Bad Day
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 430
Likes: 147
From: Hendersonville NC
Bad Day
I was on my way down to Hawkes Third Generation Tuesday to have a new Dewitts Radiator with Oil Cooler and Dual Spal fans installed when everything went bad. I was about a mile from his shop and had just stopped at a stop sign. When I pulled out I short shifted into 2nd gear and gunned it just a little when I heard something pop and I had no gears. After towing my car on down to the shop I came home and a few hour later Bruce texted me and said this aint good. along with pictures of my broke output shaft and my busted differential. Luckily the diff case was still good but the internals destroyed. Let this be fair warning to all you guys if you are putting down more than 500 Whp to the ground Get a diff brace. Although there is no guarantee with one that you want destroy a differential it will definitely put the odds more in your favor.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 430
Likes: 147
From: Hendersonville NC
Diff is on the way to RPM to get Level IV and trans is getting pulled apart tomorrow to see the extent of damage. Hopefully will have everything back together with diff brace and be back on the road before the end of the month. Think I will change rear gear to 3.90 while I am at it. Boy this vette fever is expensive.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2013
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Why does one needs to add a diff brace to their car. Should everyone install one? Thanks.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 430
Likes: 147
From: Hendersonville NC
In the C5 and C6 Corvette the transmission basically floats in the drive line. What the brace does is that it ties the trans and diff together. Under stock HP levels you are pretty much OK as long as you don't abuse it to much. But when you increase the HP to levels that the parts were not designed for well parts start to break.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 3,534
Likes: 432
From: Atlantic Beach FL.
You don't need a diff brace, until you do. It's not the most expensive part. RPM gives good advice and wont sell you anything you don't need.
The good news is that you didn't blow out the case or RPM would add a core charge. Building up the drive line is a necessity when adding HP.
The good news is that you didn't blow out the case or RPM would add a core charge. Building up the drive line is a necessity when adding HP.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 430
Likes: 147
From: Hendersonville NC
How very true. In all actuality I should have put a diff brace on when I put the LS 7 in it. But I thought if I was gentle on it it would last. But lets face it when we mod our cars we don't do it to be gentle on them. It was just plain stupidity on my part for not spending a little extra money then. You just can't cut corners and expect to get away with it for long.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 3,534
Likes: 432
From: Atlantic Beach FL.
How very true. In all actuality I should have put a diff brace on when I put the LS 7 in it. But I thought if I was gentle on it it would last. But lets face it when we mod our cars we don't do it to be gentle on them. It was just plain stupidity on my part for not spending a little extra money then. You just can't cut corners and expect to get away with it for long.
I seen too many people blame the car for being cursed after doing mods. They don't want to hear that when you change one thing that the whole system needs to be re-thought out.
The diff internals need to be upgraded with C6 Z06 parts and better shafts etc...
I have seen wheel hop break the case and shafts. If a shaft brakes it tends to take everything out in the wheel house.
At least your getting the gear ratio you want through all this.
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That would really make your day suck. Best of luck getting the car repaired and back on the road.
