Need everyone's oppinion

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73golddusterkid

Gold Duster Kid
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As some of you may know i'm pretty sure i have blown up my 7 1/4 in my duster. My dad and i have been arguing for the past few days on which way to go about dealing with this issue. I'm thinking swapping an 8 3/4 with a 489 pig with a suregrip. But my dad on the other hand wants me to buy a new Dana 60 and not worry about anything breaking. I always thought the 8 3/4 was pretty much indestructible? My thought is that my car only has a 318 that has been bored .030 over, Aerohead racing 360 heads that have been gasket matched, an edelbrock performer intake that was also gasket matched and a mild comp cam so a Dana 60 would be overkill. Any info is greatly appreciated! :cheers:
 
you're not going to break an 8 3/4 with a 318. The 8.25 would probably also hold up fine. Nearly everyone with an a-body and a very high performance engine has an 8 3/4.

Just grab any center section with a sure-grip (741 is fine too), drop it in and don't worry about it. I'm about ready to put the B-body (68 model year) 8 3/4 in my Duster. You just have to move the spring pads and it changes your backspacing requirements for large wheels if you already have them. Otherwise it works great and has the large bolt pattern. I even have the stock adjustable wheel bearings!

IM003702.jpg

its a beefy setup. I also suggest replacing the wheelstuds if you are using stock axles. I used the 3" ones for extra strength but stock replacements work fine.
 
which ever one that is available, or falls within your buget. and if a street or drag only car. 8 3/4 wil be just fine IMO. But if you plan on constantly thrashing, or ever want to turn up the wick to 5-600 hp. then 60:-D
 
An 8 3/4 will be fine. The Dana will be overkill for your set up.
 
Go with the Dana 60 and if you decide to increase your hp or throw in a Big block you already have the rearend you need. No sense doing your rear end 2x.

I would suggest going with the Moser 60 it is reasonably priced and you won't need another rear end for the life of your car.
 
The 8 3/4... 742 with a clutch pack you can rebuild, (which you can put in your 489) will handle just about anything you can throw at it up to 600hp.. The Dana 60 would be as stated above, overkill!
 
I'd go with the 8 3/4 properly prepped it can handle what your going to be putting through it,and if you ever feel the need to upgrade to the 60,the 8 3/4 won't be hard to sell...
 
dana 60s take too much hp from the engine,imo.They are much heavier,and have a larger ring gear,thats 2 things that will hurt the performance of your car from a standstill forsure,unless you go down a few gear ratios to compensate.In other words,if you are running 3.91 gears now,youd prob have to run 4.56s in the dana to go as fast as you do now.
 
8 3/4 will be fine for your 318 or all but very high powered BB. Dana weighs too much for your 318 and robs too much HP.
 
Thanks for all the input guys, i think i'm going to go with the 8 3/4. I wanna stay in the 3.23 to 3.55 range
 
If Dad was footing the bill for the Dana, I `d say go for it, but since he wants you to buy it I have to agree with the guys and say go for the 8.75.
 
Well i have a substantial amount to play with because i just sold my 72 chrysler newyorker. I just personally think that the Dana 60 would be too much for my car. Plus my dad's argument is that if i put another used axle in my car, six months down the road i will be going through this again. I initially broke my 7 1/4 my doing too many burnouts
 
the 8-3/4 will be fine...im surprised that the 7-1/4 actually stood up to burnouts from the 318...didnt know it could take that much of a beating....an 8-3/4 will be good for you for a long time (mind you the amount of money it costs to build and 8-3/4 its rather tempting to build the dana and be done with it)
 
You ain't going to hurt an 8 3/4 even if you go to a big block (unless you bottle feed it), I know I've tried. Remember that mother put these same units behind factory BB's in heavy B bodies for quite a few years before switching to the Dana and I'm sure that was because they were selling a ton of 1 ton trucks at the same time and getting a deal on the Dana's (well it's possible). Anyway check out the pumpkin that SBBARRACUDA is selling, it's the perfect unit a 742 with the clutch type sure grip and good price or watch for complete drum to drum assemblies posted here. By the way I've never liked the 489 cuss of the BS crush sleeve even though there is a kit out there using the spacer and shims like the 742 and stay away from the cone type sure grip. Have fun spending money I know it makes me happy.:-D

