rear end question
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
As far as how much, I'll leave it to you other guys to battle about.
Jake
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 680
From: Marlboro country MA
IIRC, the manual transmissions have a Dana44, while the automatics have the Dana36. As the above poster correctly stated, it's torque that breaks parts, not horsepower. That being said, a steeper gear ratio in the differential is going to proportoinally increase torque. Finally, the tires used are a factor. Street tires generally don't get enough traction to hook so strongly that you break things, but drag radials do.
One easy rule of thumb to consider whether your differential can survive is to look at your 60-foot times. A Dana36 will hold up for a long time with 60' times of 1.9 seconds and higher, but when the 60 foot times get into the 1.7's or lower, it's a matter of time. On the other hand, the Dana44 is stronger, and will hold up for a long time with 60 foot times in the 1.6's. Start getting into the 1.5's, and you may - or may not - have trouble.
As always, YMMV.
One easy rule of thumb to consider whether your differential can survive is to look at your 60-foot times. A Dana36 will hold up for a long time with 60' times of 1.9 seconds and higher, but when the 60 foot times get into the 1.7's or lower, it's a matter of time. On the other hand, the Dana44 is stronger, and will hold up for a long time with 60 foot times in the 1.6's. Start getting into the 1.5's, and you may - or may not - have trouble.
As always, YMMV.
