NEW 9" Rear End Assemblies

[leefybeaver]

Hey everyone. I'm considering taking the plunge in to a 9" rear end. I have looked into swapping an 8.8 from a Mustang, I actually have a complete rear end from what appears to be a 2004 Mustang but after taking into consideration the fabrication and additional parts and all the other nonsense of making use of some junkyard parts I'm thinking of taking the easy way out and getting a complete unit from say Summit or Speedway Motors. The units they are selling (SUM-CSUMCT006 and Part # 91048424-58-43/4 ) appear to be the same, and Quick Performance has their 9" offering. I haven't ignored the fact the Summit and Speedway units do not come with a center section!

My 84 Buick currently has a 6.0L LS with 4L60, the car is a daily driver in the summer months. Once the drivetrain is upgraded the engine will likely see some upgrades (heads, cam) to get to the 400hp-450hp range. Don't worry, I have a 4L80 waiting in the shop or possibly a TKX 5 speed!

So, my ask here is. For the price of the new rear ends and their bolt in and go simplicity are they worth it? Has anyone here purchased one of these before? Is there a better option or alternative option? I don't want to suggest that money is isn't a consideration, but I certainly don't mind paying for something that will work out of the box. I always appreciate the input here.

Thanks everyone

 

[Doug Chahoy]

QUICK PERFORMANCE I got mine last year about this time. I ordered mine with the GM housing ends so I could use the 2000 era F body disc brake conversion. Had to take the axles and bearings to a shop to get the bearings pressed on ( $40.00 ). Very easy install. And I don’t claim to be a mechanic. At the same time I replaced springs with Moog and control arms sway bar with UMI tubular, finished off with KYB gas shocks.

 

[lilbowtie]

Have a Moser in the Regal and a QP in the Sonoma. Wouldn't have done it any other way and you can order it with the options you want to how complete you want.

 

[GP403]

Our sponsor Southside Machine... I think they do full kits

https://southsidemachineperformance.com/shop-1/ols/categories/gm-g-body-1978-1988

Macguyver

 

[UC645]

The fab work for swapping in an 8.8 isnt really that bad, even with one from an SN95. The housing is the same as the fox body ones.

You’ll be paying for a swap kit that will give you some significant improvements over the stock setup, but will be a bigger pain in the rear with nearly everything, from wheels to driveshafts, but the biggest thing of all is you can’t bolt in a sway bar if you go that route.

What it boils down to is wether you want to fiddle with stuff, or take it out of a box and toss it in the car.

 

[leefybeaver]

The fab work for swapping in an 8.8 isnt really that bad, even with one from an SN95. The housing is the same as the fox body ones.

You’ll be paying for a swap kit that will give you some significant improvements over the stock setup, but will be a bigger pain in the rear with nearly everything, from wheels to driveshafts, but the biggest thing of all is you can’t bolt in a sway bar if you go that route.

What it boils down to is wether you want to fiddle with stuff, or take it out of a box and toss it in the car.

I'm getting tired of fiddling with stuff. I just want to enjoy the car! I think my rear end is actually from an 05! Even still, I can cut and weld if needed. That Southside Machine kit for 8.8 swaps looks like decent option if I cut off the upper trailing arm mount. I only paid a couple hundred bucks for this thing. So I dint really think about it. Bought...figured I'd be able to sell it for at least what I paid!

 

[UC645]

I’m not sure those rears will fit a g body even with a swap kit, it looks way wider than my 8.8:

 

[leefybeaver]

I’m not sure those rears will fit a g body even with a swap kit, it looks way wider than my 8.8:
View attachment 164434

Yeah, it is wider. But I was okay with that. Tires are sucked inside the wheel well quite a bit with the factory rear end. So I was thinking / hoping that this would kick the tires out 3/4" - 1" each side and fill the wheel well a bit nicer. That's the thought anyway!

 

[Maverick's_Monte]

I was dead set on purchasing a nine inch years ago simply because I heard the tales of their reliability and durability. I ultimately ended up purchasing a Dana 60 (or S60) from Strange Engineering. Will at Strange explained that unless I was looking to take the rear end apart to change gears based upon road/track conditions it would not make sense to pay for a feature I would probably never use. The S60 was ultimately cheaper than their 9" set up and I have had absolutely zero problems with it. If you do go for a "shipped new to you" rear end, I would suggest getting it with the disc brakes mounted and ready to plumb.


Yes, all my friends are jealous, even though its not a 9"...HA!

 

[Texas82GP]

If my car didn't already have an 8.5" in it that more than meets my needs. I likely would have gone with a bolt in 9". Sometimes it is hard to beat a pre-engineered solution.