8-3/4 Vs Dana60 Vs 9" Rear

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AdamR

AdamR

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Lets here some Pros and cons. Im gonna have to replace the rear some time soon.

Right now I'm leaning to the Ford 9" My research show that they all cost about the same to build. For all new quality parts it will be between $2200 and $2500 bucks. This is for either a Moser built Dana 60 or a complete Moser 9" with a Nodular iron Center. Bolth would have new axles, and Detroit lockers, No brakes.

The 8-3/4 would be built by Doctor Diff. Same deal but I think he uses Dutchman axles.

I know the Dana is near indestructible but I hear it wont clear an A body fuel tank and I will not go to a fuel cell. This may only be a problem with a cast aluminum cover/ girdle.

I like he 9" because the drop out centers are easy for gear swaps and it should clear the tank fine but are they prone to chipped gear teath like an 8-3/4 ? Do they have cap problems ? Do the back braces help much and will the shock clear them ?

I have used 8-3/4 many times before and the only problem I have had was a pinion coming loose and destroying my 4.30 gear set. Im not really against using another but I know the car should be right at the ETs that people start breaking teeth and cracking caps. And seeing that a Dana and 9" are about the same price wise I may as well up grade.
 
It really comes down to your preference,i prefer the 8 3/4 you can do a center swap in 30 minutes or less, and every car i've owned came with one,my current duster has a 416 stroker in it and the 8 3/4 is holding up quite well with all the 2800-3000 rpm launches,i'm running a "new" 489 housing with 'trac-loc" and 3.91's with moser axles,and being as its a a-body, so is yours they tend to be a little easier on them then say an e or b-body,as far as using the "dutchman axles" i bought a set then bought a set of Moser the Moser's are in my car, the dutchman are collecting dust...lets just say the quality or workmanship is not the same...
 
It seems some guys just have better luck with the 8-3/4 then others. I know a few guys on this board that nuked there's running anywears from 11.80s to 11.10s.

My future plan are to add a 4" crank kit to the car, Not so much to make more power but more for driveability and Ive been thinking of doing a 4-speed swap at some point.
 
We run 8.75 And 10.50s and change ring and pinion at around 200 passes, a dana 60 would be there forever. the only thing you would have to worry about is the U joint wearing out ,because you forgot to grease it . LOL
 
With those mods down the road I wouldn't use the 8 3/4 for that matter I wouldn't use the 9" either. I run low 11's right know but when I upgrade to a trans brake and taller gears I am going Dana. It's what just about what every body runs when they get in the 10's. Some of the guys had 8 3/4s and they eventually bought the farm. Of course a 9" can be upgraded to take the pounding with special stuff but if it is kept basically stock like the 8 3/4 then I wouldn't and won't go there.
 
One point of info. I had a 70 Duster with a 69 Charger
dana 60. It fit with no problems. Had about 1 in clearance
between the axle and tank. But I would go with the 8 3/4.
Easy to change gears. Then you can have different ones
for different conditions or street and track. Like I do.
4.30 for the strip and 3.23 street.
 
340mopar said:
Of course a 9" can be upgraded to take the pounding with special stuff but if it is kept basically stock like the 8 3/4 then I wouldn't and won't go there.
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Ive heard the 9" is fine as long as you replace every part that Ford put in it. LOL

I dont think Moser uses any Ford Parts with the exception of the housing itself.
 
AdamR said:
Ive heard the 9" is fine as long as you replace every part that Ford put in it. LOL

I dont think Moser uses any Ford Parts with the exception of the housing itself.
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That is exactly what I mean. Mark Williams and Stange change everything also. This is why, to me a 9" really isn't an upgrade stock to stock.


Chuck
 
None of the rears Im looking at are stock though. They are all going to be upgraded with High strength axles, better gears, and a Detroit locker. They will all have new housing ends on them so they are nice and straight. The 9" would even use a new center. Im also planning on Cal Tracs so no need to worry about bolting up a pinion snubber.
 
There is no mistaken that the aftermarket 9" stuff is killer stuff. Both the aftermarket 9" and the Dana 60 is probably a draw in the strength department. So it would come down to if you wanted to be able to change gears easily. If you decide to go 9" and you thought about getting a third member for racing and one for street cruising I would get the custom one for racing and run a stock type pumpkin for cruising that way it would save you some money.

Chuck
 
Well Adam, they are all good when setup correct, but with enough power and wheel hook up the Dana is a must. But guys can get A bodies into the high tens with no issues on an 8 3/4.

Look at this link too. talks about in detail both the dana and the 8 3/4. http://www.autohobbydigest.com/8_75.html

I can tell you that the pinion angle on a 9" Ford is less desirable than a 12 bolt Chevy or an 8 3/4. The Dana has a 2-5% loss in power over a 8 3/4 too. I have read many times that the drag and power loss on the 9" is from 12-18%. So then your talking maybe a 40hp to the rear wheel loss. It became so popular to get a 9" because back in the day we got them drum to drum for $35. 1000's of old Fords in junk yards had them.

I would go with an 8 3/4. I ran 9 1/5 slicks and a stick and for a time did 6k rpm drops and never broke mine. But I have seen the 8 3/4 broke on bigger tires and heavier cars. Then a dana is the ticket, yes they way a little more too, but you will get better traction and it is tuff when set up the correct way.

my 2 cents after 30+ years of gears stay Mopar if you can...
 
