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Rear end options?

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Old Oct 5, 2004 | 04:18 PM
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Default Rear end options?

What can you do on an 81 with reguards to upgrading the driveshafts, axelshafts, u joints, etc. Are there carbon fiber parts avaliable for all the shafts to the half shafts? What have you guys done to reduce the rotating mass and friction?
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Old Oct 5, 2004 | 05:22 PM
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Performed a search for Carbon Fiber Driveshaft. Here's a couple of threads from the archives that should help. Searching the CF archives is always worth a shot!

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ber+driveshaft

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ber+driveshaft
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Old Oct 5, 2004 | 07:23 PM
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Here is another question that I shows my ignorance to my car...what were the rear end diff ratios in 1981? Anyonehave any clue or WHERE you could find out? Ive tried looking around a fair bit but have yet to find out much.
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Old Oct 6, 2004 | 12:33 AM
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bump, bump, bu bu, bu bump
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Old Oct 6, 2004 | 06:15 AM
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Standard Manual Transmission
four-speed fully-synchronized
floor-mounted gear shifter
gear ratios
1st = 2.88:1
2nd = 1.91:1
3rd = 1.33:1
4th = 1.00:1
Rev = 2.78:1
Final drive ratio: 2.72:1
Automatic Transmission
Three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic
floor-mounted gear shifter
gear ratios
1st = 2.52:1
2nd = 1.52:1
3rd = 1.00:1
Rev = 1.93:1
Final drive ratio: 2.87:1
I got this info off the following link.
1981 Corvette
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Old Oct 6, 2004 | 12:26 PM
  #6  
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I was talking about the differential....as in gears. I think its a 3.53 but damned if I know. Anyone know?
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Old Oct 6, 2004 | 12:56 PM
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bertmeister posted it above under final drive ratio (2.87:1 for auto, 2.78:1 for manual - sorry, stick shift!).
If you've got an auto then at 70mph you should be seeing about 2700rpm with the converter locked in "3", or 3000rpm with it unlocked when running a 2.87:1 rear ratio.
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Old Oct 6, 2004 | 01:02 PM
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barf...this is what I get for being an ignoramus 18 year old...

ok so final drive ratio doesnt have to do with the tranny or does it? I thought tranny gears were something else...bugger...so what does it mean to have 3.73 gearing? Does it make a difference if youve got a 200 4-r or a TH350 as to whats going on back there or what? My god Im stupid....
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Old Oct 6, 2004 | 01:13 PM
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The final drive ratio is the ratio in the diff, whether 2.87, 3.55, etc. For the 2.87 it just means that every 2.87 revolutions of the driveshaft will turn the wheels once. How many revolutions the driveshaft is doing with respect to the crankshaft depends on the ratios inside the transmission.
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Old Oct 6, 2004 | 01:19 PM
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I beleive the final drive ratio is the ratio of the top tranny gear multiplied by the rear end gear ratio, so on a 1.00:1 ratio top gear(as with 81s) theyre the same thing, however, if you have an overdrive it's different
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