Dan H.

I'm halfway through removing the driveline to get my diff rebuilt. I've been using a combination of the shop manuals and youtube videos as instructions and this is the first time I'm taking on this job. I have the rear sub frame lowered and detached from the body. The shop manual instructs that you remove the 2 nuts that connect the diff to the sub frame which I've done. Now the sub frame is lowered and the driveline is resting on the sub frame on jack stands. The brake lines and wires are detached from the sub frame.

I read on facebook (where everything is true and reliable) that the diff can be removed without taking the trans and TT out. Does anyone on here have experience doing that?

Since my sub frame and diff are decoupled, I planned to remove the sub frame first. Then removed the TT, Trans, and Diff separately second.

I'm doing the job on jack stands. I picked up a transmission jack to help.
Thoughts? I'll post a couple pics below

Dan H.

Boosted_Z

YES.

I just blew my Differential again early this year on my 07 manual Vette. I had no problem removing the diff w diff brace while the Trans and TT was still connected. I had to remove X-pipe and tunnel plate so i may lower assembly enough to access all bolts. Make sure to support torque tube and watch engine to firewall clearance while lowering. This is the second time I have done this and both times I left the Transmission and T-tube in/on car. Took me about 10 hours as I have no lift, no creeper, and no help.

Quickshift_C5

GoatHead

Curious: What causes the Diff to break down?

fmcokc

You can lower it enough to get the diff off. Just watch and make sure that you don't lower it so much that the engine hits the firewall.

Rx7Rob

After dropping the rear subframe you might as well pull the rest of it out and service the clutch and TT internals!

Don't forget to replace the subframe nuts!

Quickshift_C5

Boosted_Z

Only need a couple inches lower to remove Diff bolts, why would saving time on a repair a poor decision? In my case, I have recently rebuilt/replaced my clutch, TT couplers and bearings, and more so there was no need to do extra work.

Scooter70

It's much easier on a C6 since they got rid of the "tub" in the rear floor that comes down right behind the diff. Look at the photo in the first post.

dclafleur

I was looking at this last night and that was my thought it'd be tricky to drop it enough past that tub without smacking the firewall at the front with the back of the engine.

Quickshift_C5

Boosted_Z

Ah.. Never worked on a C5 but assumed it was very similar to the c6. Maybe someone who worked on a c5 can honestly say removing the diff without trans/tt is just as easy. In a c6, I only need to lower a couple inches to get access to all bolts to remove Diff. Very easy on a C6.


Quickshift_C5 - Since we are talking about a C5 and they are not the same underneath as a C6, this does not apply then.

PRE-Z06

Dan H.

Thank you for all the posts guys. My cars a C5, so we'll see how it goes. I hope to wrench on it some this weekend and I'll report back.

Dan H.

Ok, I was successful getting the diff out this afternoon. I lowered the trans some and was able to get it off.

PRE-Z06

Quickshift_C5

Awesome! How long did it take? Any complications due to space or otherwise?

Dan H.

Kind of tough to answer the time question. I've been taking it apart 30 minutes here and an hour there. Holidays with family and a 4 year old don't leave much garage time (it sure is fun though). I didn't find a straight forward set of instructions, so I watched some youtube videos and used the shop manual.

The part I messed with the most was getting the titanium muffler assemblies out. Seems basic, but working on jack stands didn't leave much room. I'd say the biggest obstacle was my unfamiliarity with the job. It will be easier and faster the next time. You'll have to follow all the instructions as if your removing the TT. This will allow you to lower the transmission enough to slide the diff off. Everything came apart very easy. I struggled with the slippery slope, how much to take on now versus later. My car has 30k miles. I chose to stick with the job that needed to be done (diff) versus taking on all the preventive maintenance that most recommend. I know this is a pay now or pay later choice. The cost of clutch, master cylinder, couplers, along with the time to make all these changes was a bit daunting.

Something I learned that I'll do different when its time to remove everything for a clutch job is the diff mount to the subframe. The shop manual says to unbolt the diff. This separates the driveline from the subframe. This made everything really unstable when lowering the parts. I will leave this connected when the entire driveline needs to be removed.

Part I was/am most nervous about is the brake lines. You do move these alot and maneuver them around. I unbolted them from the wheel well mounting location to give them a larger range of motion. I just always felt like i was going to bend/kink these.

Hope this helps. I still have reassembly in front of me which I always think in a bigger job. I tried to blue tape and label all electrical connections to I don't miss any when putting everything back together, there are quite a few.

Dan H.

There isn't any one great youtube video either. I found myself watching these two the most

This video is tough to follow and the lighting is bad. But its one of the more complete step by steps.

and

This GRM video has some really good info, but doesn't show the work as its happening