JayL

iTrader: (12)

Also, Brainsboy, with your conversion, what did you do for the rear?

posidon42

iTrader: (4)

So build them yourself and sell them. If they prove to meet standards for this use, I am sure you would have tons of customers waiting for you. Buy the CTS diff, the v8 rear end and a $500 axle and you would probably have a lot of turbo guys looking into that option as well.

Brainsboy

Nothing yet, still running the 1.6L 348,000 mile diff in it. I know it wont hold up long thats why I have been doing alot of research on doing my own diff conversion which is how I know about the axles now. I didnt want to get stuck with a conversion I couldnt get axles for.

Whatever I do, I will be making a template so making another one wont be a problem. I would like to be able to offer you guys and friends a cheaper solution that doesnt have to break your wallet.

patsmx5

iTrader: (16)

I disagree. And if I had to choose, I think torque IS the better expression to use really, no offense. I don't think it's the torque or power specifically though. It's shock loads that breaks ****. You wind out a gear and then grab second hard and that puts a hellacious load on parts; much more than what the engine produces on its own. I'd argue with a strong clutch the transmission gears "see" 10x more torque on a hard shift then what the engine actually produces. I'd be afraid to do the math and calculate just how much power gets shoved through the gear box as it has to deal with all the energy stored up in the rotating mass at say a 3K RPM delta in say .2 seconds for a hard shift. It's a lot. It's much much more than what the engine alone makes. Ask yourself what would happen if you rev your engine to 7K from a stop, turn the key off, and dump the clutch in gear?

JayL

iTrader: (12)

Let's save the debate about horsepower and torque for another thread. What I'm talking about is relatively simple. Launching a high horsepower, high torque car at the drag strip, having it stick and not break the rear end. Launching is probably the most stressful thing you can do to a car. Plain and simple, it's violent, much more so than running through the gears will be. With our cars, the rear end will go long before the transmission. At least that's been my experience so far. Running slicks and using launch control, I need some kind of solution so I'm not coming back to the forum to share the pictures of my shattered diff. I'm hoping to find out some information on a rear end setup that will handle this kind of abuse. I thought that Boss Frog had a solution that was worth looking into, hence why I started this thread.

elesjuan

iTrader: (11)

1989 - 1997 T-Birds all had an IRS setup. Pretty upscale setup for a vehicle that came at one time with only ONE engine.. a 3.8 liter with 140 horsepower and an automatic transmission. However, the exact same differential and SLA IRS setup (with a limited slip unit) was in the SuperCoupe, which was factory rated at 315# of torque in a 3800 pound car. All that on only 12psi..

I liked the price of that rear end bracket 'kit' until I saw what they wanted for the axles. Crap.

Granted, I'll give them this;

Brand new Wheel bearings are like $140 each from the dealer, hubs are like $85 each, New Axles... Meh. $400 each?

IMHO that drive shaft is a ripoff, too. My very first hotrod, I put a T-Bird 2.3 Turbo Lima in a 1988 Ranger pickup with a T5. The truck came with a 2.3 w/Mazda M5R1 5 speed so the driveshaft / splines on the output shaft were totally different along with length. Grabbed a measuring tape and piece of paper, called up a local precision drive shaft shop and they built me one from scratch. Cost $180.00.

posidon42

iTrader: (4)

In all fairness, the price of the boss frog axles isn't too much different from the FM/v8roadsters offering. Maybe they know something we don't. After all, yhey have built more of these than I have

Brainsboy

Of course they are close to the same price, it keeps them with a monopoly, which sticks it to consumers.

If I started offering axles at 500$ then they have two choices. Either lower their prices or start bashing my products to take away any performance issues. It's easier for them to agree on a price and force consumers to pay top dollar, then both companies win.

I doubt they make their own axles anyhow. They are probably buying from the same guy thats making them for 500$. If you want to spend 1250$ extra just for the Frog or FM name, then I say go for it, money doesnt care who ownes it. Spending more doesnt mean you getting a better deal, It just means you havent done your research.

M-Tuned

iTrader: (6)

$500 & $1500 axles will be different. My old Driveshaft Shop axles I used with my 500hp Miata were made of 300m material and strong as hell. They cost around $2000 with new hubs and I never ever worried about them breaking.

posidon42

iTrader: (4)

I think you might have misinterpreted my post. The v8 roadsters kit was the first on the market with the CTS diff and the axles in question. I found it interesting that when boss frog produced their kit, you get almost the same price +- a dollar. Personally, I would love for you to make your kit cheap enough so that guys with turbos might consider upgrading to the CTS diff. Personally, I am not interested in the 8" ford rear. I know there are many people with this rear end in their cars, but I would rather have the CTS to ease exhaust routing concerns. Build a set of axles, a driveshaft and a CTS diff mounting option for about $1000 and I know I would buy one.