I need halfshafts

[JIffy94]

03, with a 2.2 KB, snow performance meth kit, blah blah. Finally blew my diff cover off the rear end while goin down the track on monday. I am gettin gears while i have it apart. I am thinking 3.73's, but others are telling me 4.10's. I think that is going to be too much gear for me. I am currently puttin down over 650 RWHP and TQ on a very safe tune(maxing out pumps) and it is my daily driver and i regularly play with it so....While it is down and out i am gonna replace halfshafts. There is a shop here locally that says they will bulild me a set for somewhere around $600 and that they will last. It is Mark Williams of Colorado, anybody heard of them or anybody use em? Any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. -Jeff

 

[Uncle Meat]

Never heard of Mark Williams, but if I were pumping out 650 RWHP and I just HAD to keep the IRS instead of going with a built straight axle, I'd opt for the DSS level 5 halfshafts. They are expensive, but out of the thousands they've sold only 2 known cases of breakage thus far and that's on cars running more RWHP than you! Plus the DSS halfshafts come with a full year warranty. I'd also look at getting a rear cover brace from Billetflow, which probably would have prevented the blowout you recently experienced.
As for gears it all depends on what size tire you are running at the track. Lot of guys go for the 3.90's... I'm sure the 4.10's would be too low unless you're running a really tall rear tire. Your low-end torque would just blow the rears tires off in 1st & 2nd gear with the 4.10's...

U.M.

 

[JIffy94]

Thanks for the responce, of all the threads i was reading i def saw you on almost every one. I tried searching for the dss shafts, but im probably a dork and missed over them, if i cant find them could i get a link? The company here in town says they WILL last, SAYS is the key word here. I'll weigh in the options when i get a more exact qoute from them tomorrow. I'm runnin the et streets on my stock 03's, the 27x 11 x 17 ones. I def will be keeping the IRS tho, call me crazy, but i already have enough live axle cars and just wanna see what i can do with it. I havent had any tire hop, but then again i dont dump the clutch either. I think i'll try that 3.90 ratio. Will any cover work, or will i need to buy an IRS specific one? Does it have the cap pre loaders like on a solid stick axle?

 

[Uncle Meat]

Thanks for the responce, of all the threads i was reading i def saw you on almost every one. I tried searching for the dss shafts, but im probably a dork and missed over them, if i cant find them could i get a link? The company here in town says they WILL last, SAYS is the key word here. I'll weigh in the options when i get a more exact qoute from them tomorrow. I'm runnin the et streets on my stock 03's, the 27x 11 x 17 ones. I def will be keeping the IRS tho, call me crazy, but i already have enough live axle cars and just wanna see what i can do with it. I havent had any tire hop, but then again i dont dump the clutch either. I think i'll try that 3.90 ratio. Will any cover work, or will i need to buy an IRS specific one? Does it have the cap pre loaders like on a solid stick axle?

The reason you saw my name on so many posts around here is for two reasons... first being I'm a moderator around here so I'm always in these forums many times a day. 2nd is because I don't have a life!

Reason you may have had trouble finding the DSS website was due to me using just the companies initials. DSS = Drive Shaft Shop. Their level 2 half shafts are rated up to 600RWHP and the level 5's are rated up to 900 RWHP. Here is a link to the page on their site for Cobra half shafts: http://www.driveshaftshop.com/item148325.ctlg Prepare yourself for sticker shock!

As for a rear differential cover.... The IRS rear cover is different than the straight axle cover due to it's need for a torque brace mounting point. There is only one company I know of that makes an aftermarket cover for the 8.8 IRS and it's special order and WAY EXPENSIVE because it's milled out of solid billet aluminum. What I had suggested for you previously was a rear differential cover girdle (brace). They only cost $150 and they help distribute the torque that is transferred through the torque brace evenly and will prevent exploding the cover. You use it with the stock Ford differential cover. You can get them here: http://www.billetflow.com/2003SVTCobra.htm

Hope this helps you out!

U.M.