gfrench,

If your rear is built right, it shouldn't tank at all. even a built 10 bolt with new axles, eaton posi or locker and new gears will hold up for as long as needed and it would only be about $1000 . alot cheaper than a build 12 bolt or 9 inch

and some people run mid 11's on there stock 8.5" 10 bolts and haven't had any issues. the stock 8.5" 10 bolts are pretty tough unless you have like over 450-500hp

 

Really, I thought 600 hp would destroy a 10" rear end.

 

Not if its beefed up: moser 30 spline axles, eaton posi or locker, richmond or yukon gears, axle tubes welded to diff, c-clip eliminators, and leaf spring perches braced. I'm going to have around 570hp/600tq and plan on probably just upgrading my 10 bolt with the stuff listed above

 

hmm, that changes stuff. I am using a stock posi. I could get the better axles in a few weeks. Will take a while to get an eaton posi though.

I still want to do the gears myself, but I think I will see if I can find someone with the right tools to help. I never thought that rear-end would hold up

These Axles?
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MSR-A103003/

 

Yeah It should hold up just fine. Yeah those are the axels im talking about, you would also need the 30 spline diff obviously but with all the upgrades i mentioned above, the 10 bolt will be even stronger than a stock 12 bolt and STOCK ford 9". If you had like 800hp i'd say go dana 60 but with around 600hp, you should be fine

 

hey i know a shop in denvcer that i payed 600 for parts and labor to redo my rear end if you already have the parts it would probably be less you just have to bring it loose

 

You'll need to be certain what spline differential you have before ordering the axles. Also be sure your 10 bolt is an 8.2" or 8.5" too! Don't throw money towards any other 10 bolt, as the smaller one's aren't worth building.

 

Yes you do need the same spline for diff and axles but I would get 30 spline since there stronger and not much more money..I wouldn't build any small rear than a 8.5"

 

I wouldn't spend the money to get 30 spline if I didn't already have that differential. You're going to end up back in the same boat with having the whole rearend set up again, and the costs that associate with that. They are a bit stronger, but not enough so to make it worth the changes and costs.
If you have 28 spline and you get a good pair of axles I doubt you'd break it any sooner than you would a 30 spline. If you push either of them that far you're probably going to break either.
As for 8.5 vs. 8.2, you're only talking .3" difference, and again it's better to have a 8.5", but the 8.2" is close enough to work well, and give good service too. The 8.2" and 8.5" use the same identical axles as long as they are both 28 or 30 spline.

 

well gfrench, if your going to swap out the axles and get an eaton posi anyway then mise well upgrade to 30 spline axles and diff but like Vall said, if your just going to upgrade the axles then its up to you if you want to swap out the diff and have it set up again but with 600hp you might want too..

If your rear is stock then it should be a 8.5" since all 2nd gens are