kalayaan12

How is the C5 ZO6 differential different from the standard C5 unit?

I'm looking to keep my current 3.42 unit set-up as a "spare" - but buy another differential and have either a 3.90 or 4.10 ring and pinion installed in it.

I've heard that C6 ZO6 "guts" can be swapped into a regular C5 differential for a great upgrade, but does the C5 ZO6 differential come with any better internal parts than just the plain C5 version?

Any info appreciated!


Jeff

LoneStarFRC

To the best of my knowledge, the OEM Z06 ring and pinion get shot-peened and that's the only difference. AFAIK, the rest of the internals are the same.
Maybe someone else can chime in.

HTH

chaase

WKMCD

You can use the C6Z06 carrier and some other peices to beef up a C5 rear. Check with Rick Kim - RKT56 - here. He took my tranny and diff to Level 4 specs and did use some C6Z06 parts in it.

LoneStarFRC

Rick Kim for President!

Rick@RKT Performance

Thanks Kevin!

LMAO!!!!

The 2 said differentials are EXACTLY the same other than Z06 gears having shot peened gears.

The C6 Z06 parts really help with the strength of the unit.

02*C5

The best thing you will do for your diff is a diff tranny brace if your going to be tracking it specially if its a stick. Other than that the internals are the same except for the mentioned above. Now if you really want to beef it up you can get the gears cryod go with 300M shafts and go with the upgraded clutche and spring packs.

"Yet remember nothing is 100% for sure when it comes to cars. You can prevent you can't avoid."

My diff guy

kalayaan12

Wow! Good info... Thanks to all for your input

Darn... "Plan A" was to buy a new C5 ZO6 differential and use that as the basic building block for a new rear end - just add 3.90 gears and be done with it.

But it doesn't sound like this offers any advantage over doing the same thing with the standard C5 unit? I was kind of hoping the ZO6 might have had some extra internal features that would be of some benefit (better spring, clutches, shafts, etc.) over standard.

The car is a stick - but won't ever see the track, or even any real street racing. Just an occasional blast around some curvy roads and down the highway...

Jeff

WKMCD

I ran a stock rear with my 403 and 427 build. With the numbers in my sig it worked fine. I don't track my car either but do like to menace the locals on back roads, etc. I had Rick do my Z06 rear and tranny...just for insurance. The stock rear is probably fine for you. I had 3.90's in my 346 and 403 build and they ARE the gears these cars should have come with from the factory.

Rick@RKT Performance

If you don't plan on racing, you won't need the C6 Z06 guts except for the clutch springs. Almost all of the C5 diffs I take apart have the springs that are cracked.

Rick@RKT Performance

NukeC5

Im not sure why It hasn't been mentioned yet, but there is a difference between the carriers. The term 3-rib carrier comes from the stronger diffs used in later models. Not only the Z06. So depending on your year, Im may have the single rib down the top, or the 3-rib.

This is to the best of my knowledge. That and shot-peened gears are the major differences. But maybe all 3.42 diffs are 3-rib... Im not totally sure.

Rick@RKT Performance

I think the OP was asking about the difference in internal parts.

All C5's have 1 rib case from 97 to 2001. Some of the later 2001 units were changed to 3 rib cases and all the 2002-2004 units were changed to 3 ribs cases.