41 replies to this topic

[SmacT]

G'day all,

I am in a bit of a dilemma and was interested in people's thoughts to help make my decision.

I am building a four-door LX (with flares), and bought a Torana-friendly nine-inch for it 18mths or so ago. It is 28-spline, standard width, single-legger, Torana mounts and commo disc brakes, which also means in this case Commo stud pattern. Later, and knowing more, I bought a Hoppers Stoppers kit for the front brakes, and went HQ stud pattern to open up the wheel choices available. So I now need to either get new axles with HQ stud pattern for the nine-inch or have the axles re-drilled to HQ (of dubious legality), both costing more cash, plus I need brakelines made up, new axle bearings and a couple of other bits and pieces to get it totally ready.

OR, I could sell it, and use the money to buy a recoed VN-VS LSD Commodore diff with brakes and handbrake cables etc, get the mounts taken off the original Torana diff I still have and fitted up, new axles with HQ stud pattern and have it ready to go well within the money I make from the sale.

The car will run a standard-ish 304 and T5 to begin with, and I won't be dragging it or doing burn-outs (I know, booo), so am thinking the weight and cost of a nine-inch are probably not worth it. I really want a slippery center, too. Given the cost savings, and that I drive with a reasonable bit of mechanical sympathy, I reckon this might be the way to go. Thoughts? Any other options to consider (other BWs such as Skyline diffs would work too, obviously)? Or should I just keep the thing?

cheers,

[wot179]

Henry sux.
Dont even consider him.

[myss427]

It is cheap to get the axles re-drilled, compared to what you might sell the 9 inch for. And BW's are not that much cheaper to do than the 9inch or lighter we are talking 10kgs approx. I would say BW if you were doing it from scratch but you have the 9inch already to go except stud pattern and you could use one of those cheap locker inserts because your going to be gentle with it!

Edited by myss427, 05 September 2011 - 01:29 PM.

[ls2lxhatch]

The BW M78 LSD is hardly worth calling an LSD, the 9" LSD is a superior design but still does not provide even traction to both tyres.

If you want maximum traction at both tyres then you will need a locking diff or KAAZ instead of an LSD.

[SmacT]

Thanks fellas. I didn't know how good the BW LSD was or wasn't, but sounds like it's rubbish. Is a KAZZ legal in NSW? And is it available for 9-inch? A quick search suggests not, though i suspect you are suggesting a KAZZ for the BW, ls2lxhatch.

As it will be a street-driven car and I like going around corners, I'm not interested in mini-spools, and thats why I was after a LSD center option that won't mean spending another $1000 on a 9-inch LSD center, plus axles, etc, etc.

Mmmm. Better make a call soon! Thanks for the feedback.

[ls2lxhatch]

The KAAZ was for the BW M78 and is legal. It is not available for the 9".

The cheapest option for the 9" would be to fit something like the powertrax locker in the opecenterre that you have. Next option would probably be a rebuilt LSD. After that you have Truetrac and Detroit lockers. The powertrax and Detroit lockers will provide the most traction but are also noisy when cornering. The Truetrac and LSD will provide considerably less traction.

Edited by ls2lxhatch, 05 September 2011 - 04:10 PM.

[SmacT]

Great info, thanks mate.

[ls2lxhatch]

One downside of the lockers is they are noisy when cornering.

[SmacT]

Yes, something I am trying to avoid. Pity the KAZZ isn't available for the 9-inch, it suits me well. Maybe another tick in the BW box.

Aarrgggghhh. I'll sleep on this one. Thanks again for the info.

[mick_in_oz]

A vote for the 9" here, heaps better LSD, the largest choice of ratios you are ever going to find, and the commodore axels in the BW are still going to have to be changed to HQ, why not change the ones you already have, not to mention its heaps easier to do a ratio change if you feel the need.

[SmacT]

After sleeping on it and considering the feedback above, I'll just stick with the 9-inch and have to stump up the money to get it how I want it. I was hoping there was a cheaper option given my use for the car, but hey, nine-inchers are popular for a reason! If anyone has an LSD center they want to part with, let me know...

[rexy]

Dont go commodore pattern all round. Although there are lots of cheap rims they are mostly useless due to their offset. Super ugly as well. Also means you cant use most of the classic style wheels (ie convo) unless you get a custom set made. Get your axles welded and redrilled at about $100 each and find yourself a good secondhand lsd 9inch centre. The last two LSD centres I bought for a nine inch cost $450 and $550. They were both perfect and have served faultlessly since.

[DanWA]

Yep, don't go commodore pattern, i am regretting this now... should have gone nissan/fraud (5x114.3)

[wot179]

The reason 9 inches are popular is because most people are sheep.

[ls2lxhatch]

One of the many reasons the Ford 9" is so popular is that it has beeen around for 50+ years and can be built to suit almost any application.

The BW M78 is a good choice for the Torana but by the time the LSD has been replaced with something decent it is not a particulary cheap option for a street car.

[dattoman]

Use the 9" as you already have it
Get the axle lengths checked and you might be lucky enough to just use some HQ Sailbury axles straight in
Or at worst a shorten
Depends on what length your diff is set up too

And you said BW Commy diff... all good idea but you still have to shorten that
So you will be out of pocket compared to doing the 9" you alredy have

If you had nothing and were starting from scratch I'd go the BW myself though
They can be made strong , cheapish and lighter
But thats a personal choice thing on my part

[ls2lxhatch]

The heavy cast iron center in a 9" can easily and reasonably cheaply be replaced with an alloy center on a 9" for those concerned with weight.

I am not aware of an option to replace the cast iron center on the BW M78.

Edited by ls2lxhatch, 06 September 2011 - 07:36 PM.

[dattoman]

We don't all have those budgets either

Sure you can use a sheel metal housing and centre... but thats not the equation here in the original question

[SmacT]

Cool responses fellas, thanks.

I don't want commo stud pattern as per the comments above. I thought I did, until I searched options to suit flares, and found them a useless. I went hq pattern onthe hoppers brakes because it's the same as chev pattern and meant I could getthe whes I wanted from the US.

Good call on the Salisbury axles Dattoman, will check that out.

Rexy, I've been quoted $200 each axle... Maybe they just didn't want to do them. I'll see if I can find the $100 price, I'd be happy to pay that. Do you know of a Sydney mob who could do it for that? I'll try the usual suspects

Jeff, is there much noise from the eaton? And how is the lock/unlock action? Be worth thinking about if ok on the road.

Thanks all for your feedback.

[ls2lxhatch]

The Eaton Detroit Truetrac is a worm drive LSD, it does not make a locking/unlocking noise because it does not lock.

The Truetrac will never provide equal power to the wheels. The Truetrac is a good choice for a street car but it will not provide the same amount of traction as a locking diff like the Eaton Detroit Locker.

[SmacT]

Thanks ls2lxhatch, sounds like it's what I'm after, as mine will be 100 percent street car.

Geeze I just learnt alot about diffs...

[WhaleOilBeefHooked]

I got mine done at T&D Engineering, 1 Forge Street Blacktown. Darren is The BossMan. 96764022. Cost me around the $110 each side to have done professionaly.. I also had my brake rotors re-drilled at same place for $55 each side, which was fairly cheap considering the time & efforts 2 get it spot-on to my specifications...

Edited by WHALEOILBEEFHOOKED, 06 September 2011 - 09:51 PM.