Local GN rear opinions

[snotrocket71]

hey, i was looking over craigslist and found a GN rear for sale literally 5 minutes away from me http://longisland.craigslist.org/pts/2235460477.html
so for a grand id get a ready to go rear and driveshaft
I talked to him jsut before and he said that the axle tubes were welded and it is a posi rear
whats everyones thoughts? go for it? hold off? i planned on a gear swap so my logic is why not make it more durable along the way.
i'd be spotting the bill on this one until my brother pays me back

...makes me wish i didnt pass up on a totally rebuilt (axles, eaton posi, new 3.42 gears, girdle cover, rebuilt brakes etc) GN rear for $800 including the driveshaft

 

[Tuggy24g]

It sounds good and all, but to me the axle tubes welded are a turn off. What if the axles brake for some reason or something is wrong with them. Maybe you want to upgrade them. It will be a pain and a long time consuming project. I feel this GN rear is not worth in IMO.
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/pts/2237468008.html

 

[snotrocket71]

yeah, the axle tubes being welded were a turn off. i figured what the hell, lets see what everyone has to say. its sooo close to me which is why i liked it, its hard to find these things near me... i wonder if i bought the rear in the craigslist ad you posted for full price if he'd include the OTHER rear in the bottom left picture... :wink:

 

[jrm81bu]

It sounds good and all, but to me the axle tubes welded are a turn off. What if the axles brake for some reason or something is wrong with them. Maybe you want to upgrade them. It will be a pain and a long time consuming project. I feel this GN rear is not worth in IMO.
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/pts/2237468008.html

The axle tubes are already welded to the center section, just with a plug weld. A lot of people will run a weld continuosly around the tube to make it more rigid. None of this will have anything to do with changing axles.

 

[Blake442]

It sounds good and all, but to me the axle tubes welded are a turn off. What if the axles brake for some reason or something is wrong with them. Maybe you want to upgrade them. It will be a pain and a long time consuming project. I feel this GN rear is not worth in IMO.
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/pts/2237468008.html

The axle tubes are already welded to the center section, just with a plug weld. A lot of people will run a weld continuosly around the tube to make it more rigid. None of this will have anything to do with changing axles.

X2

Most would consider the welded tubes a good thing, not a negative.
The likelyhood of damaging an axle tube to the point of needing replacement is beyond extremely slim.
A collision is just about the only thing that can damage them like that, and if that's the case, you've got bigger things to worry about...

 

[stomis]

X3

What the hell are you guys talking about? Axle tubes being welded is an upgrade to stop the 3rd member from flipping up if the plug welds break. The interference fit between the case and the tube is so tight I bet you would never been able to change them if they werent welded at all.

I've seen guys do i before, it takes well over 50,000 lbs of pressure and alot of heating with a torch....


Personally I dont see any reason to buy an 8.5 rear unless you get an awesome deal on it. For a grand you could go to the junkyard, yank a 9in out of some shitty 70s ford POS for $100, put brackets on it, gear it, posi, and mosier shafts and still come in under a grand...

 

[snotrocket71]

I kinda thought the seller beat on it before hand which is why the axle tube thing got my ears perked. he explained how it came out of a GN that ran 10's with the stock axle (the one for sale) so i was figuring that maybe something happened through its life causing a loss in structural integrity. i guess my logics a bit strange.. i'll see if i cant talk him down...

 

[snotrocket71]

Out of curiosity, how much strength would gained from going from a stock 7.5 to a Monte SS 7.625? ... no difference? or at least a middle ground between an 8.5 or 7.5? or just get the damned 8.5 and call it a day?

 

[stomis]

Out of curiosity, how much strength would gained from going from a stock 7.5 to a Monte SS 7.625? ... no difference? or at least a middle ground between an 8.5 or 7.5? or just get the damned 8.5 and call it a day?

Definitely not a middle ground. an 8.2 10 bolt from a 60s/70s A body would be a middle ground between the two.

If you can get the rear for less then buy it up.

 

[snotrocket71]

Id love to just go and buy it, but i'd need my brother to come up with half the cash, i'm really bleeding money between my 71 and our 87... i should convince my grandpa to let me swap the posi rear out of our 442 into the cutlass so he can get a drop in 12 bolt or 9" for the big block swap he always talked about