Stock 8.5 rear, what mods and whats its limit???

[coach]

Hey Guys,
I just finished installing a HR rear drag bar and adjustable chromoly,lower and upper trailing arms. Now I must beef up the rear diff itself. I plan on Moser axles and a TA girdle, but what are some other mods? What is the limit for the 8.5? Going to be putting about 650-700HP to the rear wheels with the new engine thru a Vince Janis tranny.

Thanks
Coach

 

[Chuck Leeper]

I use Detroit locker, 3.42 gears, [Detroit Gear], c-clip eliminators, T/A cover. [840@ the FW]
My choice of axles WOULD NOT be Moser...Strange is my preference.

 

[coach]

I use Detroit locker, 3.42 gears, [Detroit Gear], c-clip eliminators, T/A cover. [840@ the FW]
My choice of axles WOULD NOT be Moser...Strange is my preference.

Your the man. I didnt know they made a Det Locker for the 8.5. I have a real Ford Motorsport unit in my Pro Street car, but then Ford quit making them. Who makes them now? I threw Moser out there, because I have used them before. Strange were very pricey last time I checked and I never used them before. I have used Mark Williams axles also. Do you have to mod your housing to put the C-clip kit on?

Thanks
Coach

 

[novaderrik]

Your the man. I didnt know they made a Det Locker for the 8.5. I have a real Ford Motorsport unit in my Pro Street car, but then Ford quit making them. Who makes them now? I threw Moser out there, because I have used them before. Strange were very pricey last time I checked and I never used them before. I have used Mark Williams axles also. Do you have to mod your housing to put the C-clip kit on?

Thanks
Coach

Ford never "made" the Detroit Locker- they just gave it a Ford part number and put them in a Ford Motorsports box and jacked the price up accordingly.
and i think the only reason they did that was because they used them in trucks or something.
i think there is a Detroit Locker made for every rear axle out there.

 

[coach]

Ford never "made" the Detroit Locker- they just gave it a Ford part number and put them in a Ford Motorsports box and jacked the price up accordingly.
and i think the only reason they did that was because they used them in trucks or something.
i think there is a Detroit Locker made for every rear axle out there.

Nowadays there are many "Detroit Lockers", but the registered name was used by Ford all through the 60's. You either got a "Traction Lock" rear diff, or the "Detriot Locker". Those were the 2 units offered as options to the open diff. Most race ready, big block Ford cars had 31 spline axles and Detroits. Most ordered for street use opted for the traction lock. A true Detroit will bang as the gears disengage when turning and this was quite annoying to the average driver.They had a decal in the glove box that warned of this "banging noise". Mopars' was the "Sure-Grip" in the 8 3/4 and there was a name for the one used in the Dana 60s used in Mopars also, but it slips my mind. GM never named theirs. In the early 60's front loaders, it was the "P" case posi unit. As for who made them, not to many diff parts were made by any of the big 3. They were mostly Dana, Spicer,Borg-Warner and a few others back then.

 

[Dwayne]

I use a Moser 33 spline spool and axles with ford ends welded on with the big ford drum brake kit.......I launched off the t-brake.......never a failure......OC still uses his 8.5 rearend in his TSO car with never a failure.......Those that say a 8.5 rearend won't hold up are the same people who don't know how to set one up.

 

[ttaowner]

jack cotton has a 8.5 rear still in his car. he runs about 8.80 @158 ?

his car obviously has some upgrades to it. call him he has the parts to do whatever you want to do to your rear. 413 789 0531

Welcome To CottonsPerformance.com!

 

[ted borman]

Hey I have a detroit locker in my '86 Grand national(new to GN ownership) The car had the original wheels with radial ta's. I just put 275/60/15 drag radials on the car and now it REALLY makes a lot of noise. Is that because the tires are sticky and it makes the locker sound more violent? With the Radial T/A's it would chirp and bark the tires quite a bit when making turns but now it sounds like something is going to break.