experienced C5 diff guys
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 354
Likes: 0
From: Red Oak TX
experienced C5 diff guys
I rebuild 10 bolt GM rears all the time, I'm not a differential newbie. What is it about the C5 diff that is so "difficult"? I've heard it is a need for special tools. Am I just hearing that because most people don't have pinion depth guages and dial indicators, or are there really some "special tools" necessary for the job?
Platinum Supporting Vendor
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,730
Likes: 268
From: VENTURA Ca
Re: experienced C5 diff guys (Blue 02 C5)
I have had a couple rebuilt locally by a large differential shop. They do diffs all day long. From Pintos to big rigs. They told me that this was one of the hardest ones they had done. They quoted me $250 labor but after doing the first one they said it would be $450. They made it work without the "special" tools. But they did tell me that there were some that were needed to make the job more reasonable. I have since figured out that it is better to just buy them already built and sell them that way. That's all I can tell you.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 17,681
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From: Central Jersey
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Re: experienced C5 diff guys (Andy@AandACorvette)
there is a kent Moore tool needed to remove the pinion nut. Without it you will get your **** kicked.. :)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,521
Likes: 3
From: Gilbert, AZ, USA
Re: experienced C5 diff guys (Blue 02 C5)
Look at an exploded view of the C5 diff assembly, and it sort of explains itself - this diff isn't a simple gear diff where you can just unbolt the ring and swap the pinion, there are quite a few more parts in there that the swap requires removing, most if not all of which have very close tolerances.
Sam
Sam
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 10,976
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From: FL
St. Jude Donor '13
Re: experienced C5 diff guys (Blue 02 C5)
First of all,the procedure in the service manual is incorrect...An 18 page service bulletin was released to correctly calculate pinion depth and these values can not be possibly obtained unless you have the required service tools unique to the C5 rear differential.Reading the service bulletin will make your head spin :crazy: If you dont have the tools and the procedure,you will be winging it,and chances are that the results wont be worth the time and money spent :nonod:
At the dealership level,the dealer cost on a new unit is about $1,100...Dealer cost to replace the ring and pinion,bearings,clutch packs,seals,and fluid comes to about $800 in parts alone,plus the added labor to rebuild.Part of this is because the pinion bearings are not servicable,and come complete with the pinion "cage" from GM...It is simply cost effective to install a new unit :yesnod:
At the dealership level,the dealer cost on a new unit is about $1,100...Dealer cost to replace the ring and pinion,bearings,clutch packs,seals,and fluid comes to about $800 in parts alone,plus the added labor to rebuild.Part of this is because the pinion bearings are not servicable,and come complete with the pinion "cage" from GM...It is simply cost effective to install a new unit :yesnod:
