2002 Z28 Camaro rearend trouble

My Z28 2002 camaro rear end pinion bearings finally bit the dust.I am rebuilding the stock rear as I have limited funds.Summit sent me a kit and new gears. Any one out there with any advise and tips to help me get it together I would apretiate. I have an artical from chevyhighperformence on 12bolt chevy rebuild which has helped me so far but this is a little different.  

Sorry no tips, but the stock rear is garbage. You shoudl really think about upgrading to a 12bolt or something similar. I've been saving for a lil. I did a lid then catback, my third mod is gonna be either a strange 12 bolt or a moser 12bolt.  

agree the 7.5 10bolt is a weak point of late model fbodies. but look up a thread at camaoz28.com about "bullet proofing a 10bolt" in the rearend/suspension tech areas. the owner of 3rd gen supposedly beefed his up to take 500rwhp, and it has worked well for some time....mines lasted 10k of abuse from a 396LT4...  

If you are an automatic, you can make the rear work very well. Run a 3600+ converter and a good tire on a 16 or 15 inch wheel. Maybe buy some suspension and take some stress off the rear a bit, but they can work. Not saying it will hold power well, but on an 11 second car and an auto tranny, it can be decent.

I have been going 1.49-1.55 for almost 2 years on a stock 10-bolt. I changed the gears before that to help out with the cam, and it has taken it. Stock axles, posi, and a TA cover to press the bearings. The bearings have little pressure on them, just enough to keep them in place.

They aren't the best, but they are pretty decent. Not a drag racing rear, but decent for an 11 second car with an auto.

6-speeds place too much shock on the pinion, and will be more likely to break gears, or posi units. If you are going to autocross/road race the car, or rarely drag race it, then the 10-bolt may be your best bet, and cheapest alternative. If your car will see the track a lot, no 10-bolt.

Hope this helps.  

A common misconception with the 7.5 and 7.625-inch 10-bolt is that it is so fragile that the ring and pinion will sheer with even the slightest increase in power. However, the number one cause of ring and pinion failure is  tire choice. Bolting up a set of slicks at the drag strip is a sure way to kill your stock rear. Stick to a Nitto or BFG drag radial, and your rear should easily last past 400rwhp. As for the posi, I highly recommend giving Eaton a call. Even if your car is completely stock, eventually the stocker will give out. Drag racers would be wise to invest in a line lock kit to take some load off the posi during the burnout, which will also help prolong its life. The most important thing you can do for your 10-bolt is to use common sense. If you are doing an hour's worth of burnouts and donuts in the high school parking lot every week, chances are something is going to break.