There are combos running chevy 8.2s with 31 spline spools with stronger aftermarket gear sets for class racing. Apparently the combo of aftermarket gears and the cover brace must help them hold up to the abuse to some degree.
After 1999 the 8.5 became an 8.6 (8.625” ring gear, and all had 30 spline axles). The gears interchange, the 8.6 carrier will drop in a 8.5 with different carrier bearings, but it doesn’t have a reputation be being very strong in OEM versions. The 8.6 ring gear and pinion are more expensive.
Here are some torque ratings for forged axles if your curious where your combo falls. Per axle
(Engine TQ)X(first gear ratio)X(axle ratio)= Maximum TQ to axles for street tires
28 spline = 4800
30 spine = 6200
31 spline = 7000
33 spline = 8200
35 spline = 9600
40 spline = 12000
Safety factory of 200%, since it is per axle.
The numbers get interesting when you consider drag racing with slicks and dead hooking. The torque converter multiplies the engine tq for a small instant. After the car launches, it can only multiply the engines actual torque, the tq converter is no longer much of a factor. For drag racing with sticky tires multiply the axle torque numbers with additional multiplication of 2.5 from the torque converter. Not hard to see why we break stuff drag racing. The carrier must carry those axle torques also.
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