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Project Black Betty Gets a New Moser 12-bolt Rearend - Strength In NumbersFrom the December, 2011 issue of Camaro Performers By Steven Rupp Photography by The Author
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There are two ways to build a super reliable Camaro that can withstand hard abuse. The first way is to just start driving the hell out of it and replace the weak links as they snap, fail, and let go. While this method works, typically, it can leave you stranded and paying out stacks of cash to tow companies. The other way is to learn from others and replace the known weaker parts before they become a problem. After two days of work this... After two days of work this was our end result. The 3.73 gears will help our Camaro get off the line quicker, and the stronger parts will hold up to the performance mods we have planned. The 12-bolt from Moser starts at $1,800, and with all of our upgrades the one under Black Betty came in at $2,966.50 plus shipping. The best part is that this is the last rearend this Camaro will ever need. Follow along to see how we got from before to after. In the case of our ’01 Z28 project car dubbed Black Betty, we knew that the GM 10-bolt rearend was a weak spot in the equation. We were making well over 360 rear-wheel horsepower and felt the 10-bolt was one hard hookup away from failing. We also knew that we’d be adding even more power to the car later on, so the decision was made to just do it right and be done with it. Given the fourth-gen Camaro’s propensity for trashing rearends, there are good aftermarket solutions available. One such answer comes from Moser Engineering in the form of their bolt-in 12-bolt system. Their rearend assemblies are obviously stronger than what GM stuffed under the Camaro at the factory but more importantly, they are able to provide a part that has all the requisite brackets installed and is compatible with modern amenities like anti-lock brakes. Now if our Camaro was stock in terms of suspension, then the installation would have been pretty much a bolt-in deal. But, this wasn’t the case. Because of the modifications done to help the Camaro’s rear suspension geometry, we needed to weld on a few extra brackets and supports, so we enlisted the help of the gearheads over at Global West Suspension to get the new12-bolt installed and ready to rock the autocross and dragstrip.  The 12-bolt from Moser isn’t...  The 12-bolt from Moser isn’t some worked-over GM piece, instead it’s a new casting made here in the good old U.S. of A. by Moser. Its thicker nodular material makes it considerably stronger than an OEM housing. It came with all of the OEM suspension mounting points for our ’01 Z28, and the axle tubes are a stout 0.25-inch wall, 3-inch, seamless steel.  Moser is proud of the fact...  Moser is proud of the fact that they still forge their axles at their facility in Portland, Indiana. This gives them complete control over quality and lets them offer very fast turn-around times, sometimes as quick as one day. Moser knew we had plans to up the power on our Z28, so they sent us some 35-spline pieces capable of handling way more power than we could hope to make.  Inside the housing is a set...  Inside the housing is a set of 3.73 Motive gears around a 35-spline Wavetrac. The Wavetrac is exceptional at getting the torque to the rear wheels for optimum traction, and its design is the only one that carries a lifetime warranty, even when used in racing applications. Moser set up the unit to work with our car’s three-channel ABS system (located on the top of the housing). For a bit more strength, they also installed their 356-T6 aluminum rear cover, which helps to reduce the amount of ring gear deflection for better longevity.  For a bulletproof interface...  For a bulletproof interface with the driveshaft, Moser installed their billet 1350 yoke.  The best thing about the Moser...  The best thing about the Moser piece was that it came ready to rock with all the brackets and perches needed for an easy install into our ’01 Z28 Camaro. Unlike the stocker, this unit ditched the C-clips in favor of axle retention plates similar to what’s used on a Ford 9-inch.  The Moser rearend came ready...  The Moser rearend came ready to bolt into a stock Camaro, the problem is that our Camaro isn’t very stock in terms of suspension. A while back, Global West installed their suspension under the rear of our car, so we hauled the new diff over to them for a few needed modifications. Here, Eric Norrdin welds on the extended bracket for the Global West panhard rod.  Part of Global West’s kit...  Part of Global West’s kit also includes an extended bracket for the trailing arm. This adds adjustability and helps Black Betty get all the traction possible. These brackets are all available direct from Global West Suspension.  And here’s the area after...  And here’s the area after all of the modifications at Global West. The brackets, especially given how we drive the car, are under tremendous loads, so Eric welded on a few gussets for extra strength.  A lot of hate gets piled on...  A lot of hate gets piled on the GM 10-bolt that was standard fare on the fourth-gen Camaros. In all fairness to GM, these were adequate for the car in stock form and it really wasn’t their responsibility to make them strong enough to hold up to gobs of extra power.  Our six-speed equipped Z28...  Our six-speed equipped Z28 came with 3.23 gears, which are perfect for meeting Federal mileage requirements, but not so hot in the performance department. The torque arm mounts on the factory mounts go all the way through while the mounts on the Moser were blind, so we needed to pick up some bolts. You can also see the sensor mounts for the car’s three-channel ABS sensor (arrow).  After a quick coat of black...  After a quick coat of black paint, the new Moser 12-bolt was stuffed under the Z28.  Due to our new C-clip elimination...  Due to our new C-clip elimination system, we couldn’t use the GM parking brake system. After a call to Wilwood they sent over just what we needed for the new Moser 12-bolt.  13. Global West then pressed...  13. Global West then pressed the supplied Timken bearings onto the Moser 35-spline axles.  With the new Wilwood parking...  With the new Wilwood parking brake assembly installed, we could then drop in the axles. This is when we noticed that we forgot to order our axles with access holes cut in the flange so we could get to the four bolts for the bearing retention plate. Given the material the axles are made from, this is a really hard hole to cut; lucky for us Global West has an awesome set of tools.  With the new 12-bolt installed,...  With the new 12-bolt installed, our GM 3-inch aluminum driveshaft was a bit on the long side. If we were trying to save money we could have had the stocker shortened, but it would have still had the wrong U-joint. Instead, we opted to have Inland Empire Driveline Service (IEDLS) whip us up a sweet 3.5-inch aluminum driveshaft.  You can buy a combination...  You can buy a combination U-joint that converts from 1310 on the driveshaft side to 1350 on the differential side, but it’s not a very good idea since you’re just adding a weak link to the chain. The new IEDS piece does it the right way by incorporating a full 1350 U-joint. Getting the 3.5-inch driveshaft in there and clearing the torque arm was tight, but the Global West crew was able to make it all fit.  IEDS was also able to upgrade...  IEDS was also able to upgrade our driveshaft to utilize the stronger 1350 U-joint on the transmission side as well, which required a new trans yoke. Now we just need to hit the track!
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Wilwood Engineering
4700 Calle Bolero
Camarillo
CA
93012
805-388-1188
www.wilwood.com
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Global West Suspension
655 South Lincoln Avenue
San Bernardino
CA
92408
877-470-2975
www.globalwest.net
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Inland Empire Driveline
4035 East Guasti Rd
Suite 301
Ontario
CA
91761
800-800-0109
www.iedls.com
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Moser Engineering
102 Performance Drive
Portland
IN
47371
260-726-6689
www.moserengineering.com
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