which is better and cheeper 8 3/4 or 9 inch

help the diff people are trying to get me to switch over to a 9 inch. What are the pros and cons of a 9inch vs 8 3/4

Here we go again.

Just enjoy the ride

Its more about the weight of the car and the power you run..
this have been discussed many times over... myself I run a 8 3/4
in one car and a 9" in the other.. the 8 3/4 in the race car BUT
its light.. and the 9" in my street rod.. they all have there place..
if you go with either I would recommend a back brace on them.. load
bolts help the 8 3/4... also a MW cap on the load side helps

Long term...... 9" all the way!

And a lot more options.

We all know that there is a larger gear selection for the 9"
but lets hear some FACTS on what he has before we get carried
away at spending HIS money.. sounds like he has a 8 3/4 now but
we know nothing..... so to the OP.. what do you have.. fill in
some blanks here

i have both in my cars, both are good products but the 9" has more options available, more choice of cases, more choice in gears more choice in spools & more choice in lockers. Both the 9" & the 8 3/4 have the same stock case weak link, the bearing caps are weak. if you're going racing i'd go with the 9", if you're just a streeter, then the 8 3/4 will be just fine.

the facts are don't waste your money on an 8-3/4 period

9" is a good bit stronger. There are more parts available for it also.

Either one of these can be made better but then it won't be cheaper.

What car and what is the application? I'm guessing you already have the 8.75? If I was starting a project from scratch and didn't have either, I'd probably go w/ a 9". BUT if I had a running driving car w/ a 8.75 I'd stay with that.

Of course it's the 8 3/4.......

Oohhhso you come here to start fight.
Finish him.
Seriously though you should give intended use and power weight of car manual or automatic transmission with our without trans brake.. Maybe you need a Dana 60 instead.

10 bolt chevy's to the front. LOL

He hasnt been back to give any info.. I think his plan was
to start some BS.. and he has 5 posts

In that case Dana 60, nothing stronger in STOCK form

If I had to set one up it'd be the 9"....pinion depth changes are a lot easier.

no, no BS starter here just looking for opinions on the 2 different rears.
i am in the process of building a Duster with a 511 BB, 727 trans and have a 8 3/4 being narrowed for the rear.

If you are spending the cash to narrow an 8 3/4 I would consider a Dana and be done.

For a BB that would weigh about 3200 I would skip the 8 3/4..
being your narrowing it and do the 9".. I built up a pretty
decent 9" for a $1000.. all new parts but I narrowed it myself
(this was with a new posi since its for my DW car)... the 8 3/4
I have in the race car is the alum center which uses through bolts
and beefy caps.. but now days that center bare is over a $1000

"If you are spending the cash to narrow an 8 3/4 I would consider a Dana and be done."

X2
If you know what gear you will stick with and not planning to be experimenting, a Dana 60 will provide all the strength you need for less money than a Ford 9".

I am a believer in the Danas if they are going to be subjected to serious low end power and moving a heavy car or truck, but if you have a light racer that pulls from 60 to 140 in the 1/4 then a 8.75 would be just fine. As an example is the Swinger from Canada that is posted today with the Gen 3 Hemi, a turbo, a PG trans in front of a 8.75 with 3.23 gears that just ran a PB of 9.29. Just a different way of getting the job done.

we blew that cost theory out of the water on the last debate

O.K. , but how about pinion angle ? lol


9" is the upgrade when my 8 3/4 isn't up to the job.

I wouldn't use an 8 3/4 in that application.

I just picked up a dana for $80 worth in trade for a fuel pump I got not too long ago. I will have about 900 in it when I am done. Tim

If you have big plans for the car in the future build the 9".

If it's going to be a budget car build a truck dana.

Skip the 8 3/4.

3 words: Sheet Metal Housing - the housing is the weak link in either, so get rid of the housing and pick your poison - 9" has more options though

got mine 9" for my duster from a mid 70s merc with a tow package. the pin to pin is real close.

