Quote: I guess I need to refresh your memory about what I actually posted in response to YOUR original post, quoting race 9" pricing from Strange Engineeering. I didn't pick Strange, YOU DID!
Because the OP specifically said NO spool, I priced a bolt-in S-9 and S-60 street/strip assembly for comparison purposes:
New Strange-60 Dana 60 assy, forged steel 1350 yoke, choice of ratio, Strange-Trac differential and 35 spline axles complete with leaf spring perches installed $2225
New Strange-9" nodular iron case, aluminum pinion support, forged steel 1350 yoke, choice of ratio, Strange-Trac differential, 35 spline axles, fab housing with short back brace and leaf spring perches installed $3175
The price difference is $950. Both assemblies are built by Strange, with the SAME parts. Both are bolt-in units, both have the same axles, both have iron centers and forged yokes. BOTH HAVE THE SAME HIGH-END S-TRAC DIFFERENTIAL installed.
Because you have a problem comparing apples to apples, I updated the price quoted in YOUR POST with the LEAST EXPENSIVE 9" 35 spline traction differential available (Detroit Locker). This is the exact quote from your post, only substituting the spool for a Detroit Locker from Strange:
Strange sheetmetal housing with ends welded on - $525.00 Strange Pro HD center section with a spool, 4.10 gear, and billet yoke - $1245.00 Upgrade to Detroit Locker $300 ($1545 third-member cost) Strange axles with bearings and 5/8 studs - $515.00 TOTAL $2585
Of course, you can pick the cheapest imported 9" components, coupled with the cheapest 35 spline traction differential, assembled by a buddy for $100 to get the price closer to a US MADE S-60 assembly built with a high end street/strip differential.
I personally didn't pick a damn thing. Brad wanted real world prices, some guy posted what HE paid for his Ford parts and I quoted his post and said "here you go, real world prices", which they were. YOU posted your Dana prices, added the cost of the locker assy that YOU liked and added it to the other guys prices. All I pointed out, was that the Ford parts could be had for less money than quoted, which would bring the price of the Ford closer to what you quoted for the Dana.............I guess heaven forbid somebody do a little price shopping, instead of accepting ONE price as the ONLY price something can be done for..............So I stand corrected, as I didn't understand the rules of the comparison..........carry on.
So in conclusion, an ALL Strange Dana is cheaper than an ALL Strange Ford and that I won't argue with
MrP. I have seen and built some cradles on the back of Danas to attempt to keep them from bending tubes. The nice covers with the "load bolts"......you fab up a bracket that attaches to those. Then you run some pieces of tubing with heims from this fabbed bracket out to more brackets toward the end of the housing. Preferably you have left and right heims in the links, so that you can actually preload the housing a little, in an attempt to keep it from bending forward. Does it help.....YES.........Is it heavy...YES.....Make the rear hard to work on......YES.....Does it totally solve the problem.....NO
