Tell me about a 9 1/4 Dana

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K.O. SWINGER

K.O. SWINGER

Meeting in the alley since 1976
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I'd like to know the Good the bad and the ugly of the nine and the quarter Dana as it pertains to performance use. If you were building a 3200 lbs bracket car, 550 horsepower and about the same torque would you consider it as your differential. Do you feel it stronger than an 8 and 3/4 742.
 
Great rear end to build!
Much overlooked as a performance rear end option.
Mopa Action Magazine. had a really good article recently on using one in a performance build.
Heres a link to the article.

9-1/4″ Axle Durability
 
It is stronger than the 8-3/4. The problem behind there use is shortening the axle width and welding perches.
No one wants to do it or know someone who can do the work right. Plenty of gear ratio options.

It is a C clip rear. IDK if there is a C clip elimination kit available.
 
K.O. SWINGER said:
I'd like to know the Good the bad and the ugly of the nine and the quarter.....
Click to expand...

FWIW, I can offer this........
The 9-1/4" in my '74 Trail Duster had a cone LS in it.
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Mo '05 Ram has the Chrysler "Corporate" 9-1/4" clutch LSD, and it came with something to watch out for ( from Dodge Forum ).......
Limited slip differential...AKA (LSD). Very common issue with the factory Mopar 9.25" LSD is for the Clutch Pack reatiner clips (commonly reffered to as the "c-clips") to wiggle themselves out of the carrier and cause serious damage. In late 2005 Chrysler changed manufactures which beefed up the retainer clips and slowed down the problem; however, it still has been occurring but at a rate much lower than before. This pertans to ALL 9.25" LSD rear-ends that are in 1500's only. Some guys remove them, but over time the clutch packs will move around in the carrier and cause wear/rubbing on the inside. This will wear out the friction discs as well as the inside of the carrier.

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Daves69 said:
FWIW, I can offer this........
The 9-1/4" in my '74 Trail Duster had a cone LS in it.
View attachment 1715864786

Mo '05 Ram has the Chrysler "Corporate" 9-1/4" clutch LSD, and it came with something to watch out for ( from Dodge Forum ).......
Limited slip differential...AKA (LSD). Very common issue with the factory Mopar 9.25" LSD is for the Clutch Pack reatiner clips (commonly reffered to as the "c-clips") to wiggle themselves out of the carrier and cause serious damage. In late 2005 Chrysler changed manufactures which beefed up the retainer clips and slowed down the problem; however, it still has been occurring but at a rate much lower than before. This pertans to ALL 9.25" LSD rear-ends that are in 1500's only. Some guys remove them, but over time the clutch packs will move around in the carrier and cause wear/rubbing on the inside. This will wear out the friction discs as well as the inside of the carrier.

View attachment 1715864761View attachment 1715864771
Click to expand...
Have fixed a few of these.
 
My 05 Ram built in Oct. 2004 doesn't have limited slip rear. Fortunately it is 4 W.D., but I was always upset it didn't have L.S. but I guess now I'm better off after reading the above.
 
I can't tell you how many of those I fixed, because of that problem; and when I brought up issues with the 9 1/4, in another thread, some with the more popular opinion thought I was talking out my ***. I'm glad to see some here, at least recognize this issue. Now, that being said, as above, it is a good, strong assembly to use - especially when set up right. If someone makes those clutch pack clips a bit stronger, it would last a good long time.
 
I'm not personally a fan of the axle bearings wearing directly on the axle shaft. It would cost exactly the same to modify and narrow as a dana 60, so I'm not sure there would be any advantage
 
rumblefish360 said:
It is stronger than the 8-3/4. The problem behind there use is shortening the axle width and welding perches.
No one wants to do it or know someone who can do the work right. Plenty of gear ratio options.

It is a C clip rear. IDK if there is a C clip elimination kit available.
Click to expand...

When you narrow the housing you just use the standard 8.75/D60 ends and send it. No need for a C clip eliminator then.
 
