Bee Jay Aluminum Rear End Conversion
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
I drove the car about 150 miles last week. It's amazing how the car leaps from the stop light now. I inadvertently burn rubber regularly. The rear end makes a howling sound. I remember that sound from when I was a kid whenever someone would put 4.11s in their car. It's not very loud, but noticeable. It's not louder than my exhaust and I only notice it when coasting. Maybe it will go away with some miles. Here are some pictures for Traccdog and kid vette. I tried to compress the suspension some for the pics, with limited success.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,802
Likes: 241
From: Niles, MI
Thanks for posting the pics Bee Jay! Well your half shafts appear to be perpendicular to your drive shaft which is bad news for me since I was planning to use the front mount as is when I do the swap. Now it looks like I will have to fab something up.
I'll measure my iron diff when I drop it though to determine where and exactly how much the differences are.
I also noticed your spring looks darn close to your rim. It never rubs?
I'll measure my iron diff when I drop it though to determine where and exactly how much the differences are.
I also noticed your spring looks darn close to your rim. It never rubs?
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
i noticed that also.. the TRW spring sets further out than the VBP spring.
I have a TRW also and have had to grind about 1/4" off due to hitting the rim in extreme hard turns.... i am going to go-pro it and look at exactly what is going on, but I may have busted the snap rings on the side yokes.
you ever have that problem Bee Jay?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,802
Likes: 241
From: Niles, MI
Just a follow up on the diff dimensions.
I measured from the cover flange to the stub axles.
There is about 1/8" difference between the two. The D44 measures 2"; the Eaton measures 1 7/8".
I also measured the distance to the front pinion mount hole.
I held a level at the top of the hole on the Eaton and the drew a line at that level on the D44. The D44 is 1/2" lower.
So the distance from the pinion mount hole to the centerline of the stub axles is 5/8" less on the D44.
I bought the section of frame off an 82 where the pinion bracket is welded. The pinion bracket is identical with my 73.
So the stub axles are 5/8" forward on the 80-82s. If I mount the diff that way the stub axles will hit the battery and storage compartments. Had me stumped until I discovered this.
The 80-82s have a recess in that area to clear for the stub axles. Not sure why they did it but now you know.
I measured from the cover flange to the stub axles.
There is about 1/8" difference between the two. The D44 measures 2"; the Eaton measures 1 7/8".
I also measured the distance to the front pinion mount hole.
I held a level at the top of the hole on the Eaton and the drew a line at that level on the D44. The D44 is 1/2" lower.
So the distance from the pinion mount hole to the centerline of the stub axles is 5/8" less on the D44.
I bought the section of frame off an 82 where the pinion bracket is welded. The pinion bracket is identical with my 73.
So the stub axles are 5/8" forward on the 80-82s. If I mount the diff that way the stub axles will hit the battery and storage compartments. Had me stumped until I discovered this.
The 80-82s have a recess in that area to clear for the stub axles. Not sure why they did it but now you know.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
Wow! Good research Kidd. Where did you find that '82 picture of the battery and storage compartments? Now I wonder, what do I have out of wack. Is my Dana 44 too far back? The batwing rear end cover is exactly where it was for the iron rear end. Months later, everything is working fine, even the howl has died down somewhat. I love those 3.73 gears, makes the car seem even lighter. Losing 20lbs was the gravy.
Bee Jay
Bee Jay
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
Hey Bee Jay!!!! where you been brother!!!! think i am going to do some of your weight loss mods this summer.... the front and rear steel bumpers are the first to go....
BUT, I think I will make aluminum replacements...i am worried about frame ridgiqtatty and I am worried if i go flying off the track i have some.... protection.
How much did you loose from the bumpers?
thx.... p:-)
BUT, I think I will make aluminum replacements...i am worried about frame ridgiqtatty and I am worried if i go flying off the track i have some.... protection.
