I think I have finally narrowed it down to the strange s60. It is overkill for my application but I would never need to worry about a rearend again. I found some ls1 backing plates that I refurbished and made like new and have some stoptech rotors already so thats what brakes I plan to use. I talked to a helpful Strange employee named Edwin on the phone. Still a little while before I'm able to order but In case anyone is curious of price here is cost breakdown if I ordered.

Prsg05 $2775
https://www.strangeengineering.net/...ck-35-s-t-axles-coil-spring-mounts.html/

Options

H1143 strange small gm housing ends. It's the gm small housing pattern for f body brakes with 3.150 bearing.
https://www.strangeengineering.net/product/small-gm-weld-on-housing-ends-for-3-150-bearing-pr.html/

P3502 axle package with A1035 m12 wheel studs
https://www.strangeengineering.net/product/35-spl-alloy-axles-bearings-1-2-stud-kit.html/

For my use he recommended tapered bearings instead of ball bearings.

Stock width

Stock lug pattern

3.73 gear

Upgrades

D3533 Eaton 35 spline Truetrac $175
https://www.strangeengineering.net/product/dana-60-35-spline-truetrack-3-series.html/

D3517 to the Strange Aluminum cover $65.
https://www.strangeengineering.net/product/dana-60-35-spline-truetrack-3-series.html/

U1598 chrome moly yoke $55
https://www.strangeengineering.net/product/dana-60-yoke-1350-strange-chrome-moly.html/

Opgl2q Lucas 85w-140 oil 2 quarts $16
https://www.strangeengineering.net/...-end-supply-2-quarts-85w-140-lucas.html/

Freight shipping $300

Taxes $0

Total= $3386 to my front door

I would send ls1 backing plates and they would install before pressing on bearing. Also includes all factory style brake line mounting tabs. Originally had down for the lpw girdle upgrade but he said that would be overkill until around 700-800 h.p. hard launch on slicks so I would opt for strange cover just because I like how it looks vs the stamped steel cover. Decided against powdercoating for now.

So for the questions, is anyone on here currently running a s60 in there g body? Are you running springs and shocks or coilovers, if so what coilovers and what was needed to make them fit? Are you running ls1 brakes, if not which brakes? Is your car lowered and if so how much? The upper ears are raised .360" and my car is lowered around 2-2.5" in the rear. To get upper arms correctly positioned I was thinking about the trick chassis raised ear kit with adjustable uppers https://www.trickchassis.com/product/raised-ear-9%E2%80%B3-and-8-5-gm-kit/ For the time being I would like to just use my stock lowers and sway bar but not sure about that so that's another question. Any answers or comments would greatly be appreciated.

What is your plan for parking brake cables?

I plan to use the stock cables. Trim the cable and springs to length needed and weld a new end to the cable so I can utilize the lokar brake lever clevis. lokar clevis link

Below in the top picture is a blazer backing plate and you will see that it has a place for the parking brake cable. The 2nd picture is one of my refurbished ls1 backing plates which do not have the part for the parking brake cable as the ls1 cable came from the back and utilized a bracket off the shock mount. As I'm sure you know after you switch sides so the caliper faces rearward your cable needs to pull from the front like the blazer brakes. After looking at willwood brakes they utilize a bolted on bracket kind of like the 3rd picture for brake cable. I plan to fab or machine a bracket that will either mount to the back of the flange using longer flange bolts or drill and tap the 1/2" thick backing plate. That's as far as I've got on the idea so far and only thought about it. I'm sure there will be plenty of bugs to work out but I should be able to come up with something. Any comments or concerns are always appreciated.

Sounds like a good plan.

Concerning rear disk brake swaps, I remember one member saying that the brake line that runs along the frame to the rear drum brakes should be increased in size. The current size is 3/16 tube and I think he said to increase it to 1/4 tube for rear disk brake swaps. I think the reason was that the 3/16 tube is not big enough for disk brake calibers with such a long run. What are your thoughts about that?

Fred

I don't think you can go wrong with anything Strange makes. Prices have gone up everywhere for everything, but I can tell you if you push the car hard with the new engine, you absolutely are going to need something that'll handle the power. I broke 2 "stock" rear ends before dropping the cash on an aftermarket rear end. I wish I had just done it from get-go, like you're doing. It would have saved me money, time, and a lot of aggravation.

Over the years, I still consider the rear end as one of the best investments I've made on the car. The TH400 is another, but you already have your transmission covered. SO,,, you should be set to fully enjoy that new engine and have years of trouble free fun!!!

It's funny you ask about brakeline size, I had put some thought into it and decided that with as many people that have done this swap I've not found anything negative about using the 3/16 and it will be just fine.

Ls1 camaro with 45mm piston od (1590 mm² piston surface area) and a rotor thickness of 1.02" uses 1/4" line then splits off to 3/16".

C5 & C6 base with 45mm piston od (1590 mm² piston surface area) and a rotor thickness of 1.26" uses 3/16" all the way back.

C6 rpo JL9 with 45mm piston od (1590mm² piston surface area) and a rotor thickness of 1.02" uses 3/16" all the way back.

Lots of variables but with my thinking I would think once your pads are out near the rotor you should be good to go and don't need the extra volume but I'm not a engineer and I'm sure they have some reasoning behind it. I'll read some more on it at some time and try to make sense why it's different.

Have you considered a Strange 9"?
I built one a few years ago. It has 31 spline axles, tapered bearings, 1/2" studs. I assembled the gearset on my bench with a Strange S case with a Tru Trac, 3.89 Strange gears, Daytona pinion support and 1350 yoke. I then put on a set of 11" drums from Quick Performance and used the stock parking brake cables.

Brent, Thank You for the info you posted. I have always wanted to go with rear disk brakes but have been hesitant.

Fred

To add to the brake line size question, I was at pull a part today and a 2002 ls1 camaro was there and it still had all the rear brake pieces on it and yes I pulled them off . While under it I cut a piece of the line in the drive shaft tunnel to measure when I got home. I kept seeing conflicting reports online but what I posted above for the ls1 is wrong. The brake line all the way back to the rears is 3/16", there is no 1/4" line. So the c5, c6, and ls1 all have 3/16" line.
Tunnel piece


At the caliper

Thank You Brent for posting the pics. Good info to have.