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Differential confusion....

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Old May 10, 2004 | 10:01 PM
  #1  
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Default Differential confusion....

I'm torn between buying:

3.15 for $550 (12K miles on it)
3.73 for around $1500 (new)
3.42 for $1100 (new)

I'd really prefer a 3.42 so is it possible to buy the 3.15 and just have the gears changed with the money saved??

thx!
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Old May 10, 2004 | 10:17 PM
  #2  
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (d1zzy)

I'm torn between buying:

3.15 for $550 (12K miles on it)
3.73 for around $1500 (new)
3.42 for $1100 (new)

I'd really prefer a 3.42 so is it possible to buy the 3.15 and just have the gears changed with the money saved??

thx!
You could. But when all was said and done you would not have saved much if anything. Have you priced the 3.42 ring and pinion?

Go with the 3.42s or 3.73 entire differential.
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Old May 10, 2004 | 10:22 PM
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (d1zzy)

I'd really prefer a 3.42 so is it possible to buy the 3.15 and just have the gears changed with the money saved??

thx!
If you want to spend even more, sure you could. The gearset alone (just parts) will run you about $400. Add the cost of the bearings and seals too. Then add labor for someone qualified to swap the gears into the 3.15 carrier. You'll be over $1100 easy by the time you're done.

I would look around for a complete used 3.42 differential taken off a M6 car. They are a fairly common item to see for sale, as us M6 guys like to upgrade too. :)

btw; Speed Inc lists the 3.42 diff for $999.99, which is $100 less than wherever you found it.

:cheers:


[Modified by Y2Kvert4me, 9:35 PM 5/10/2004]
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Old May 10, 2004 | 10:39 PM
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (Y2Kvert4me)

Thx for the info! Well the 3.15 is out then.... now to decide between 3.42 and 3.73

I won't be doing any track/drag racing since this is my daily but do yas think 3.73 might be too much for the highway??
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Old May 10, 2004 | 10:44 PM
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (d1zzy)

Do the 3:73's. You are probably going to want more eventially so you might as well get the gears out of the way. I don't think the 3:73's would be to much on the highway. Depends on what you think "to much" is. Kaley
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Old May 11, 2004 | 06:18 AM
  #6  
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (d1zzy)

I just bought a new ZO6 3.42 rear diff from my dealer for $1040. This is the stronger, shotpeended unit. You keep your 2.73's.
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Old May 11, 2004 | 07:35 AM
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (jamesge)

My 373 are very civil on the highway,,,,,of course I never drive over 70,,, just ask the officer who pulled me over for 105.......
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Old May 11, 2004 | 08:18 AM
  #8  
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (wrustywrench)

I am running 3.42's and I have a 70 mile round trip commute everyday on the highway. So far I am averaging about 21-22 mpg. RPM's at 80 about 2500. You can buy a used set of 3.42's for $800. I was on a budget when I installed mine, if not, I would have gone with the 3.73's.
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Old May 11, 2004 | 08:33 AM
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (wrustywrench)

My 373 are very civil on the highway,,,,,of course I never drive over 70,,, just ask the officer who pulled me over for 105.......
:rofl: Because I got pulled over for 120 with my 3.42s, I decided to upgrade to 3.73s. :lol:
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Old May 11, 2004 | 08:54 AM
  #10  
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (d1zzy)

Dave (D1ZZY), as you've probably read here on CF, there's a shortage of lower gears (3.42, 3.73, 3.90, 4.10, etc.) that won't be alleviated for another couple of months. If you can hold out long enough, delay buying your new (or slightly used) rear diff until this gear shortage is over.

I think you'll find several used 3.42 and lower gearboxes in the C5 Parts for Sale/Wanted section for a good price.
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Old May 11, 2004 | 12:49 PM
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (ArmyVette)

It is only the 3.90 and 4.10 diffs that are in extremely short supply. There are plenty of 3.73 and 3.42 diffs available.
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Old May 11, 2004 | 01:17 PM
  #12  
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (GTC)

:iagree: :iagree:

GTC is absolutely right. I located the thread about a gearbox GP and extracted DTE's comments: "MG (as are we) still has plenty of the 3.15, 3.42 and 3.73 gear sets in stock and will for the forseeable future, so for those of you needing those, we can accomodate you."

Again, if you can wait, when the 3.90 plus gears become available, you'll be able to pick up a higher gear ratio for much cheaper.
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Old May 11, 2004 | 01:30 PM
  #13  
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (ArmyVette)

Hmmm.... I guess the hardest part is not really knowing how it feels to go from 2.73 to 3.42 to 3.73. etc.
Also, I'm planning on going with a S/C later this year. Would a 3.73+ with the S/C (and other upgrades) be a bit much for a daily??
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Old May 11, 2004 | 04:11 PM
  #14  
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Default Re: Differential confusion.... (d1zzy)

You need to find a dealer with a 3.15 geared Corvette and talk him into letting you drive it. I drove several 2.73 and 3.15 geared ones before I bought mine with 3.15's. Even though I now would like to swap up to 3.42's there is a good bit of difference between the 2.73's and 3.15's. I know I would not want to go beyond 3.42's (and a TC, of course). The A4 has a 3.06 first gear so with 3.42's you get an overall first gear ratio of 10.4652:1 which is pretty good! :yesnod:

With an S/C and 3.73's traction will be a real problem!


[Modified by 1g1yy, 9:15 PM 5/11/2004]
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