Flipper_1938
He recycles the right way
I'm pretty sure a 2wd S10 rear end is the narrowest common axle in the junkyard. How long will it live in front of a V8? Anybody personally destroyed one?
How strong is a S10 rear end?
- Thread starter Flipper_1938
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rods Rule:
Old Iron
Well-known member
I've seen them take an awful lot of abuse.
It'll live pretty well behind an small block and automatic.
There's one in my driveway right now that has a BBC auto with the axle snapped but the carrier is still good.
It'll live pretty well behind an small block and automatic.
There's one in my driveway right now that has a BBC auto with the axle snapped but the carrier is still good.
BlueNorther
Well-known member
be sure to look for the 8.5" later model diffs, the early 7.5's are real weak.
if you don't have crazy big rear tires, or a kabillion HP, the 8.5 will last a long time
if you don't have crazy big rear tires, or a kabillion HP, the 8.5 will last a long time
Skip
Well-known member
The boys at Dutchman [ http://www.dutchmanaxles.com/ ] told me that an S10 was good for up to about 400 HP. I saved my Ford 9 for a hotter project. 
S10
The long box regular cab is a good bet. Cheap too. I drive an 82 with the 8.5 rear end. Construction truck with no problems at 180k miles.
The long box regular cab is a good bet. Cheap too. I drive an 82 with the 8.5 rear end. Construction truck with no problems at 180k miles.
Perfectly Flaw'd
Well-known member
I've got the stock 7.5 in mine behind a 300hp 350 and it does fine. Back in the dirt track days we ran the 7.5s in street stock (3400lbs)metric cars and the held together ok. Axles was the weak link so if/when they broke (usually from getting banged and bent) we'd replace them with a Moser axle and all was well. The 7.5 is still the class spec rear end for an IMCA Southern Sport Mod car.
Long way of saying mine works fine......
Long way of saying mine works fine......
Bamamav
Well-known member
Ranger 8.8 should be about the same width and lots stronger.
Flipper_1938
He recycles the right way
Nice to know they aren't incredibly fragile.
Blue Eyed Devil
Devil's Advocate
Yep. As long as you're not doing constant hole shots, or running a sticky tire with gobs of HP they will hold up just fine. Besides, if you do manage to grenade it they are cheap and plentiful enough to be a non-issue. They are narrow, so that limits application more than anything. I ran one under a highboy roadster for years and beat the eyeballs out of it. V8 with skinny bias tires. No issues...
Flipper_1938
He recycles the right way
I was looking at it as a cheap narrowed rear end. Not to put 15 inch wide slicks, but rather to fot an 8 inch wide wheel under a studebaker.
Bamamav
Well-known member
Get a Ranger or Explorer 8.8 , narrow the long side and use two short side axles. Some Explorers came stock with rear discs.
^^X2^^I just did the 8.8 shortening on my Volvo LS swap build. Pretty easy all in all and I got a 3.73 posi rear with disc brakes from a 97 explorer for $150.
I've run S10's, F bodies and G bodies for years and they all had the same 7.5" (or 7.62" in later years) rear end and I blew almost all of them up at one point or another. Generally it will shatter the spider gears first. Rarely broke an axle. If you are just going to drive it then it will last a while but if you want to do a burn out or two then you might want to get some spares.
I've run S10's, F bodies and G bodies for years and they all had the same 7.5" (or 7.62" in later years) rear end and I blew almost all of them up at one point or another. Generally it will shatter the spider gears first. Rarely broke an axle. If you are just going to drive it then it will last a while but if you want to do a burn out or two then you might want to get some spares.
