Rearend upgrades in a 6.0L Lowrider Cruiser (Hydraulic Car)

[Phreaktor]

What’s up fellas? Something a little different here… I’m building an 82 Monte Carlo lowrider that will have a 6.0L LS swap (400-425HP) and hydraulic suspension. This car won’t be used for racing, just cruising and highway driving. It’ll also be on 13” wire wheels and 155/80/R13 tires.

The car needs to be able to hit “3-Wheel Motion” (lock the car up and drop the back right or left as you turn and the opposing wheel comes off the ground a couple feet) around corners and I’m told a posi rear will cause issues with “tire chirping” and that I need to do a limited slip and upgraded axles to support the motor swap. This is my first time messing around with axles/gears/diffs, so bear with me if I sound like a noob. 😑

Can you recommend the parts/manufacturers I should go with to make the upgrades to the rear? I am planning to do disc brakes as well, but I need to do more research into swap kits and retrofits from other cars and their compatibility with the 13” wheels. What axles/differential/bearing kits should I be looking at for the OEM 7.5” 10 bolt? I want to use the stock 3.42 gears currently in the stock “1 tire fire” open diff rear. I’ve read that going to 28 spline axles would be a reasonable upgrade as well. What else would need to be changed with that axle upgrade?

I picked up a second rearend for dirt cheap ($50) tonight to build so I don’t have to take the car off the road for a long time to make the upgrades and install the swivel ball mounts for the hydraulic cylinders.

Task/Parts List:

▪️Disc Brakes
▪️Weld-in Reinforcement Truss
▪️Axles
▪️Limited Slip Differential
▪️Powerball mounts for the cylinders
▪️Brake Lines
▪️Bushings
▪️Differential Cover
▪️Surface Prep and Eastwood POR-15 Chassis Paint

Thanks for any help you guys can provide.

 

[mclellan83]

Very cool, my only concern would be all that power and very little stopping power with the small wheels

 

[dmac35242]

“3-Wheel Motion” refers to one *front* wheel being off the ground while both rear tires stay planted.
You should experience no more issues turning a corner as you would if all four tires were on the road.

My PowerTrax unit ratchets and may chirp a tire occasionally but the sound & feel is all part of the hot rod experience, in my humble opinion.

 

[Houston78]

I think you will have a hard time finding a disc brake upgrade to fit 13s, keep us posted on your upgrade/swap I'm interested in it!

 

[SS_Malibu]

Welcome to the GBodyForum!
Nice Lowrider. I'm guessing you already have the 6.0 LS and all the additional stuff to put it in and that's why you're wanting to use it however, being a lowrider and cruising it the key, something a bit more tame may be to consider and save your 6.0 for your "go fast" build. Big horsepower combined with 13" wires may not be the best combo. You may also need to stay with drum brakes as disk will be quite difficult to fit with 13's.
I grew up is SoCal in the 70's and there were quite a few Lowriders out there with hydraulics by in the day. Nice to see you keeping the scene alive.
Good Luck on your build. Looking forward to seeing the progress.

 

[ssn696]

Here is some motivational material from Espanola, New Mexico. Saw this in a car culture display at the Albuquerque Sunport during one of my work trips in 2019.

 

[ssn696]

More car culture. Check out the Gs in the mix.

The Rise Of Lady Lowriders And Other All-Women Car Clubs In LA

In the past five years, women in L.A. and throughout California have started creating a new future for custom car culture.

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