracing to the "batwing", and other stuff.

Vic'89

Jess

I had a Ford 9" in my 88 Irocz. It was bulletproof.

The whole setup with 3.70 gears and a Detroit locker cost me $1800 ready to bolt in.

No such option exists for out Vettes.

Vic

0ski_dwn_it

THat SUcks! :mad

Mr Mojo

But wait, have you looked in the drag racing section lately?

RPM Frank is working on a Ford 8.8 rear that will be a direct bolt in for the C4.

It's not going to be cheap(from what I've heard), but the more interest and the more sales surely will bring the price down some.

Go check it out.

mackeyred96

That sounds great.

I'm going to check it out
;)

snaketr

John Meany does not have any trouble with his D44. His is the aqua 89 with now 1700 hp. So unless you are going over this you should be fine.

HR383

A D44 is plenty strong!.......but if you plan on replacing it with a 9".....it will be useless as a road car.....but that can be done also it does reuire a lot of work (trust me)....my sugestion is.....unless your car is running so fast that NHRA rules mandate removal of IRS ...."keep the d44"
HUEZO :reddevil RACING

0ski_dwn_it

1700 HP :eek: I think the only way the rear would hold that kind of power is with the tires going up in smoke every time you touch the gas :D

Your making me feel better about the D44. i looked in the tech tips for the reinforcement tips, but did not see any...maybe I skipped over it :confused:

snaketr

Very true, it black the first 1/8 mile of the track. What I should have said it the car covers the last 1/8 mile in 3 seconds and to run 160+ in the 1/4 takes amazing wheel speed and the D44 is living through that. As a matter of fact in the article they did last time on the car that made note that the stock D44 has never failed in it.

0ski_dwn_it

Sound like the pin is already pulled on that gernade and it just has a delayed fuse. :lol: I would not want my rear end exploding under my azz at 160+mph....You are just asking to get killed! :eek:

Speedracer176

John Meany is making like 1300+ hp....i pretty much copied his setup.


ski_down_it

IMHO, your not going to make enough hp/torque to break a properly built dana 44.

CORKVETTE1

now serious guys do you really think those rears will hold up i would like to hear from everybody out there because this subject very much interests me i mean how about new92racer (dave) he has broken quite a few of them ralph broke some i think also and these guys dont have no where near 1300 hp either please chime in :cheers:

0ski_dwn_it

I may be off in left field with this comment, but I will bet that corkvette is putting way more stress on his rear than these guys with 1300+ hp. For the simple fact their 60ft times are probably totally spinning and no where near low 1.5s.

I would guess that most failure on the rears, any rear for that matter, are off the line and not past the 60' mark.

I too would like to hear from some others on the subject. What gears are these guys running with 1300+ HP. I would image the higher gears like 3.07 have a better survival chance than 4.10 due to the increase in material from less teeth, but again I may be way off.

snaketr

To set the story straight, at the time the article was written is was 1300 hp, it is now 1700 because of a turbo swap. Yes if the rear is properly built it will hold up even with low 60' times. You will break u-joints before the rear. My friend Dan who tune very fast DFI equipped cars for a living has a customer with a 89 that races in Richmond, VA sometimes. The car has a 3.54 D44 and it is currently turning a 9.94 and is naturally aspirated. It has never broken. I do not know what the HP is on the car but it is a full weight so plug it in to your hp calculator and figure it out. Of course I am not saying they will not break, anything can, Dan's camaro just crippled a 35 spline 9" ford with spool in it.


[Modified by snaketr, 10:03 PM 1/3/2003]