Quote:
Originally Posted by NeighborsComplaint
8.2 BOP behind my 455 here. Spent the 1st 20 years of ownership with a 4:56 gear behind a 3500 stall convertor. I never, repeat never left a stop sign or light without leaning my mark and routinely beat it like crazy including many long burnouts on uneven road surfaces where I thought "Yep I'm sure that one broke an axle."
I swapped my convertor with Lee Atkinson (who wanted to try a higher stall in his Firebird) for his Huges BOP 25. After about 5 more years of abuse, my posi gave up and began peg legging, I bought a used 8.2/3.55 from a forumite who claimed it was rebuilt but it wasn't. Had a shop rebuild it and the trans and put it in along with new axle bearings 10 years ago. The trans rebuilder set up my trans with good firm shifts and I've been driving it ever since. All told, I've owned the car for 35 years and besides the posi wear, the rear end has never been an issue.
Perhaps being an automatic on street tires helps but the 8.2 rear end is the last thing I've ever worried about.
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Back in the early 70's, my stock 3.55 rear on my pattern 69 Judge with 4spd was thrashed many times in street races. Never had an issue until one day I discovered one of the rear wheels seemed very hot to the touch. Finally looked to the rear and found the axles were very sloppy. Took out the axle on one side and the ball bearings just fell out onto the ground. Couldn't believe it. Took it to a local auto parts store to have another bearing pressed on. Was told the old bearing spun on the axle and was recommended to get a new one. I didn't and had the new bearing pressed on the old axle. Changed both axle bearings and never had another issue. The rear held up fine, but I wasn't hole shotting the car on a dragstrip either. I think for street use many of these rears held up fine with stock HP motors. However, if you began to gain more HP, that could be another matter.