Differential Rebuilder
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,189
Likes: 111
From: Tolland CT
Differential Rebuilder
Has anybody had experience using either Bairs or Vtech to get a differential rebuilt? How did it work out?
How do you ship something this heavy? Construct a crate? Buy a crate?
How do you ship something this heavy? Construct a crate? Buy a crate?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,189
Likes: 111
From: Tolland CT
Gary is up there somewhere, probably within driving distance. I'd look at him first.
PM him @GTR1999
PM him @GTR1999
Racer
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 364
Likes: 93
From: Chesterfield VA
I would go with Bairs or even Ikerds. As far as shipping, it is easy get a 5 gallon bucket from Home Depot and drop the diff down in it. It will fit tight but you will need to remove the cover and axles and drain the oil out of it. It is a Hazmat so UPS will not take it with the oil in it. You can put the lid on it and tape it all up and then it also has a nice handle on it. The bucket will keep it from getting damaged and you will not make an enemy out of your UPS man by building a wood crate for it.
Last edited by J.Abbott; Feb 9, 2024 at 08:26 PM.
Instructor
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 225
Likes: 73
From: Missouri
I shipped mine to Gary from Missouri in a plastic cooler bought from walmart and stuffed with semi-rigid foam and the axles removed and wrapped in bubble wrap. I then duct taped the cooler lid closed real good and shipped it using Shippo to print my own labels. I even printed the return label and put it in the cooler so he could ship it back. Shippo was way cheaper than going direct through the shipper. I had no issues whatsoever and Gary did a fanstastic job as always. I also had him swap out the wimpy 2.87 gear for 3.73's. 2 years now behind my LS equipped '81 and zero problems. Worth every penny. Good luck!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
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
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
Racer
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 364
Likes: 93
From: Chesterfield VA
The cooler would work, didn't think about that one, just had customers use 5 gallon buckets. You can also save a ton on UPS if you go online and make an account with them and do all of it online. Then you just drop it off at the UPS store vs. having the UPS store ship it for you. Would be shocked on how much you save. We have also gotten really nice wood crates that would come in and even thought about building some to ship the diffs in that gave a good crate to send the core back in. I asked our UPS guy about it and the stare he gave me answered the my question.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 364
Likes: 93
From: Chesterfield VA
I shipped mine to Gary from Missouri in a plastic cooler bought from walmart and stuffed with semi-rigid foam and the axles removed and wrapped in bubble wrap. I then duct taped the cooler lid closed real good and shipped it using Shippo to print my own labels. I even printed the return label and put it in the cooler so he could ship it back. Shippo was way cheaper than going direct through the shipper. I had no issues whatsoever and Gary did a fanstastic job as always. I also had him swap out the wimpy 2.87 gear for 3.73's. 2 years now behind my LS equipped '81 and zero problems. Worth every penny. Good luck!
Instructor
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 225
Likes: 73
From: Missouri
converted to an iron diff. Although my Dana was working, when I opened it up it was on its way to failure. For the cost involved it just made sense. Pretty easy swap. Hardest part is just getting all the pieces. I was lucky enough to find a complete rear end out of a ‘79 local for cheap. Unfortunately that one had an all to common cracked carrier. Gary hooked me up with a new Eaton unit and was able to reuse the existing 3.73s that were in it.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 505
Likes: 230
I had mine done by vtech along with trailing arms, they did a great job. I had mine rebuilt and re-geared rather than a swap out, and new used good oem shafts installed. They will send you shipping boxes, only took a few weeks.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,189
Likes: 111
From: Tolland CT
Pro
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 505
Likes: 230
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,692
Likes: 2,572
Racer
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 364
Likes: 93
From: Chesterfield VA
converted to an iron diff. Although my Dana was working, when I opened it up it was on its way to failure. For the cost involved it just made sense. Pretty easy swap. Hardest part is just getting all the pieces. I was lucky enough to find a complete rear end out of a ‘79 local for cheap. Unfortunately that one had an all to common cracked carrier. Gary hooked me up with a new Eaton unit and was able to reuse the existing 3.73s that were in it.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 22
From: Marina CA
Gary did the rear end, trailing arms and steering gear on the 68. 10 + years later they're all doing just as good as the day I got them back.
If you choose him to do your differential, you won't regret it.
If you choose him to do your differential, you won't regret it.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,189
Likes: 111
From: Tolland CT
He’s currently very heavily booked. A tribute to his expertise and communication.