I was thinking about doing a T2 swap, when I started thinking, wouldnt putting stuff on an NA with a T2 tranny be just as good if not better? I know there are the exhaust diffusers, I'd already have been upgrading the fuel system, and i'm planning on going with a megasquirt anyway. But if a get a T2 to NA drive shaft, with a GXL/GTU diff with new clutch packs, what kind of power will the differential and axles hold? Does anyone really know when it breaks? If not, is anyone else running a set up similar to this? How much power are you making to the wheels?

 

the na diff can take power
just not when people wheel hop it or do pegleg burnouts, etc etc....

it is, most likely, fine for what you are doing.

 

its strong enough to drift an N/A, well at least my GXLs LSD is, so im positive it could handle daily driving with a turbo engine. and on top of that slpin says its good to go, and i've learned to trust his opinion haha.

 

I put 180hp/180tq @rw through it on my turbo setup for 2 years.

My LSD did wear out much quicker once I drove it turbo'd.

So now I'm open diff style.

Other than that I haven't seen any problems.

Not really sure of the max power it can take.
Aaron was running na rear as well I think. I think he was making more power at thw wheels too so I'd say 200rw shouldn't be that bad.

General abuse like wheel hop and burnouts could make it go bad though.

TII rear ends are pretty much bullet proof(for general public hp numbers).
I know a bunch of guys pushing 400rw through them.

Now for mating TII to NA.
Mazdatrix has the driveshaft.
The advantage is it's rebuildable.
The disadvantage is that for the same price or maybe even less you can buy a TII rearend.

 

but you also have to buy a T2 driveshaft and T2 halfshafts too!

 

I've seen rearends including that go for $200-300
A TII driveshaft should be dirt cheap too.

My driveshaft cost me something like $350 alone.

Pretty much it depends on how much power and abuse you want to throw at it.
Decent daily driver 200rw or drift/HP monster.

The NA rearend is relatively untested at high power levels.
The TII is known to take abuse and keep fighting.

 

There are plenty of V8 conversions running around on NA rear ends as well...The NA transmission is the weak link, as well as the driveshaft (I've broken 2 driveshafts). Even the transmission is nowhere near as weak as most people think (in my experience anyway).

 

I absolutely destroyed my N/A diff drag racing. The previous owner had installed a brand new 4 puck clutch and lightweight flywheel, so the car needed to be launched from 6000-6500 in order not to bog. I didn't feel like replacing a brand new clutch, so I daily drove it for a year.

After about 20-30 launches it went out with a bang. I was at a huge event at a local drag strip (couple thousand people there), lined up, launched it, and CLUNK! I sheared my stock differential mount in half and broke the diff such that I would put it into gear, let out the clutch, and it wouldn't go anywhere.

I was obviously abusing it though. I'm amazed it put up with as much as I put it through. It's got another N/A diff in there now with a performance street clutch, and I've only launched it about 3 times since it was replaced back in September.

 

Like AaronCake has stated, alot of V8 conversions putting down 300+ lbs of torque and running 10's and 11's are fine with the stock differental.

 

The v8 conversion guys running that are using automatic trannys (easier on drive line) and not running stickies. I know from experience the GXL LSD will fly apart with sticky tires and a good launch. should be noted i'm about 400hp so judge accordingly...

 

Alot of the V8 guys run a T-56 transmission. It's also known as the parts crusher.

It holds up fine if you don't drive like a dipshit and don't run drag radials.

 

I've managed to kill driveshafts at a ratio of about 3:1 compared to n/a diffs. With little to no traction and an open diff, it's hard to kill the n/a rear. Though, I managed to destroy 3 of them with falken azenis tires in a little less than 15 launches each.