8-3/4 Vs Dana60 Vs 9" Rear

Well here's my 2 cents worth.

First of all I have an 8.75 in my car with the MP aluminum center section and pro gears with a spool. I've used this in my Duster even with a trans brake. The only time I've had a problem is when I screwed up throwing it into neutral. If I lingered for a second in 2nd gear at the top end it would chirp the tires and crack the teeth.

I put this rear into the Scamp without hesitation. It will be foot braked and should run high 9's.

However I will say that if I had it to do over a Dana 60 would have been my choice. The 9 inch is a good rear with all the aftermarket stuff (read expensive) which is even more expensive than the Dana. I think the Dana is a better rear, the reason everyone went to the 9 inch is because it allowed wider tires in a narrower body than the 60 would. It's been made stronger by the aftermarket, it isn't inherently so.

When I first built my car it was a 4 speed. It never made a full pass down the track without breaking something in the driveline, including the rear. I was faced with the choice of installing a 60 or an automatic. I'd already spent $5000 fixing the trans and driveline, twice so my decision was to install an automatic instead of the Dana as I was trying to take weight out of the car as it was. The four speed, safety bell housing, flywheel, and clutch alone was over 250 pounds. A full dress 904 with converter came in at about 150.

So instead of adding 85 pounds of Dana I lost 100 pounds of transmission.