The Dana will fit in a A Body with no problem. I have one in mine.
Because of it's design, the 9 inch eats up more power than a Dana or an 8¾.
I would go with the Dana.
 
I have a 60 in my car and it clears everything. Went to a 60 after I sheared the pinion off an 8 3/4 on a 8,000 launch on slicks. The car never tripped the lights.
 
Dana 60's don't break. Everything else will. Beat on a 60 for 2 years behind a 483 Hemi in a 68 Dart with a 4 speed. 6000 RPM launch and 8500 RPM shifts. Broke everything BUT the rear. There may not be room for the bolt on girdle, but you really don't need it. Just my $.02.
 
Is anyone using a Girdle rear cover and a stock tank on your Dana ?
 
grumpuscreature said:
Dana 60's don't break. Everything else will. Beat on a 60 for 2 years behind a 483 Hemi in a 68 Dart with a 4 speed. 6000 RPM launch and 8500 RPM shifts. Broke everything BUT the rear. There may not be room for the bolt on girdle, but you really don't need it. Just my $.02.
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Sorry to disagree with you but they do break..i've seen them grenade firsthand,they are very tough and can take a beating but like anything else you beat on it enough it's going to let go...
 
340srule said:
Sorry to disagree with you but they do break..i've seen them grenade firsthand,they are very tough and can take a beating but like anything else you beat on it enough it's going to let go...
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Sorry, but I have to pretty much agree with grumpus on this one. While certainly anything will break under the right circumstances, a correctly set up Dana will not be something you have to worry about especially with a 416. You will not break it.
 
Sorry to say I'm partial to the 8.75, probably because I have three of them, one apart on my bench getting new gears even as we speak. Everything is a compromise of some sort in this dept. But I believe the 8.75 is the best compromise for an A-body for all the reasons already mentioned. Your total car weight is not going that high (3klbs?), and they can be built without much effort to become nearly indestructible. Put some Mark Williams caps with housing brace bolts, back brace, thicker axle tubes, etc. and it will do anything you can imagine under an A-body. More efficiently and at a lower weight.
 
Well here's my 2 cents worth.

First of all I have an 8.75 in my car with the MP aluminum center section and pro gears with a spool. I've used this in my Duster even with a trans brake. The only time I've had a problem is when I screwed up throwing it into neutral. If I lingered for a second in 2nd gear at the top end it would chirp the tires and crack the teeth.

I put this rear into the Scamp without hesitation. It will be foot braked and should run high 9's.

However I will say that if I had it to do over a Dana 60 would have been my choice. The 9 inch is a good rear with all the aftermarket stuff (read expensive) which is even more expensive than the Dana. I think the Dana is a better rear, the reason everyone went to the 9 inch is because it allowed wider tires in a narrower body than the 60 would. It's been made stronger by the aftermarket, it isn't inherently so.

When I first built my car it was a 4 speed. It never made a full pass down the track without breaking something in the driveline, including the rear. I was faced with the choice of installing a 60 or an automatic. I'd already spent $5000 fixing the trans and driveline, twice so my decision was to install an automatic instead of the Dana as I was trying to take weight out of the car as it was. The four speed, safety bell housing, flywheel, and clutch alone was over 250 pounds. A full dress 904 with converter came in at about 150.

So instead of adding 85 pounds of Dana I lost 100 pounds of transmission.
 
Everything everyone has said about the 9" taking away more power then a Dana has been the exact opposite of what I have heard in the pass. But maybe the person that told me was confused or something and passed me a bad apple.

I have to agree with Ace here. An 8 3/4 well built will handle your application and save weight. That is what I am planning for the Dart and I plan to stick to it.

Adam you are more then welcome to come down to WV and take your pick. I have 2 Dana 60s and 3 8 3/4s and 2 Ford 9 inches. Dont have any Chevy rears cause, well, a 7 1/4 would hold up to the power they make haha.
 
BoredandStroked said:
Everything everyone has said about the 9" taking away more power then a Dana has been the exact opposite of what I have heard in the pass. But maybe the person that told me was confused or something and passed me a bad apple.

I have to agree with Ace here. An 8 3/4 well built will handle your application and save weight. That is what I am planning for the Dart and I plan to stick to it.

Adam you are more then welcome to come down to WV and take your pick. I have 2 Dana 60s and 3 8 3/4s and 2 Ford 9 inches. Dont have any Chevy rears cause, well, a 7 1/4 would hold up to the power they make haha.
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There is no doubt the 9 inch uses more horsepower and the Dana 60 is heavier. How much this actually affects your ET is dependent on your application.

Bottom line is if you want your car to be all Mopar then you run the Dana or the 8.75. If you don't care and money isn't a concern you can run the 9 inch.
 
If you do not want to sacrifice some power the 9" is out. If the 8.75 will handle your setup (they are strong) use it, if not, use the Dana.
 
I think the 9 "can" be made stronger, but it takes more aftermarket and more expensive parts. Stock-to-stock, the 8.75 wins hands down (30-spline axles). And it's easier to beef up. Rebuild it with a billet pinion spacer, aftermarket carrier caps and use some good aftermarket axles is all you really need to safely put alot of power through it. Go further (where the cost really starts to add up) with axle tubes and a brace and it's getting real close to the Dana, strengthwise.

Dana is only needed for the most extreme applications.
 
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