How come all the interest in the Eaton rear ends lately? I was reading here just a few months months ago the 14 bolts and the Sterlings were the way to go. Nothing could touch them. Its hard to keep up with you guys.

In my 5500 pound truck I ran an Eaton HO72. They are strong (Comp to 14bolt) and very lite, If you want to you can put 14 bolt axles in them but, I never broke an axle only a few ring gears. Alot of the guys in this class run them because of that weight reason. The H110 is a total different animal the reason behind it is its strength and price compared to a Dana 80 also with it broke down and cleaned up I think it might be lighter than an 80.

Like Last minute said, Dana 80's are unreal expensive, so guy's are looking for alternatives. We can run as big as a Rockwell F106 (or equiv) but I couldn't find one in the gear ration I needed and replacement gears are in the $500-$650 range. So, I went looking for an alternative and found the H110.

As far as the Sterling 10.25 or 14 bolt, they are extremely strong axles, I know mine has held up to 3 seasons and 3 engine combo's starting out in the mid 500hp range upto over 700hp. The only failure I had in 3 seasons was a 1330 cap failure at the end of this season. If I'd kept the Sterling, then I would have upgraded the yoke to 1410 for 2008. Bottom line is HP levels determines the axle you should use. For the Street class or even Hot street, I think a Sterling or a 14 bolt is fine. Start moving beyond 700hp with a clutch behind it, and you'll need to upgrade the axle.

Alan

Last minute, I belive your right on the weight.

Alan

Digger,

It is a proactive thought process. If you are gonna build a drivetrain why not build it to last through more than one upgrade. So instead of repairing your drivetrain with each hp increase just build it right the first time. The eaton rear will last most guys to the level they will take it to. In other words if you know that your future plans are a bar tire truck with a alky motor why put in a rear that you will never be able to get your ratios right and will not stand up to the power levels. And if you decide that you want a modified truck most guys build a whole new truck anyway. Alans decision to go with the eaton will allow him to just add a reverser and drop box and he is a prostock truck, half the work is done already.

Travis

P.S. It is tough to justify the expense of a dana 80 when you know that you will be compromising your ratio availability also.

Digger, I never knew anything about all these different rearends these guys are talking about either. But I'm trying to get a handle on it. I think I'm going to have to start another thread and try to retain all their info.
I like you thought that the Sterling would handle what ever I could throw at it in my truck class. And if you can recall. With the help of your diagram. We put Ken's rear suspension under my truck and set a Sterling in there with it. Rearend problems solved or so I thought. I'm not making 700hp or I don't think I am. But with the way the truck and the tires hook. The 10.25 is not going to make it. The both axles need replaced and I have already put in a new R&P because I twisted the pinion into. Another guy that is running the 10.25 with us broke an axles and has lost a R&P. SO if you are thinking of going heavier. By pass the 14 bolt and the Sterling and do like TA said. Fix it now and don't worry about it later.
PS. I love the shots of Digger on YouTube.

Where is the video of digger on youtube???

Travis

Guys we ran the sterling in a stock truck class, (Stock Ya right) but, we broke an axle killed 3 ring gears broke one pinion (High dollar race only gears) and one axle, never could get a 1330 U joint to hold up so went 1350 without any problems as long as I keep an eye on wear. Oh and bent one housing. All of this with a solid rear suspension and an auto.

If you run an 10.25 0r 10.5 remeber to weld the axle tubes in and you might want to get ride of the crush sleeve and pust a solid bushing in it. One guy that we run with even put aftermarket axles in his.

That is why I want to go with the Eaton H110.

I'm at a loss to explain why your Sterlings are failing unless it's the ratio?????? The first 2 years I pulled (year one over 500hp, year 2 around around 600hp both with an auto) I ran 4.56 gears and lincoln locked the spiders. Year 3 over 700hp with 5.38 gears. 3 years worth of pulling in 33 in. tires and no failures other than the ubolt cap this season. My driving style has always been, slap it in low and stand on the go fast pedal, so I launch as hard as the auto will let me. Also, the only thing not stock in the axle is the gears and the extra material from the welder! That sterling has been rock solid! I can say that I've always been told to run taller gears cuz you'll have less failures, so maybe there is some truth to that. What sort of ration were you running in the pig?

Another thing I've read somewhere is that the sterling and 14 bolt are good to around 700hp (gas) after that better move up. I have also seen pictures of a diesel that rotated the pig on a 10.25 so that's why they weld the tubes to the pig. I have not done that, and have not had the issues.


Alan

The gears I ran the 1st two years were Yukon gear and last year had Spicer in the front and Yukon in the back. So I didn't have any high dollar gears. My u-joints were Spicer's and were non greasable which I'm told are stronger than the greasable ones. Axles were stock. This truck had 170000 miles on it when I got it and now 3 years worth of pulling. So they have seen some use and abuse lol.

IDK but I sure would like to know what ratio you guy's were running. Might be interesting to compare with what I've been running.

Alan

I never knew there was anything on U-Tube. Maybe my son did it. I'll have to ask him.

I think I found an Eaton today on an old International truck. I think it has only (maybe) 6 lug bolts?? I will take a pic of it tomorrow and let you guys look at it.

I ran a 14 bolt up to 745hp with stock ring and pinon with a small block .But when the small block started making over 800hp then I went to the dana 80 and have not had a bit of trouble since. and it still has the stock 4.10s in it.

Yes Alan I think you may have hit on something there. I'm running 4:10 gears and I have heard the same thing. That if you run a lower gear set it is easier on the rearends.
I have thought about going to 4.30 gears and a borg warner tranny but I don't know if it would be low enough to help and a lot of work if it wasn't.
DIGGER is under YouTube Titled "Digger Starts" from there u-tube pulls up a couple more.
He isn't hooked to a sled. But it is some nice footage of the truck and it sounds and looks great.

We ran 4.10s in the sterling rear end. Also one of the trucks in our stock class flipped the housing on a 14 bolt during his first hook. He now has the tubes welded in also. Just what I have been around the last couple of years, the Eaton has been the most problem free rear that any of the guys run around here, we are limited to ton running gears so no 106s and no one is running an 80 yet.

The other guy here that put the Sterling under his truck last year and hasn't had a lot of success. It too has a 4.10 gear.
We did weld the tubes to the pumpkin and had the solid crush sleeve put in both of them as well. I painted the stripes on the axles so I could see if they twisted and or how bad.
Where did the after market axles come from ??? I didn't know if companys were making them yet.

I am pretty sure he ordered them from Moser.

Last minute have you been able to find a solution to let you run the H110 in your association?

Alan

Not sure yet, things jave died down on it and the spokesman has not called me in a while to argue against me running it. I have tried to get in contact with dana to shed some light on things, no return call yet. It is in the truck now i still need to weld the spiders, other than that it is ready to run. The rest of the truck is another story. Did you have any ideas that might help?