Differential Brace - When do i need one
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 283
Likes: 2
From: Troy MI
Differential Brace - When do i need one
When should i consider getting the DTE differential brace? Is it determined by horsepower/torque or by my intended usage?
I guess while I am asking - what about the hardened left drive shaft?
Thanks
I guess while I am asking - what about the hardened left drive shaft?
Thanks
Life Time NCM #2196
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 82,586
Likes: 1,697
From: Converse TX
That is a great question as the biggest problem is wheel hop and not getting off the throttle, unless you have big hp numbers like I have and then everything changes. If you are stock you should be ok, and if you have an auto things seem to stay together better than with a MN6/MN12. If you want to have a drag car then once you do some major mods those upgrades will be needed. I do not drag that often, however I have put in the output shaft and the DTE Brace. Stay stock and you should be ok and mods protection is a good thing 
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 283
Likes: 2
From: Troy MI
Ok i have a 6sp with haltech stinger intake. FLP long tubes with x-pipe and high flow cats and GHL bullets.
I am thinking I will go H/C sometime in the future and since I am having DTE change my diff to a 4.10 and would have the brace and hardened shaft installed at the same time. Adding these features, however, is expensive and if I don't need them until I do the H/C - perhaps I should save my $$ and wait.
ANy more comments?
I am thinking I will go H/C sometime in the future and since I am having DTE change my diff to a 4.10 and would have the brace and hardened shaft installed at the same time. Adding these features, however, is expensive and if I don't need them until I do the H/C - perhaps I should save my $$ and wait.
ANy more comments?
Former Vendor
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: Wixom Michigan
We have grenaded our share of differentials on an autocross Corvette.
The first thing to break is the left-side output shaft. Low-cost no-brainer upgrade for anyone doing any competition, even in a stock engine car. Any serious abuse will snap that thing.
Next, if you try to put some power down, you will grenade the cast aluminum pinion support, which will blow out the rear into the diff cover, and have the nice side effect of breaking off the end of the transmission output shaft when it *****. Sucks big time.
The stock cast piece can be replaced with a billet aluminum pinion support that has a much better design. Highly recommended for serious power. There is also a heavy-duty right-side outpt shaft available.
After that, G-Force makes excellent heavy duty transmission gears and shafts.
We don't run the differential brace because it adds too much weight, but it looks like it might be good for serious HP drag racers.
If you need any help putting a heavy-duty driveline together, please contact Rick Myers at ATI 248-848-9200.
Bob K
ATI Performance Engineering
performance.accuratetechnologies.com
The first thing to break is the left-side output shaft. Low-cost no-brainer upgrade for anyone doing any competition, even in a stock engine car. Any serious abuse will snap that thing.
Next, if you try to put some power down, you will grenade the cast aluminum pinion support, which will blow out the rear into the diff cover, and have the nice side effect of breaking off the end of the transmission output shaft when it *****. Sucks big time.
The stock cast piece can be replaced with a billet aluminum pinion support that has a much better design. Highly recommended for serious power. There is also a heavy-duty right-side outpt shaft available.
After that, G-Force makes excellent heavy duty transmission gears and shafts.
We don't run the differential brace because it adds too much weight, but it looks like it might be good for serious HP drag racers.
If you need any help putting a heavy-duty driveline together, please contact Rick Myers at ATI 248-848-9200.
Bob K
ATI Performance Engineering
performance.accuratetechnologies.com
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
From: Palo Alto CA
Bob,
If I have a 489rwhp (383) z06 that I plan to autoX on 315 710s, what do you recommend as far as a rear?
I snapped the left output shaft last weekend at the strip, so Im trying to figure out where to go.
I have a lingenfelter 3.73 coming second hand, with hardend gears, and hardened output shafts, and I was thinking about the DTE brace. What else would you recommend? the billet pinion holder? Where can I get one?
If I have a 489rwhp (383) z06 that I plan to autoX on 315 710s, what do you recommend as far as a rear?
I snapped the left output shaft last weekend at the strip, so Im trying to figure out where to go.
I have a lingenfelter 3.73 coming second hand, with hardend gears, and hardened output shafts, and I was thinking about the DTE brace. What else would you recommend? the billet pinion holder? Where can I get one?