How much did you loose from the bumpers?
thx.... p:-)
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
Hey Bee Jay!!!! where you been brother!!!! think i am going to do some of your weight loss mods this summer.... the front and rear steel bumpers are the first to go....
BUT, I think I will make aluminum replacements...i am worried about frame ridgiqtatty and I am worried if i go flying off the track i have some.... protection.
How much did you loose from the bumpers?
thx.... p:-)
BUT, I think I will make aluminum replacements...i am worried about frame ridgiqtatty and I am worried if i go flying off the track i have some.... protection.
How much did you loose from the bumpers?
thx.... p:-)
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...loss-mods.html
I lost 25lbs with my front bumper mods, and another 43 lbs removing that heavy vacuum air tank.
My rear bumper mods lost 55lbs.
My frame is just as rigid as ever.
Bee Jay
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
Hey Paul. You still can't spell worth a damn, but I still love you brother. See this thread:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...loss-mods.html
I lost 25lbs with my front bumper mods, and another 43 lbs removing that heavy vacuum air tank.
My rear bumper mods lost 55lbs.
My frame is just as rigid as ever.
Bee Jay
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...loss-mods.html
I lost 25lbs with my front bumper mods, and another 43 lbs removing that heavy vacuum air tank.
My rear bumper mods lost 55lbs.
My frame is just as rigid as ever.
Bee Jay
I'm about as far as one can go in drive train and suspention.... If I can do your bumper mods, change the calipers to aluminum and get one of thoes light weight batteries, I should be around 3200lbs... No where near where u b!!!! But still way better than I was stock... At about 3600 lbs!!!
So..... You are my i insperation ...
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
i noticed that also.. the TRW spring sets further out than the VBP spring.
I have a TRW also and have had to grind about 1/4" off due to hitting the rim in extreme hard turns.... i am going to go-pro it and look at exactly what is going on, but I may have busted the snap rings on the side yokes.
you ever have that problem Bee Jay?
I have a TRW also and have had to grind about 1/4" off due to hitting the rim in extreme hard turns.... i am going to go-pro it and look at exactly what is going on, but I may have busted the snap rings on the side yokes.
you ever have that problem Bee Jay?
Paul, Those snap rings don't ever break..... all you have to do is: Put a floor jack under the center and start jacking or have someone else jack while you watch the yokes right next to the pumpkin. if they come out more than an 1/8th of an inch you have problems.
I've only seen two problems that allow the yokes to slide in and out on compression of the rear tires. The posi unit or the yokes themselves. The ends of the yokes ware away. That is why you change to custom hardened yokes when you have HP and wider tires. The posi units pin elongates the its hole in the posi case and eventually cracks. Or if in the past somebody replaced the posi unit with a cone design like the Eaton posi units. The cone is metal on metal and in HP applications it wares. The Eaton posi units eat their selves and I have seen more than 1/4 inch in and out movement on the yokes. That causes the spring to wheel clearance problems.
That BJ is a driven man that is for sure.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
George...... are you really telling me my Eaton carrier... Than I'm so proud of..... is eating itself from the inside out?!?!!??!!?!?!? AAAAHHHHhhhh!!!!!!!!! can a C3 owner ever win?!?!?!?! lol....
not what I wanted to hear.... ill jack her up and take a good look at the play... upset here... p
not what I wanted to hear.... ill jack her up and take a good look at the play... upset here... p
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
George...... are you really telling me my Eaton carrier... Than I'm so proud of..... is eating itself from the inside out?!?!!??!!?!?!? AAAAHHHHhhhh!!!!!!!!! can a C3 owner ever win?!?!?!?! lol....
not what I wanted to hear.... ill jack her up and take a good look at the play... upset here... p
not what I wanted to hear.... ill jack her up and take a good look at the play... upset here... p
I still have it in a box. The internal cone had worn more than .250 inches. All that metal is in the oil so it must ware at an increasing speed. The parts look perfect. The hard steel on a steel just uses them up.
That is when i shifted to the Tom's super posi units