I know they came in some of the Dip/cop 360 cars & i've had a few in the trucks i had, but if it did'nt come in it, i'd shy away. Sadly, with the effort involved, a better alternative might be the 8.8 Ford.
 
tonysrt said:
My 05 Ram built in Oct. 2004 doesn't have limited slip rear. Fortunately it is 4 W.D., but I was always upset it didn't have L.S. but I guess now I'm better off after reading the above.
Click to expand...
I bought a new 4 wd in 89... found it was not Sure Grip whe. I got stuck way out in the woods in a mud hole. Carred a military ET with me.. there is an art to getting back on the trails sometimes..
 
Isn't the hypoid angle of the Dana more severe, thereby absorbing more HP to drive it [ compared to the 8.75" ]. 500 +hp should be a walk in the park for the 8.75".
 
I'd take an 8.75 any day over a 9.25.... Yeah the 9.25 has a bigger ring gear but between the axle bearings wearing directly on the axle shafts, the S/G units that were prone to failure in the 70's & still prone to failing in the 2000 time frame.... No thanks...

The 8.75 has been known to live in plenty of 10-11 second A bodies... Thumper has run in the 9's for years with his 8.75...

If you want to swap gears on a 9.25 it requires setting up the gear mesh... On an 8.75 you swap the center section... In the past I had a set of 4.30's a set of 3.91's a set of 3.23's & a set of 2.76's... 45 minutes & your ready for a Friday night race, then another 45 minutes & your ready for a 500 mile road trip..
 
Bewy said:
Isn't the hypoid angle of the Dana more severe, thereby absorbing more HP to drive it [ compared to the 8.75" ]. 500 +hp should be a walk in the park for the 8.75".
Click to expand...


No. There ain’t a single thing better about the 8.75 axle over a Dana 60. Once you get to a 4.10 gear the D60 takes less power than the 8.75 or a 9 inch. Below that ratio the power loss is so little it’s not worth discussing.
 
Rat Bastid said:
No. There ain’t a single thing better about the 8.75 axle over a Dana 60. Once you get to a 4.10 gear the D60 takes less power than the 8.75 or a 9 inch. Below that ratio the power loss is so little it’s not worth discussing.
Click to expand...
Is the 9-1/4 considered a DANA or “Corporate” rear end?
 
Rat Bastid said:
No. There ain’t a single thing better about the 8.75 axle over a Dana 60. Once you get to a 4.10 gear the D60 takes less power than the 8.75 or a 9 inch. Below that ratio the power loss is so little it’s not worth discussing.
Click to expand...
When I switched from 8 4/4 to Dana, I lost nothing. I gained nothing, performance wise. Same ratio at 4.10. Gained strength is all.
 
1WildRT said:
I'd take an 8.75 any day over a 9.25.... Yeah the 9.25 has a bigger ring gear but between the axle bearings wearing directly on the axle shafts, the S/G units that were prone to failure in the 70's & still prone to failing in the 2000 time frame.... No thanks...

The 8.75 has been known to live in plenty of 10-11 second A bodies... Thumper has run in the 9's for years with his 8.75...

If you want to swap gears on a 9.25 it requires setting up the gear mesh... On an 8.75 you swap the center section... In the past I had a set of 4.30's a set of 3.91's a set of 3.23's & a set of 2.76's... 45 minutes & your ready for a Friday night race, then another 45 minutes & your ready for a 500 mile road trip..
Click to expand...

Thumper almost never goes to the track. Big difference from driving around on the street and being on a prepped track and dropping the hammer.
I have broken several 8.75 rears running 10’s, and i do race a lot. One of them just last summer. And they fail with spools. Ring gear is the weak link.
 
My 05 1500 Ram had a recall on the pinion nut not being Locktited. Could that have caused some of Sure grip problems? Mine didn't have sure grip but I did go for the recall fix.
 
tonysrt said:
My 05 1500 Ram had a recall on the pinion nut not being Locktited. Could that have caused some of Sure grip problems? Mine didn't have sure grip but I did go for the recall fix.
Click to expand...

IMO, I don't think a loose pinion nut would impact a LSD 9-1/4 clutch pack retainer clip inside the carrier. It could possibly mar the carrier OD or chip chunks off the carrier or a tooth end off the pinion, that could potentially lock up a differential at speed.

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