IMO: This is such a myth. I see plenty of 8-3/4's have nice long useful lives in race cars. Depends on the the weight of the car and the performance level. But for most 10 second foot-brake bracket cars, especially A-body's; I think a properly set up 8-3/4 can be good cost effective hardware. (Especially if you already have one)

Ford 8.8. Parts are cheap, less power consumption then a 9". Plenty of 3300lb cars running in the 4s in the 1/8

[/quote]the facts are don't waste your money on an 8-3/4 period [/quote]

IMO: This is such a myth. I see plenty of 8-3/4's have nice long useful lives in race cars. Depends on the the weight of the car and the performance level. But for most 10 second foot-brake bracket cars, especially A-body's; I think a properly set up 8-3/4 can be good cost effective hardware. (Especially if you already have one) [/quote]by all means let the op waste his money putting it behind a BB stroker motor and find out the hard way..

the facts are don't waste your money on an 8-3/4 period [/quote]

IMO: This is such a myth. I see plenty of 8-3/4's have nice long useful lives in race cars. Depends on the the weight of the car and the performance level. But for most 10 second foot-brake bracket cars, especially A-body's; I think a properly set up 8-3/4 can be good cost effective hardware. (Especially if you already have one) [/quote]by all means let the op waste his money putting it behind a BB stroker motor and find out the hard way.. [/quote]


I'm still waiting to find out the HARD way myself.........

is it a myth when one blows and takes out your tranny that you have wasted enough money to buy a race rear instead of a grocery getter?

. [/quote]


I'm still waiting to find out the HARD way myself......... [/quote]as long as you race on the street with street tires and have the 60's where you are at it probably wont make any difference. now put a decnt size set of slicks and get a hard hitting converter and see how long you talk that.

Not sure, but which ever one is better makes the other one cheaper. Think Eric has the correct answer for that size motor - although it might not be the most popular answer.

If you're starting from scratch, ditch the 8 3/4 for the 9" or Dana.

Tony you try to lump everything into one group.. my 8 3/4
with 14" slicks is still running strong... thats with a 1.19
60'

The way I look at it comes down to how fast is it or do you want to end up going? Or how often do you plan on racing it? A lot of our members only hit the track 2-3 times a year and can only supply that info. Trust the info from the guys that race IF you plan on doing so.

I believe the 8.75 to be a mistake in that aplication. If you go with a 9" stock will likely fail as well. So a 60 in my opinion would make sense. But I say this about all DT components "nothing too strong ever broke but nothing too heavy ever wins".

Yes, but your car is a fly weight and you have an aluminum center section. How long would it last in a 3300# big tire, big torque stick car?

It's still running strong? When was that last time that care made a pass?

This has been beat to death, application, application, application..........

1964----SAE engineers put them through acid test 9" good to 450 hp 8.75 good to 500hp....1970 the aftermarket chases the 9 every ratio imagined is produced people find a BUILT 9 is stronger than a stock 8.75----well that is mysterious---if we go with the aftermarket fervor i am thinking all you race boys should go with a small block chevy---aftermarket gives it a big yes---must mean it is the best---back on the 9 its main weakness is the pinion placement at the bottom of the ring gear--they havent changed that---they just piled on more icing on the cake---$ for $ you are money/hp ahead with a dana 60--its pinion placement is almost perfect....next cuda i build i think i will go sbc--powerglide--9 inch and mustang ll brakes and i will paint it hugger orange--- there i covered all the bases with the popular aftermarket taste....it should make everybody happy...

Its been 2 years now that I havent had my license... and yes
it is light.. and yes its a alum center.. the previous center
which was stone stock with a 4.88 gear lasted 600+ passes and
that was 1.26 60'... its whole life has been with a trans brake
launch... no I would use it in a stick or a heavy car.. weight I
still think is what kills them.. heavy gives more bite till the
tires break free.. if they dont break free then it applies to load
to the gears

come on Mike we have had this conversation before, that is not a good comparison. the weight difference and you are not running a factory case so why even bring it up?

Because Tony... you have ONE answer for all conditions.. you
dont even ask a couple of simple questions... you dont like the
8 3/4... thats fine.. but dont just say NO.. get the facts first

this is fact and it's all one needs to know, if you have a RACE CAR don't waste your money on an 8 3/4

BS Tony.. thats just your closed mind.. if he had a 1600# dragster
it would live a long life.. but you dont care about facts... so I'm
gonna drop it right now.. you can have you last say just because
thats you

thank you very much

Wafflebatter runs a braced 8 3/4 in his roadster. It's braced and the car weighs 1900# race ready. I have a friend with a 2900 Roadrunner that has had a 8 3/4 in it for more passes than about half the people on this site combined. But.....if you are starting from scratch anyway and you are running a gear set available for a Dana. You should consider it IMHO. The Arrow has one and it's the only part I haven't broken yet knock wood lol