Solid Axle Conversion
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 102
Likes: 1
From: St. Jacob IL
Solid Axle Conversion
Hi all. For a couple of years I have been worrying about the Dana 44 IRS in my '80. I know that although my car is an automatic car, I have the diff from a manual car. I'm assuming that it was blown up at some point. After looking at how difficult/expensive it is to beef those up or swap them to iron diffs that are only marginally stronger, I'm seriously considering doing a four link conversion with a 12 bolt solid axle.
I'm interested how satisfied people are who have done this, because it doesn't seem easily reversible. While I would like to able to safely drag race the car at my local track, I don't want it to be a drag car, per se. I want it to be a solid road track car that can haul in a straight line if I want it to. How does the 4 link affect the handling? Better/worse?
I'm interested how satisfied people are who have done this, because it doesn't seem easily reversible. While I would like to able to safely drag race the car at my local track, I don't want it to be a drag car, per se. I want it to be a solid road track car that can haul in a straight line if I want it to. How does the 4 link affect the handling? Better/worse?
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,704
Likes: 27
Although myself I'm not convinced, there are many people that argue that the Dana 44 is plenty tough already.
Unless you were making a 9 second drag car I wouldn't do it.
IF your just running street tires I definitely wouldn't worry about that rear end. If you were pumping out 600 hp and running slicks then I might worry.
Unless you were making a 9 second drag car I wouldn't do it.
IF your just running street tires I definitely wouldn't worry about that rear end. If you were pumping out 600 hp and running slicks then I might worry.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 823
Likes: 57
From: Austin TX
A solid rear is absolutely unnecessary unless you expect to be well above 600 HP. Even then, the older iron rear can be made pretty tough. There's no need to ruin the car like this unless you're planning an all-out big block.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,524
Likes: 61
From: Medina Ohio
I was suprisingly shocked last weekend while at a friend of a friends house and walked into the garage to see an 81-82 vette setup strictly for the strip. Car has slicks on it, runs low 11's, so asked him what he has done to the rear end...
Nothing. All stock.
This goes against what I have seemed to believe on here about tires being a fail safe and not putting much power AND grip on the stock rear end. Apparently it can be done.
Nothing. All stock.
This goes against what I have seemed to believe on here about tires being a fail safe and not putting much power AND grip on the stock rear end. Apparently it can be done.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 102
Likes: 1
From: St. Jacob IL
Thanks guys. Eventually is like to do a turbo LS swap with a 6 speed. For now it's a ~375hp smallblock with a TCI 700R4. I have driven solid axle MGB's and really liked the way they handled, but they were designed for that from the get go. The Vette was designed around the IRS. I guess I will leave her stock and trust the Dana 44. I'm running street tires right now and will continue to do so in the future so hopefully it's not an issue.
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Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Central NJ
I LIKE IT!!! any issues on tire/frame clearance?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
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From: Corsicana, Tx
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There's a gazzillion solid axle cars going around corners very quickly. I don't know that an IRS is as giant an advantage as folks think it is..especially for a typical street car.
JIM
JIM