Gears installed
01-05-2009, 12:55 PM
#11
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 498
The 8.8" axle is about 40 lbs "heavier" than the 7.5"... so unless you're racing the car in a National Championship, I'd defy anyone to tell me they can feel the difference.
Is your car any slower when you drive home from the grocery store?.. didn't think so!
Dual exhaust adds more weight & doesn't add any performance to compensate.. still one of the MOST popular mods!
Is your car any slower when you drive home from the grocery store?.. didn't think so!
Dual exhaust adds more weight & doesn't add any performance to compensate.. still one of the MOST popular mods!
Last edited by iROK24/7; 01-05-2009 at 12:58 PM.
01-05-2009, 01:14 PM
#12
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Southern California
Posts: 3,678
just to play devils advocate, it cost me less than 600 bucks to get my gears+t-lok+labor...thats quite a bit cheaper than the 8.8. and if you dont have a forced induction setup or are not a track junkie, i wouldnt want the extra weight of the larger and heavier rear.
remember too, if youre getting a take off with 3.73s or 4.10, all of those are NOT from the factory, someone took out the stock gear and set up the new one! buying a takeoff has the same risk for whine as a normal install does.
it is a lot easier to bolt up the 8.8 rear than do a gear install. the 8.8 swap is something you may be able to do yourself.
remember too, if youre getting a take off with 3.73s or 4.10, all of those are NOT from the factory, someone took out the stock gear and set up the new one! buying a takeoff has the same risk for whine as a normal install does.
it is a lot easier to bolt up the 8.8 rear than do a gear install. the 8.8 swap is something you may be able to do yourself.
01-05-2009, 01:38 PM
#14
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 498
01-05-2009, 03:06 PM
#16
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: IL
Posts: 777
and if youre not going f/i and you dont plan on drag racing the car, unless you want the DIY aspect of the 8.8 rear or cant/dont want to take it to a shop to get a gear and t-lok installed, or the price between the two isnt much, i dont see one option being better than the other.
and as for the 'only 40 lbs heavier' comment, tell everyone that went with a one piece driveshaft that the 13 lbs of rotational mass they saved wasnt worth it.
*edit*
i will correct myself, there is another valid reason to go 8.8...if you want a 3.90 gear. i think a 3.90 gear wouldve been perfect for my setup but that ship has long since sailed.
*edit x2*
OR if you want a FFRP brand 4.10, a 8.8 is your only choice. i think the same people that make motive gears made FFRP for a while.
Last edited by Devil Wolf; 01-05-2009 at 03:43 PM.
01-05-2009, 03:44 PM
#17
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 498
HAHA!! Devil, you should know there's a WORLD of difference between saving weight off your driveshaft vs. the axle! The driveshaft's ENTIRE weight needs to revolve 4X for each revolution of the axle AND the entire axle assembly is NOT spinning - only the internals... so the extra 40 lbs is not ALL rotational mass! The axle weight difference is imperceptible to the driver. OTOH, when you put an aluminum driveshaft on the car you NOTICE immediately!
Last edited by iROK24/7; 01-05-2009 at 03:46 PM.
01-06-2009, 01:53 PM
#20
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Southern California
Posts: 3,678
so the primary weak point in the typical upgraded 7.5 rear is the posi (FRPP T-Lok), correct? obviously the 8.8 is beefier and stronger all around but if one were to upgrade their 7.5's posi (Detroit TT, etc.), then the durability factor could even out with a take-off 8.8 and hold up fine for a supercharged track car? just a thought.