Buy New Diff?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 258
Likes: 35
From: Boring Green, Kentucky
Buy New Diff?
Hey y'all. I have a 98 C5 with stock 3.42's in the diff. I bought a Motive Gear set to swap to replace the stock gearing. I am in Bowling Green KY, and no one wants to tackle the job. I found one guy, but I have been waiting on him for 5 months. I already have the whole gear swap package. R&P + the seals and gaskets. Nothing else is needed. I have 3.90's in the box, but I may go to 4.10's at this point.
My 3.90's have been sitting in my closet for ONE YEAR. Still in the boxes. I cannot believe I cannot find an installer, period. The one guy that would take-on the project quoted $1800 for the install. But he doesn't even answer his phone.
Any advice? I am thinking of buying the whole diff (new), which will allow more techs to install it. Most of them said they would do the diff swap, but not swap the R&P.
This is ******* ridiculous. I am ready to race.
My 3.90's have been sitting in my closet for ONE YEAR. Still in the boxes. I cannot believe I cannot find an installer, period. The one guy that would take-on the project quoted $1800 for the install. But he doesn't even answer his phone.
Any advice? I am thinking of buying the whole diff (new), which will allow more techs to install it. Most of them said they would do the diff swap, but not swap the R&P.
This is ******* ridiculous. I am ready to race.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 6,440
Likes: 4,276
From: Florida
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner- Unmodified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
The National Corvette Museum is in Bowling Green. Have you called them for a referral?
https://www.corvettemuseum.org/visit/plan-a-visit/
https://www.corvettemuseum.org/visit/plan-a-visit/
Last edited by vette4fl; Mar 12, 2023 at 12:55 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 6,440
Likes: 4,276
From: Florida
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner- Unmodified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I live in the largest city in Florida and had a hell of a time finding someone to swap the gears on my car. Seems like most places just don’t want to do it. Eventually, I found a place not far from home, but using internet searches came up empty.
BTW, I checked our forum thread listing good mechanics and found nothing for KY.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 258
Likes: 35
From: Boring Green, Kentucky
1) The shops flat-out don't want to tackle the project, stating they will need special tools that they don't have.
2) It's a sophisticated install with very little margin for error.
3) Labor shortage. Almost all of these shops are severely short-handed.
4) COVID forced many shops to close indefinitely.
5) Some shops will swap out a complete diff, but not the ring and pinion swap.
There is no end in sight. I wanted to be able to hit the strip with gears immediately. It doesn't look like it's going to happen. I am having trouble trying to wrap my head around this. I even offered to pay a tech to fly out to Kentucky from Colorado (who did a previous gear swap). Like many, he is a one-man shop, and cannot afford to lose any business.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 258
Likes: 35
From: Boring Green, Kentucky
The National Corvette Museum is in Bowling Green. Have you called them for a referral?
https://www.corvettemuseum.org/visit/plan-a-visit/
https://www.corvettemuseum.org/visit/plan-a-visit/
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 258
Likes: 35
From: Boring Green, Kentucky
I live in the largest city in Florida and had a hell of a time finding someone to swap the gears on my car. Seems like most places just don’t want to do it. Eventually, I found a place not far from home, but using internet searches came up empty.
BTW, I checked our forum thread listing good mechanics and found nothing for KY.
BTW, I checked our forum thread listing good mechanics and found nothing for KY.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2021
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From: Florida
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,624
Likes: 174
From: North pole
Hey y'all. I have a 98 C5 with stock 3.42's in the diff. I bought a Motive Gear set to swap to replace the stock gearing. I am in Bowling Green KY, and no one wants to tackle the job. I found one guy, but I have been waiting on him for 5 months. I already have the whole gear swap package. R&P + the seals and gaskets. Nothing else is needed. I have 3.90's in the box, but I may go to 4.10's at this point. My 3.90's have been sitting in my closet for ONE YEAR. Still in the boxes. I cannot believe I cannot find an installer, period. The one guy that would take-on the project quoted $1800 for the install. But he doesn't even answer his phone. Any advice? I am thinking of buying the whole diff (new), which will allow more techs to install it. Most of them said they would do the diff swap, but not swap the R&P. This is ******* ridiculous. I am ready to race.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,859
Likes: 4,658
Hey y'all. I have a 98 C5 with stock 3.42's in the diff. I bought a Motive Gear set to swap to replace the stock gearing. I am in Bowling Green KY, and no one wants to tackle the job. I found one guy, but I have been waiting on him for 5 months. I already have the whole gear swap package. R&P + the seals and gaskets. Nothing else is needed. I have 3.90's in the box, but I may go to 4.10's at this point.
My 3.90's have been sitting in my closet for ONE YEAR. Still in the boxes. I cannot believe I cannot find an installer, period. The one guy that would take-on the project quoted $1800 for the install. But he doesn't even answer his phone.
Any advice? I am thinking of buying the whole diff (new), which will allow more techs to install it. Most of them said they would do the diff swap, but not swap the R&P.
This is ******* ridiculous. I am ready to race.
My 3.90's have been sitting in my closet for ONE YEAR. Still in the boxes. I cannot believe I cannot find an installer, period. The one guy that would take-on the project quoted $1800 for the install. But he doesn't even answer his phone.
Any advice? I am thinking of buying the whole diff (new), which will allow more techs to install it. Most of them said they would do the diff swap, but not swap the R&P.
This is ******* ridiculous. I am ready to race.