Gear Swap
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 481
Likes: 26
From: Edmond Oklahoma
Gear Swap
I am really looking into getting gears for my car, is there a way to install just gears instead of buying a completly new rear diff. If so where to a purchase and how is the install, is there anything else I would need. I just can't afford the cost of a completly new diff when I can just do the gears. Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 180
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
To the OP; here's some informational pages:
http://mikemercury.home.att.net/342.htm
http://mikemercury.home.att.net/ratio.htm
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 180
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
I think the real discouragement is the amount of labor hours required to do the pumpkin R&R.
Back in the 70's we got so good at swapping R&P gears in our Chevelles, Camaros, and Mustang differentials that we could do it in 30 minutes. If one made a minor mistake.... it was just another half hour to make all the corrections and be on your way.
On the C5 (and any real sports car that utilizes a rear transaxle design) ... it's gonna consume a lot more time to make the initial ratio upgrade; and then an equal amount of time if any corrective repairs need be made by the R&P swapper who made a mistake... ANY MISTAKE... in the exchanging of the internal gears.
If you don't get it right the first time; you'll be kicking yourself in the azz during the re-tear down stage.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 9,369
Likes: 4
From: Zephyrhills, Florida
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
I think the real discouragement is the amount of labor hours required to do the pumpkin R&R.
Back in the 70's we got so good at swapping R&P gears in our Chevelles, Camaros, and Mustang differentials that we could do it in 30 minutes. If one made a minor mistake.... it was just another half hour to make all the corrections and be on your way.
On the C5 (and any real sports car that utilizes a rear transaxle design) ... it's gonna consume a lot more time to make the initial ratio upgrade; and then an equal amount of time if any corrective repairs need be made by the R&P swapper who made a mistake... ANY MISTAKE... in the exchanging of the internal gears.
If you don't get it right the first time; you'll be kicking yourself in the azz during the re-tear down stage.
Back in the 70's we got so good at swapping R&P gears in our Chevelles, Camaros, and Mustang differentials that we could do it in 30 minutes. If one made a minor mistake.... it was just another half hour to make all the corrections and be on your way.
On the C5 (and any real sports car that utilizes a rear transaxle design) ... it's gonna consume a lot more time to make the initial ratio upgrade; and then an equal amount of time if any corrective repairs need be made by the R&P swapper who made a mistake... ANY MISTAKE... in the exchanging of the internal gears.
If you don't get it right the first time; you'll be kicking yourself in the azz during the re-tear down stage.
Hey Mike, us old as dirt guys all did pumpkins with our eyes closed
Once every week or so ....
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff Az.
If your diff is in good condition you can get $400-500 for it as auto owners use 3:42s. Get a new diff(you will have new gears, bearings, posi, seals, etc. Changing just the gears is a procedure most home mechanics have neither the tools nor the expertise to do. 
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