Terry
 
The thing with these cars is when you start building horsepower it`s like starting a crack habit. You might start with a 318 and produce 300 hp but it`s not enough, so you score a 360, soup it up and you`re at 400 hp. 400 hp is fine for a while but soon you`re just not catching the same buzz you were when you started so it`s on to big blocks. You go to the motor mount pusher (Schumacher`s Creative Services) and lay down your green to wedge that 440 motor home engine in between the fenders. With a little work you`re at 500+ hp and feeling better than ever and that Dana 60 is still going strong. By this time you`re either laying in a gutter somewhere or ready to move on to a stroker motor or a hemi. ANYWAY...........if you were to go with the Dana (things being what they are in this hobby), it may just pay off. Either way you go should be okay.........for now. Lol.
 
Idk longgone, I've had this car since i was 13 and now i'm 19 and i don't plan on doing anything else to it to make it faster. I do on the other hand later on buying another a body and making that a big block car. I'm satisfied with the way the car runs now, it definitely strikes fear into the ricers in my town and the rustang boys. And mshred i had a posi unit installed in the 7 1/4 like three years ago. Even the guy who set it up for me told me not to beat on it or it would break.
 
I'm also 19 man, and you lie when you say you don't plan on makin it faster:-D Go with the 83/4, set up different gears for whatever you plan on doing that weekend. I use an open 2.76 to cruise north and visit family(1 tire fire when I leave tho lol) and for my all around use it's either a 3.55 or 3.91 both in 742 cases. When there's gonna be a good Saturday night and an import or brand X needs a smackin it's time to change driveshafts and get out the 4.56's in a 489 case. I know a couple people that have been LOW 10's with 83/4's. Screw the lack of gear change and like 100Lbs extra the Dana offers just my two cents. Good to see another young Mopar guy8)
 
Wigsplitter i think i'm gonna go with the 8 3/4. And it sucks to be the only young mopar guy in my town. It's a little country town and if it doesn't have a bow tie or a blue oval it is deemed "crap" I know i caught a bunch of crap in high school for having a duster. That all stopped as soon as i pulled into the parking lot with my exhaust echoing between the school buildings lol
 
8 3/4 manand if you are just gonna cruise it and not go 200 miles a day go 3.91. it'll make ya feel tuff.
 
73golddusterkid said:
Idk longgone, I've had this car since i was 13 and now i'm 19 and i don't plan on doing anything else to it to make it faster. I do on the other hand later on buying another a body and making that a big block car. I'm satisfied with the way the car runs now, it definitely strikes fear into the ricers in my town and the rustang boys. And mshred i had a posi unit installed in the 7 1/4 like three years ago. Even the guy who set it up for me told me not to beat on it or it would break.
Click to expand...

I like that you know yourself well enough to make a decision like that. I don`t think you`ll have any trouble with the 8.75 and having the removable 3rd member is a great feature. :thumbup:
 
Another for the 8 3/4. it will stand up to a lot and the changeability is worth it. Say you want to run a different size tire and it requires a gear change? Dana you are stuck 8 3/4 you can easily change.
 
If you are starting from absolute scratch, do the Dana. You'll spend roughly the same on either. I build my Dana's from scratch for right at $1000 sans brakes.

If you are frugal and shop right, it's easy to do.

If you already have the 8.75 and some of the main pieces, then do that one.

On the HP use. Never noticed a difference in ET from one rear to the other. Some guys did test of cars swapping out some popular rears and the et's were basically the same.

IIRC, A Dana 60 with the same components, spool/gears as a similarly outfitted 8.75, weighs about 33-35 pounds more, it may have been 45. It's not anywhere near 100 pounds.
 
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