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Well it seems the 12 bolts are too expensive for you guys...Here is somthing else i can do maybe so you have a good start base.
We build alot of these LARGE 10 bolt 8.5 S-10 rears which will be the same width as the monza and vega rears ....All they have are leaf spring perches you will have to mount your own control arm or ladder bar brackets to the housing. This may save you some money in narrowing a rear.

I can build 10 bolt 8.5 rear diffs with 30 spline axles (AS strong as 12 bolt chevy, I guarentee that.) We use one in our race monza and been going for 6 years with NO matainence except OIL.
I can build these rears same width as the s-10 48" backing plate to backing plate for about 400.00 that would include 2 NEW 30 spline c-clip axles and the 10 bolt 8.5 housing made the same width as a monza/vega.

Hi. Jim. Thanks for looking for ways to get us a cheaper rear end. I was wondering if there is a way to mount a torque arm to the 8.5? So far, that seems to be the problem area for the 3-link cars.

Yes I know this. I have not a come with anything I deem reliable. Welding to cast just seems like flipping a coin. Bolt on items would be too bulky and combersome to make cheap again. I am always looking...

It is not that we can not do or that a 12 bolt housing from moser is NOT available. They are just very expensive options.

I really think most of you guys underestimate the 7.5 rear in a street application and even some drag race stuff.

Now if your car is going well into the 11 second range i would say you have enough money in the moter that you should spend some on a good rear diff. So this is why I scratch my head and wonder. 2-3 in the motor and trans youi should be able to do the same for what puts it to the ground. ??? My thought.

I don't think about it much but I do sometimes wonder if a torque arm has to be mounted rigid to the rear like the stock TA is. Couldn't you mount it to a single mounting point so it can pivot just like the upper arms on a 4 link set up?
Another thing I thought about is take a piece of 1/8" or even 1/4" steel and cut it out in the shape of the cover gasket. Bolt it between the rear housing and the cover (2 gaskets required). Leave some material off to the sides at the top and bottom or the diff housing to bolt a torque arm. It could even double as a girdle?

Yes I was think that also...Very little room under there...lol. I am still trying that route too. Jim

Are you saying there is a 8.5 10 bolt that came stock in a s10??

Yes.... But what I am saying is they are very hard to find. Then when you do find them they want alot of money for them. like 400.00 dolars and up. SO that is why I make them. Jim

What kind of gears and or differential is included in that price? Or is that just for the housing? There are 8.5 S10 rear ends on ebay every now and again. Usually with a posi and 3.42 gears.

Hey Jim good to meet ya. Lol ...... I was just wondering about that cause honest to god I have never heard of that diff before.. I've had nothing but camaros for over twenty years and know nothing of s10's other then the 7.5's. The 10 bolt is a strong one. I used one in my 78 Z28 with 30 spline axles , detroit locker and the car at 3025 ran 10.99 on the motor and 10:14's on the spray. Couldn't break it. I agree, they are just as strong. I just picked up a 74 Astre with no motor and trans with the hooker v8 kit and a 9 inch already installed, but the conversion isn't very nice. I believe the diff in it right now is 52 and 1/4. Stock mounts on the car are already tore away so I'm looking to ladder bar or redo the mounts my way for strength. But the diff is abit narrow for wheel selection. I'm sure I can make it work though. That 54 1/4 would give me a better wheel selection though.
Heres a pic of it

$400 is a steal, Jim. Thanks man.

spyder_xlch wrote:Another thing I thought about is take a piece of 1/8" or even 1/4" steel and cut it out in the shape of the cover gasket. Bolt it between the rear housing and the cover (2 gaskets required). Leave some material off to the sides at the top and bottom or the diff housing to bolt a torque arm. It could even double as a girdle?

This is something I have been thinking about for some time, especially after seeing what Roush did on the Bondurant Mustangs.

Chuck

Nice picture... Can we get it smaller...LOL Can you forward a larger shot of that to mitschke454@windstream.net. I woul d like to see close up if you can. I was thinking of stuff like that BUT look at the labor involved with reproducing that. When your trying to resell it is almost impossible to make any money from it. Labor and material have to be paid for remember. Jim

Posi 379.00 eaton clutch type unit. or Auburn Cone type unit 399.00 will get you a true trac posi unit. We can do as cheap as mini spool also for 150.00 that includes the open carrier used and the mini spool unit new. All new bearings are 110.00 includes all seal carrier bearings pinion bearings and axle bearings. Gear choices for 159.00 are 3.42 3.73 3.90 4.10 4.56. Anything else will have to check pricing. That covers some of the most popular gears.

NOW remember we can also build this rear with 28 spline rear and reconditioned posi unit much cheaper and it will still be very strong for any light weight monza or vega. 259.00 for the recon unit bearings are always the same and alway NEW along with seals of course. Gears 2.41-3.23 used we have 35-65 in price. 3.42 -4.56 only new used just go very quick when we do get them in. Axle good used 28 spline are 75.00 for the pair . This comes down to a very well price rear diff. like under 1000.00 total.

monzaz wrote:Nice picture... Can we get it smaller...LOL Can you forward a larger shot of that to mitschke454@windstream.net. I woul d like to see close up if you can. I was thinking of stuff like that BUT look at the labor involved with reproducing that. When your trying to resell it is almost impossible to make any money from it. Labor and material have to be paid for remember. Jim

Sorry, it was the only photo I could find on the Car Craft site while I'm at work. The company I work for purchased 4 of these Mustangs, so I have more photos of this torque arm setup at home. Plus, my buddy Dave (who makes the adjustable upper control arms) just designed his own tubular torque arm and Watt's linkage for the 12-bolt in his Vega wagon. I'll have to see if I can scam some photos of that, as well.

Chuck

LOL. Ok. Jim