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
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
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
Collections Hold
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,899
Likes: 6
From: Fort Wayne Indiana
We engineered and manufacture the billet pinion shaft support here that other businesses carry, amoungst other HD internal differential components. They are quite effective in providing additional differential strength. ATI is a DTE product dealer as well and they are good folks there. 
http://www.dynotech-eng.com/dte_c5_diff.htm
http://www.dynotech-eng.com/dte_c5_diff_acc.htm Billet P.S.S. is $299 not $324.
http://www.dynotech-eng.com/dte_c5_diff_strut.htm
Regards,
DTE
http://www.dynotech-eng.com/dte_c5_diff.htm
http://www.dynotech-eng.com/dte_c5_diff_acc.htm Billet P.S.S. is $299 not $324.
http://www.dynotech-eng.com/dte_c5_diff_strut.htm
Regards,
DTE
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 24,652
Likes: 298
From: NJ
St. Jude Donor '05-'08
Originally Posted by WKMCD
You may find it interesting - I did. I checked with a few HPDE guys here and none that I talked with runs the brace. Maybe it's a drag racing thing,
Just an FYI
Just an FYI
it is important for dragsters to have it because when those wheels lock up things are gonna twist.
BTW - I have it and do HPDEs, but I got it when I did 1/4 mile runs.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,066
Likes: 0
St. Jude Donor '06
I'm upgrading with heads and cam. Since I'm putting in a new clutch for the increased horsepower I decided to add the DTE brace. Cheap insurance and since the driveline will be out anyway it's easy to install now.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,459
Likes: 48
From: Schaumburg IL
CI 7-8-9-11 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Originally Posted by 2GOFAST
Ok i have a 6sp with haltech stinger intake. FLP long tubes with x-pipe and high flow cats and GHL bullets.
I am thinking I will go H/C sometime in the future and since I am having DTE change my diff to a 4.10 and would have the brace and hardened shaft installed at the same time. Adding these features, however, is expensive and if I don't need them until I do the H/C - perhaps I should save my $$ and wait.
ANy more comments?
I am thinking I will go H/C sometime in the future and since I am having DTE change my diff to a 4.10 and would have the brace and hardened shaft installed at the same time. Adding these features, however, is expensive and if I don't need them until I do the H/C - perhaps I should save my $$ and wait.
ANy more comments?
if you are gonna do H/c and also do a 410 then that would be ideal to do the DTE brace while the gears and driveline are already out, you'll save some big $$$$ in labor by doing it then.I have 400RWHP with my MN6. I dont have the DTE brace, but then I don't drag race etc.. so I am just careful for now.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
From: Palo Alto CA
Originally Posted by DynoTech Engineering
We engineered and manufacture the billet pinion shaft support here that other businesses carry, amoungst other HD internal differential components. They are quite effective in providing additional differential strength. ATI is a DTE product dealer as well and they are good folks there.
http://www.dynotech-eng.com/dte_c5_diff.htm
http://www.dynotech-eng.com/dte_c5_diff_acc.htm Billet P.S.S. is $299 not $324.
http://www.dynotech-eng.com/dte_c5_diff_strut.htm
Regards,
DTE
http://www.dynotech-eng.com/dte_c5_diff.htm
http://www.dynotech-eng.com/dte_c5_diff_acc.htm Billet P.S.S. is $299 not $324.
http://www.dynotech-eng.com/dte_c5_diff_strut.htm
Regards,
DTE
Thanks for the reply.
Im prettymuch sold on your girdle, but not sure what else you recommend for a 489rwhp AutoX/HPDE car with an occasional 630rwtq on ETStreet pass down the strip.
I have a lingenfelter 3.73 unit coming with hardened output shafts... Do you think I need the pinion carrier?
-Jason
Collections Hold
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,899
Likes: 6
From: Fort Wayne Indiana
Is the LPE 3.73 differential you're getting a standard Getrag unit with LPE shafts installed in it by them or it is a HD DTE 3.73 differential built for LPE? I ask because we build differentials for them and 21 CMC as well, but I also know they use the standard Getrag units from time-to-time, upgrading them with HD shafts. If it's one of ours built for them, we can implement the billet pinion shaft support in that differential during the build process at no extra labor if you wish.
Best Regards,
Phil- DTE
Best Regards,
Phil- DTE
