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93-94 s-10 rear in my NOVA

8K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  curtis73 
#1 ·
ive decided to mini tub my nova and ive found that the wheel base i need happens to be the dimensions of a 93-94 s-10. the length of the housing should be just perfect to fit my 11'' wide rims back there. the 4.3L V6's with 5 speed manuals have 8.5'' rears with POSI's. do you think these will hold up to the 425+hp the nova is running?
 
#3 ·
I suggest what an S10 owner might do. Many people with s10 and any kind of horsepower or large tires should upgrade to a ford exploder 8.8" rear end. They have a chance at living at those power levels.. 31 spline axle shafts, 3.25" outer tube, 1.32" axle shaft diameter, etc. They are so much stronger than a Chevy 8.5 from an S10 it s not funny. There is no comparing them. Its a quite popular axle for performance use. The mustang had a weaker version but the ring gear etc is the same size(28 spline axles on the mustang and ranger-certain rangers have 31 spline-rare). Huge variety of upgrades for these axles.. very popular for swaps...
1990-49 are drum.. 95+ are disc brakes! They are a bit wider, but not much than an s10. I think some explorer axles are different widths? bolt pattern can be changed... heres an s10 forum with more details on it

http://www.mys10.com/showthread.php?t=6545

P.S. don't get the price of my 8.8 exploder axles raised at the junk yards :p
 
#7 ·
the 8.5 s10 rear is strong. there are 9sec cars running them. and i have heard of 10 sec cars running a 7.6 rear. i have a built 7.6 with a support cover in my truck. i am well over 400hp with 275-60-15 tires. i have fun driving it, and i race it sometimes. but i don't do donuts. its holding up fine( 4l60e trans). i am looking for a 8.5 for it. but the 2wd 8.5s are HARD to find. i'm probably going to get a zr2 8.5 and have it narrowed.
 
#8 ·
Sagacious said:
im running my stock 8.5'' 10 bolt 28 spline with 2.73 gears right now and i've beaten the hell out of it for the past two years.
Vortech 4.3 said:
i am well over 400hp with 275-60-15 tires. i have fun driving it, and i race it sometimes.
;)

You guys are not trying hard enough. :embarrass

I broke 12 bolt Camaro/Nova rear ends ... and I broke a few 9 inch 31 spline Fords too.

BUT ... It takes Horsepower and ... TRACTION ...


:thumbup:
 
#10 ·
Hope you've already got the rear axle. Very few S-10's ever had the 8.5" rear. I think you'll find that whenever you go "junkyarding"... The (31 spline) 8.8" Explorer is much stronger - actually Ford's remake of the 12 bolt. I have a (28 spline) Ranger axle in my S-10 and can rip off 12.0's @ 115 all day long.

Russ
 
#11 ·
Deuce said:
;)

You guys are not trying hard enough. :embarrass

I broke 12 bolt Camaro/Nova rear ends ... and I broke a few 9 inch 31 spline Fords too.

BUT ... It takes Horsepower and ... TRACTION ...


:thumbup:
Randy, that is because they are all into smoking the rear tires :D , IE no traction.

Vince
 
#13 ·
The 8.5 S-10 should have an Auburn-style cone limited slip if I recall correctly.

And there are TONS of us Impala SS guys putting 425 and more to our 8.5s; even using 383s, T56s, and 4.56 gears with DOT slicks. That's a lot of shock load. Properly set it up, it should handle a lighter Nova with no problem. The later 8.5s have 30-spline axles. Go for a ZR2 truck and get the disc brakes, too.
 
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