HD assembled diff
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 20,691
Likes: 25
From: Sorrento Italy
HD assembled diff
hi everybody, who are the top guys (apart tom's) building heavy duty rear axles and differentials for a '77 C3? i'd like to find a top of the line builder with a friendly customer service, who could supply a fully assembled rear end to me... 
thanks/Giu
thanks/Giu
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 379
Likes: 0
From: Thief River Falls Minnesota
I think Tom's is the only one for the 12 bolt diff, Vansteel sells the 30 spline HD axles for a 10 bolt case and the 1480 u-joint axles, but I am pretty sure Tom's is the only place that does the 12-bolt conversion, correct me if I'm wrong 
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 20,691
Likes: 25
From: Sorrento Italy
Originally Posted by Van Steel
your 100% correct.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
If you want you can e-mail me and I'll be happy to answer the questions you have. I get quite a bit from Tom's so I can order anything you want. My e-mail is vansteel@vansteel.com
Also here is a link to site showing some of the different products.
http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fu...ups&Group=9000
Also here is a link to site showing some of the different products.
http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fu...ups&Group=9000
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 20,691
Likes: 25
From: Sorrento Italy
Originally Posted by Van Steel
If you want you can e-mail me and I'll be happy to answer the questions you have. I get quite a bit from Tom's so I can order anything you want. My e-mail is vansteel@vansteel.com
Also here is a link to site showing some of the different products.
http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fu...ups&Group=9000
Also here is a link to site showing some of the different products.
http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fu...ups&Group=9000
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by panic
hi everybody, who are the top guys (apart tom's) building heavy duty rear axles and differentials for a '77 C3? i'd like to find a top of the line builder with a friendly customer service, who could supply a fully assembled rear end to me... thanks/Giu
thanks/Giugtr1999 to me is the best
Last edited by norvalwilhelm; Feb 2, 2006 at 09:56 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,443
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I'm a little hard on rear ends. All our 8 3/4 iron cased rear ends need are Richmond gears, $700 posi units and the custom hardened yokes that are about $500 a pair.
The big thing to making them last is to limit travel of the rear wheels. So I have HD trailing arms with Smart Struts. Good shocks, 420+ pound steel spring, and 3/4 sway.
I destroyed my original rear end and had to throw it away. The case was ruined so it was not rebuildable. The original yokes wore off the ends to the point of even the snap rings were gone. The case was full of metal flakes in the oil. The yokes had been grinding on the outside of the case from the half shafts pressing on them. Cheap posi units would break every year or two. Now I have had this rear with all the improvements for 5-6 engines and a few transmissions
The big thing to making them last is to limit travel of the rear wheels. So I have HD trailing arms with Smart Struts. Good shocks, 420+ pound steel spring, and 3/4 sway.
I destroyed my original rear end and had to throw it away. The case was ruined so it was not rebuildable. The original yokes wore off the ends to the point of even the snap rings were gone. The case was full of metal flakes in the oil. The yokes had been grinding on the outside of the case from the half shafts pressing on them. Cheap posi units would break every year or two. Now I have had this rear with all the improvements for 5-6 engines and a few transmissions
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Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Originally Posted by norvalwilhelm
Our rearends are not that weak if set up right. I have beaten on mine for 19 years with more power then most ever put through them and only twisted a set of axles which I found on routine inspection.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 268
Likes: 0
From: Mechanicsville VA
Originally Posted by norvalwilhelm
I wouldn't have to think about this. To me Gary does the best job, the most maticulous builder there is. Get his advice, get the job done by him. Our rearends are not that weak if set up right. I have beaten on mine for 19 years with more power then most ever put through them and only twisted a set of axles which I found on routine inspection.
gtr1999 to me is the best
gtr1999 to me is the best
though I rebuilt my own pumpkin, Gary was an enormous help and was open with his information. If I had it to do over again, I might just send him a crate with parts in it.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 733
Likes: 15
From: Clarksburg NJ
Originally Posted by PureSilver
though I rebuilt my own pumpkin, Gary was an enormous help and was open with his information. If I had it to do over again, I might just send him a crate with parts in it. Me too. Gary gave some detailed advice the other day, on a rear I bought from someone else. That's good business. And from watching his thread, I can really relate to his level of craftsmanship, and concern about quality.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,997
Likes: 1
From: WAY DEEP INSIDE AMERICO,YES YOU LIVE HERE TO!! TX
Originally Posted by norvalwilhelm
I wouldn't have to think about this. To me Gary does the best job, the most maticulous builder there is. Get his advice, get the job done by him.
gtr1999 to me is the best
gtr1999 to me is the best
I would not let anyone touch my trailing arms ordiff. He has done work for me also, and takes it one step
further than some of our vendors, for the same price, and sometimes less. He's not a vendor here, but he should be one
Last edited by MEGALADON; Feb 2, 2006 at 01:44 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Van Steel
Very true that the 63-79 diff can take a beating but put some real HP & torque to it with slicks and your looking at a hole new ball game. I don't think the stock 10 bolt diff, even if it's set up right, will out last a 12 bolt diff.
Never hurt anything. Did blow 3 700R's with this setup but never broke a rearend.
No it won't outlast a 12 bolt but guys give it a chance. You can always replace it if it lets go.
The majority of problems come from poorly maintained equipment.
If you look under someones car and it is a rust bucket chances are everything is ill maintained.
My friend Brian/vetter likes to skate his car out of cruise nights running BFG drag radials and this past summer MT drag radials. He also runs 3.9 gearing in his high dollar 383 stroker. Seems to never hurt anything either.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 83
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What would be the cheapest yet most effective way of handling a 800hp+ corvette?
I have an 82 vette that I hope to put a turbo in for a summer project, and at this point the only thing I'm really worried about is the rear end... It wouldn't be nearly as hard as a nitrous hit and I plan for it to be a street car, so street radials, no slicks. I hoping it just melts the tires before it blows the rearend?
I have an 82 vette that I hope to put a turbo in for a summer project, and at this point the only thing I'm really worried about is the rear end... It wouldn't be nearly as hard as a nitrous hit and I plan for it to be a street car, so street radials, no slicks. I hoping it just melts the tires before it blows the rearend?
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 10
From: Big Pine Key FL
Originally Posted by flynbyu82
What would be the cheapest yet most effective way of handling a 800hp+ corvette?
I have an 82 vette that I hope to put a turbo in for a summer project, and at this point the only thing I'm really worried about is the rear end... It wouldn't be nearly as hard as a nitrous hit and I plan for it to be a street car, so street radials, no slicks. I hoping it just melts the tires before it blows the rearend?
I have an 82 vette that I hope to put a turbo in for a summer project, and at this point the only thing I'm really worried about is the rear end... It wouldn't be nearly as hard as a nitrous hit and I plan for it to be a street car, so street radials, no slicks. I hoping it just melts the tires before it blows the rearend?
With the age of the cars saftey is very important. Before I worried about the rear diff I would do a number of other things. Check the frame over carefully for cracks and rust. Replace/Weld/Brace as required. Replace all critical fasteners with new.
Blow proof bellhousing, new drive/half shafts, u-joints and saftey loops. I had a broken motor mount and transmission mount that needed repair, discovered swapping the engine.
I check my car over carefully every month during the summer just to be safe.
After a summer of burning the 295's every once and a while they would hookup and things would happen quickly and I only have 500hp
