Rear gear installation
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 373
Likes: 0
From: Belews Creek N.C.
Rear gear installation
I have a 97 that is equipped w/6sp and 3.42 rear. Has anybody installed a new gear set? Zip Products, sells the 3.90 and the 4.10 ratios. I have changed gears in 10 and 12 bolts in the past but the corvette rearend is a different animal. I would also like to hear from anybody that has either of these ratios with a stock motor.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,161
Likes: 12
From: San Diego CA
It's a whole new ballgame compared to the old 10/12 bolts of yesteryear. It requires special (expensive) tools and expertise. I know of no one who has sucessfully accomplished the task in thier garage.
Usually you just buy the entire rear differential assembly with 3.90s-410s etc. and swap it out. It's a 6 hr. job in it itself. I've done 4 of them and it's time consuming but not difficult.
The 4.10 ratio is a great gear for a 6spd Vette. It really wakes the car up and is only turning about 2100 rpm at 75mph while delivering about 25mpg.
You can get a complete 4.10 diff. from DTE for $1300 and sell your old 3.42 unit for $500. Probably the best $700 mod going
.
Usually you just buy the entire rear differential assembly with 3.90s-410s etc. and swap it out. It's a 6 hr. job in it itself. I've done 4 of them and it's time consuming but not difficult.
The 4.10 ratio is a great gear for a 6spd Vette. It really wakes the car up and is only turning about 2100 rpm at 75mph while delivering about 25mpg.
You can get a complete 4.10 diff. from DTE for $1300 and sell your old 3.42 unit for $500. Probably the best $700 mod going
.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 264
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
This should be the first mod on the list for 6 speeds. Really makes a huge difference. Getting rid of the runflats is usually the next mod after the 3:90's it seems!
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,461
Likes: 161
From: Las Vegas Nevada
St. Jude Donor '08
Tom,
I definitely agree with jmzvet. I recommend getting 4.10’s from DTE. Don’t waste your money with the 3.90’s as it is a so called compromise that you really don’t need. I also suggest you spend a little extra for the hardened driver’s side output shaft for $1,549 plus shipping. This is exactly what I did and it makes your car an entirely different animal. I have not noticed any difference in mileage, as now 6th gear is useable. The only regrets I have is that I did not get the transmission brace, since it is just a little more work when changing out the differential. You may not need the brace unless you plan to do some serious drag racing and/or using drag radials. By the way, once you change the differential, you will need drag radials to hook up. Don’t let anybody tell you that this brand or that tire designed for the street will hook up well. IT WON’T!!!
Good luck,
Clayton from Las Vegas
I definitely agree with jmzvet. I recommend getting 4.10’s from DTE. Don’t waste your money with the 3.90’s as it is a so called compromise that you really don’t need. I also suggest you spend a little extra for the hardened driver’s side output shaft for $1,549 plus shipping. This is exactly what I did and it makes your car an entirely different animal. I have not noticed any difference in mileage, as now 6th gear is useable. The only regrets I have is that I did not get the transmission brace, since it is just a little more work when changing out the differential. You may not need the brace unless you plan to do some serious drag racing and/or using drag radials. By the way, once you change the differential, you will need drag radials to hook up. Don’t let anybody tell you that this brand or that tire designed for the street will hook up well. IT WON’T!!!
Good luck,
Clayton from Las Vegas
Platinum Supporting Vendor
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 3,665
Likes: 341
Tom,
What do you plan on using your car for? We like to build the differential to what you need and not overkill so it will also not break the bank. DTE sells the diffs the same way we do (Zip) it is not $1300, it is $1300 plus a $500 core charge. You cannot even buy all of the parts in the rear for $700. I can either build your differential or send you out one on a core charge. Depending on what you are doing with it, you may not need the HD axles. Customers sometimes overkill there differential with parts that usually will not break unless they are under severe stress that their cars will never produce anyways. We build allot of race only differentials, and many times we have been in a jam where we had to use a stock axle (the customer knew) because of a time constraint. This particular car puts over 550 hp to the rear wheels and sees speeds over 160mph and it was not an issue. I have a 4.10 in stock that is ready to ship, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to call.
Thanks
Justin Abbott
Zip Products
What do you plan on using your car for? We like to build the differential to what you need and not overkill so it will also not break the bank. DTE sells the diffs the same way we do (Zip) it is not $1300, it is $1300 plus a $500 core charge. You cannot even buy all of the parts in the rear for $700. I can either build your differential or send you out one on a core charge. Depending on what you are doing with it, you may not need the HD axles. Customers sometimes overkill there differential with parts that usually will not break unless they are under severe stress that their cars will never produce anyways. We build allot of race only differentials, and many times we have been in a jam where we had to use a stock axle (the customer knew) because of a time constraint. This particular car puts over 550 hp to the rear wheels and sees speeds over 160mph and it was not an issue. I have a 4.10 in stock that is ready to ship, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to call.
Thanks
Justin Abbott
Zip Products
