i went to the track a few weeks ago . got towed back , launched at 3000rpm .when i hit second it broke a right side output shaft the short shaft and the 500.00 dollar harden shaft on my 02 z06 .usually you break a left side shaft the long one with out the gear attached the 300 dollar one , i think your better off staying with stock shafts not hardnen cause its cheaper in the long run . you replace with hard shafts and your not gonna break those , but it looks for the weakest link witch is either your case , or your trans tail shaft ,or your imput sfaft on your trans axel shafts are much cheaper to fix than trans shafts or a case . just my 2 cents you need a lot of luck when you leave hard , and on sticky tires its really hard on the driveline on these cars . and hard on the wallet to espically those tows back from the track its not a happy time .oh ya thanks...... Andy .......

 

Bro, how many beers did you have before typing that reply?
Surely you can't be suggesting that the OP (at his HP/TQ level) go with stock output shafts in his differential for drag racing ?

 

Many incorrect statements being made her in this thread; hence my corrections.

First and foremost~ The Getrag 3-rib differential case did not enter maintream production until 2002, for which nearly all 2001 Z06 vehicles we've ever seen here personally have had the 1-rib case installed into them direct from the factory. Some very late production 2001 models had 3-rib differentials, but they are rare. The original differential that was built for the O.P. 3 YEARS AGO was of the 1-rib design according to our records here, as that was same model he had before. Therefore, no "switching" was done as some have falsely implied...

Second~ The differential case that fracture failed looks to have done so simply from material fatigue, which is a common trait of cast aluminum as it ages over time- especially one that is is three years old as this one, has been run as hard as it has for that long and has lived through numerous drag strip passes at 500+ RWHP/RWTQ environment.

Third~ This is racing gents, things do break (especially old parts) and just because we're Corvette owners does not exempt us from the simple physics of racing abuses that will tear a car down eventually at a track... Even purpose-built, full tilt drag cars of all types will break very expensive parts no matter who the manufacturer is, as that is the nature of things when racing is involved.

Last~ As you can clearly see, our billet aluminum right side cover did in fact withstand the destructive shock of that over-load event very nicely, (as it was engineered to do in the first place) where it can probably be used again and the differential strut held the differential together, which not only saved the transmission, (as it was engineered to do) but it contained the differential damage to a minimum.


No C5 or C6 Corvette owner is exempt form breaking parts at the track or on the street- especially when racing or when the power levels nearly exceed the capacity of the cast-aluminum parts of these drivelines. The differentials and driveline products we engineer and manufacture here at DTE have proven themselves a positive upgrade over the last 7 years and we'll continue to produce these products as we have.

The one thing I would suggest to the O.P. (and for anyone else for that matter) is this~ Modify your driving style to make the entire car last. I say this, because we have quite a number of customers with auto AND manuals that run in the 9's and 10's, cutting short times in the 1.3-1.5 range, that have the driving capacity to make their cars live season after season at the track- with only a freshen job at the end of a season.

Then we have those customers who pop transmissions, half-shafts and multiple differentials, clutches, driveshafts, etc. time-after-time as fast as we can build this stuff, yet their only running 11's or slower! The driver plays a HUGE role in not only how fast the car is, but how long it lasts.

Look at Ranger.... The fastest stock-trim guy on this Forum no matter what car he drives, often running in the 10's on totally stock parts! That man knows the secret to going fast....durably. Follow his instructions and his lead and everyone will have a lot more more fun.


Regards,
Phil

 

Strongest/best differential??
Quaife...
Lifetime Warranty..

http://www.autotech.com/quaife/index2.htm

Is available for C5 + C6:
http://www.autotech.com/quaife/diffe.../diff_apps.htm

 

Phil,

I will definitely say that I am very impressed with the cover not failing. I am actually looking into getting another housing so I can hopefully swap everything over into it. Do you have any ETA on the iron housing you are working on? I am not sure about the complete extent of the damage, but should know in a few weeks when I get the rear out of the car.

 

Send the new case and whatever else you buy over to us (including the differential strut brackets, cross rod, etc.) and we'll swap the parts over for you. No one knows our parts better than we do.

Regards,
Phil

 

Thanks Phil! It will probably be a few months though. For now I am just getting a stock rear put in so that I can minimize my down time.

 

thats right mr licky . whats cheaper a rear end or a trans .? like i said .....it will always find the weakwest link and break..... , ask your freinds at dte they will tell you . thats what they told me , so put that in your pipe and smoke it .and maybe learn something from it .

 

Is there an ETA on the steel diff?

 

I am wondering the same thing.

 

If DTE ever gets the cast iron case done, I have a feeling they will sell a ton of them...

 

Then i'd actually BUY, an aftermarket diff.

 

I got it worked out now to get a replacement z06 diff for 1300. I am going to throw that in and pick up another case to swap over what is good from my broke rear. I am getting only the new 3 rib cases now, lol. I am also wondering if maybe that Pfadt mount for the diff might have helped. The more I look at the rear it seems it might have torqued over too much and while, the billet plate held the diff cracked from the bottom up. I think there is some movement from torquing over, but not sure 100%.

 

So the output shafts are both intact?

 

It looks like they are.

 

^^Seems to be the best deal out there right now. If I blow mine that what I am going to do.

 

FYI, the engine/driveline and rear end will not "torque over" like a driveline with a driveshaft in it.

Peter

 

That looks to me to be just the differential - not the case or gears or other parts that make up the whole rear-end in these cars. So, sure it might survive inside the case but the case will still break.

Peter

 

My 01 Z06 has a 3-rib case factory.

 

I think there is more movement then one thinks in the drivetrain.