this is also in interesting idea...
http://www.lpwracing.com/p_axletubebrace.asp

i may try to extend the life on my 10 bolt, considering now i have 2 4th gens in need of strong rears and ill only cough up the cash for one right now.

a good rear cover that helps keep the dif in place and reduce housing deflection is helpful.

and the main cap stud kit helps too. But really, its all just a bandaid.

go to ls1tech and search 10 bolt rear. you'll see plenty of carnage from v6 to v8 to big boost turbo motors. the 10 bolt rear isnt even worth modding anymore with all the different rear options they have out there. swapping out the 10 bolt is the first mod anyone should do if building a fbody. even before touching the exhaust.

I wouldnt go that far...theres plently of guys out there running heads/cam setups w/ no problems w/ the stock 10 bolt..

To sum up 3rdgen/4thgen 10-bolts: No matter how much you polish a turd, it's still a turd.

Sure, people have put power through them and have been lucky...doesn't mean they're durable. I've had the 2 10bolts I've owned last...one had no power(86 LB) and my '00 Z28...never ran anything stickier than street tires.

The rear is junk, plain and simple. Some people have had luck with them but when a stock V6 on street tires can break them there's something wrong.

I'll stick with my 3rdgen 9-bolt until it breaks, then it's 12-bolt time.

If you plan on running your car at the track. If you just want to have a street car then a 10 bolt will hold up for a little bit. But the 1st time you go to the track you better have your AAA membership on hand.

My V6 had headers, full exhaust, and lid when I broke my first Rear. My car was making 186rwhp and 215rwtq!!

Annnnd my heads/cam slowmobile has yet to break my ten bolt. Luck of teh draw I suppose.

I would go knock on some wood after saying that!!

the a4 doesnt put as much violent force on the rear as the manuals do. honestly if you plan to mod your car, youre probably going to be doing at least a little bit of spirited driving....and whats spirited driving without a few low end blasts :lol:



honestly if youre going to mod a car i stand firm in belief that you weed out any weak parts before you go adding any power. build from the rear forwards.

I'm suprise there isnt any alternative GM rear options, like using an 8.5 rear form a second gen/large truck, or a 10.5 from a suburban or something.

i know its just a matter of time til my ten bolt goes. I know that i will not be repairing it either. Moving right on up to the 12

Im pretty shure I broke my 12 bolt...what kind of numbers are you putting down.

As stated before, the torque arm mount is the limiting factor. It's relatively easy to change shock mounts and spring perches on an axle, but the torque arm mount is cast into the housing, and adding one to a rear that doesn't have one is no simple task.

- Justin

Plus you get into width issues.

after being around and seeing all the 12 bolts that people have trashed and looking under the rear of some serious machines at the track and various car shows ive come to believe that when buying a rear and spending that type of cash on a rear you might as well spend the few extra and get the 9'' instead of the 12 bolt...theres also a dana rear thats supposed to be just as strong, maybe stronger....i think its the s60 but i dont have anything to offer on it beings im not familiar with it.....theres a guy on here that has one in his vert lt1...i think his name is blackbird something

You can break any of the rears if the situation arises. Josh broke two 9" rears.

Blackbird has an S60, as does Featherburner.

But they all will last longer then a 10 bolt!!

All of which you can get around, but it would be cheaper just to buy the right rear that is made to fit.

fab 9 is another option :)

A 9" by another name.

plus steroids. they ain't no joke and can take some rpm from a standstill.

Fab 9 is just a housing fabricated from plate steel instead of two stamped housings welded together. It still uses the same ol 9" center chunk which is what breaks usually. Nothing is "bullet proof" but any of the aftermarket rears will be sufficient for the abuse 99% of owners can throw at them.

Ok, here is the fix for the noisy Summit Racing gears:




Get a magnaflow cat back system. It will drown out any other sounds.