does anyone have any write ups on this? I searched everywhere and found none. Any info on it at all? technical data? pictures?
I havnt even looked at it yet.

 

Swapping out the rear as a unit isn't that bad, but if you are talking about swapping the gears too... I wouldn't try it. There are special tools required.

We're running a special right now. $895 if you send us your rear. Then you can pop it back in. That includes the cost of the gears. What ever ratio you like.

Max

 

You yourself wouldnt try it? No offence but i'd rather rebuild it myself so I know exactly what it is. No one else touches anything on my vehicles. And I hover over the people at machine shops with a caliper monitoring them. I rebuild auto trannys all the time and rebuilt my T56 in my TA, Im sure it cant be that complicated.
Right now im just looking for info on it. other than a quik peek under the car i dont know anything about it.

 

SOUNDS LIKE YOUR SO SMART......WHY WOULD YOU NEED ANY INFO FROM THIS BOARD IF YOU KNOW IT ALL. AFTER YOU FIGURE IT OUT LET US KNOW.

 

As stated above, swapping rear carriers is pretty straightforward and there are some very good write ups on the Forum about doing it - CajunDude has one where he walk's you thru it step by step, including what size wrench to use for what bolt, etc - Mike Mercury has another great write up

As for actually changing the gears inside the rear carrier, there are maybe 3 or 4 shops in the U.S. which are qualified to do this, and who can successfully do it w/o creating a whining rear carrier. I'm not aware of any writeups for swapping gears, cause nobody does it - it takes special tools and requires great precision, from what I understand

try it if you wish, and let us know if you are successful, but don't come complaining if you build yourself a whining rear carrier -

 

Yes, if U don't get the backlash JUST right everytime U decelerate that whine will drive ya nuts!!
Personally, I'd take Max up on his very reasonable offer ( especially since it includes the gears themselves ) & do a simple R&R but it's your car. Good luck with whichever route ya take!

Gene

 

Max - What's the lowest ( numerical ) gear that's available for a 2000? I just retuned my Procharged coupe & first & second gears are useless except for smoking the tires ( which is fun, BTW!! ). I have some 3.73's behind my 6 speed so I'm thinking about swapping gears to something a little more daily driver friendly. Maybe we can do some business soon.

Gene

 

http://mikemercury.home.att.net/342.htm

 

me and my friend wanted to do it our selves to in the end we had to give up becuase there is alot of special tools involved. They cost more then having somemone do it for u. Also we had a hard time finding the shims and everything else required to do it. Have fun keep us posted.

 

2.73's, but you would have to buy the whole setup since the carrier is different. I wouldn't go lower than 3.15s or 3.42s, but that's me. You might want to try upgrading your tires . Shoot me a PM, call, Email, whatever, whenever you are ready.

Max

 

No offence taken . I didn't assume that you couldn't do it. I just figured that when you saw what the tools would cost you to do the actual gear swap within the pumpkin you would reconsider. That's all.

Max

 

Good luck with the gear swap

 

 

Well to be honest I just bought the car, its been raining every day and other than peeking under it I havnt researched anything yet....hense the reason I ask. I wasnt being a dick. Im sure im more than capable of doing it, I would just like to see a diagram or a few pics to see what im up against. If being smart means being born with the knowledge then I dont care...call me stupid.

As the backlash being perfect....thats pretty much the same for any rear end, some are more finicky than others but its all relative.

 

Sorry its hard to tell the way a person comes across through typing.. im not being a dick.
Whats all involved? What special tools are needed? I have quite a bit, and have access to quite alot. Is there a writeup online somewhere? An exploded diagram? Ive had the car for a week so im just preparing myself. Ive narrowed rear ends, setup 9"s. 10 bolts, 12 bolts, rebuilt my T56, a 4l60e, TH350s, I just built a complete 9" for my TA, lots of problems with the 7.5" ring gear on those. I know nothing of the vette rear end but im going to dive in head first.
I did a search and come up with nothing.

 

I don't remember how much the tools where off the top of my head, but I do remember them being pricey. Plus we made some customs tools as well to complete the kit. The only info is from GM and that isn't the greatest.

Good luck with it. I understand, I too like taking on challenges. Have fun.

Max

 

that's twice now you've said that.

It's not that people aren't willing to try it themselves... it's the lengthy R&R of the carrier assembly. A lot more lengthy than on an F-Body. It makes many decide to have the internal gear swap done right the first time. You wouldnt like it (on the C5) to have to R&R the carrier a few times during the internal gear swap learning process.

 

Ditto what Max@Cartek and Mike Mercury posted.

It appears you have rebuilt/narrowed/worked on QUITE a few rear ends, and you you've likely got some good knowledge, experience and more than a few tools to bring to such a project. However, There are a few points that people are trying to make here:

1. Vette rear carriers (Y body) are unlike other carriers to work on, they are more difficult and time consuming. If you don't mind trial and error (ie: if you don't mind redoing your work 2 or 3 times until you get it right), then this would be a project for you. If so, have fun, but the vast majority of guys (and gals) on this Forum buy the complete carrier already built to their specs, and install it themselves, (assuming they want to "work on/with" the carrier themself.

2. It requires specialty tools, and the cost of the specialty tools for a one-time rebuild is likely to be more than what the cost of just buying the rear carrier w/ the gears you want. Those $$$ can be better spent on either more mods or MORE useful tools IMHO.

3. There are not any exploded diagrams or instructions for this project on the internet. The only help and diagrams you are going to get is out of the Helms (factory) service manual - If you don't already have a set of the Helms manuals, you will have to get a set if you plan on doing any work on your car, and it sounds like you do plan on working on your car. However, the Helms manuals are a 3 volume set and you MIGHT be able to get a set for the early C5's for $75.00 if you are luck - I paid $130.00 for the set for my 2001.

Then when you get the Helms manual, you will find that it is sometimes LESS than user friendly, and that it is on rare occassion, NOT ENTIRELY accurate -

Warning: you are gonna get laughed at if you ask about a Chilton's or other manual for the C5 - they don't make them, and there aren't any other manuals out there other than the Helms manual.

Good luck and keep us posted - there are a LOT of mods from H/C swaps to swapping the T/C and rear carrier that can be done yourself on the C5, and I've found the C5 a fun car to work on -

 

Changing the rear isn't too bad of a job. There are some great write ups out there.

 

I really hope Pro Gear in San Diego is one of those 3 or 4 shops that can do it. I plan on going there when I get some green backs to afford it. I mean 3 or 4 shops in the entire US that can do it? I hope that is an Exaggeration...