Exploding differential
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Exploding differential
Has anyone else experianced the 2005 exploding differential besides me. and the one in Vette magazine. I had My performance 2005 Z-51 Corvette at the drag strip back in Oct. And I thought I would make a time run to see what it would do in a 1/4 mile. Boy was surprised when I brought the R's up to 2500, not to smoke the stock tires to much to launch. I let out the clutch and BANG. The rear end exploded. I mean EXPLODED. 4 peices. 2 months out of warranty, and this was the only year for the weak rearend. GM replaced it in 06 with a stronger one. My Vette is stock and this happened. Did the Z06 have a stronger rearend in 05 ? How do the Vettes with mods hold together ? GM should have told me not to drive my car hard if it had this defect. Because they won't stand behind it now that it was 2 months out of warranty even though it has only 16,000 miles on it.
Last edited by Pumpkin Rocket; Dec 23, 2008 at 05:52 PM. Reason: Punctuation
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,503
Likes: 2
From: Oklahoma City OK
Try talking to the dealer... they may step up since you are only a short period out of warranty and not many miles...
Ive heard of some dealers helping out of warranty people sometimes.
Ive heard of some dealers helping out of warranty people sometimes.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 7,753
Likes: 210
From: North Western Connecticut
Do a search on the 05 rear ends. Lots of information on the situation. If it's exploded and assuming the dealer won't do anything, it's time to upgrade. No point in putting the same rear back in because you already know it's weaker than following years....
Pro
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 527
Likes: 0
From: Fort Walton Beach FL
I've got 588RWHP, and I haven't had any problems "YET". Although, I try not to beat on it. With that much HP, you if you rev it up above 2K, you'll be spinning the wheels. So I don't rev it up much.
Does anyone know if you can "easily" replace the rear-end with one form an 06 Z? I would think thats the cheapest and strongest route.
Does anyone know if you can "easily" replace the rear-end with one form an 06 Z? I would think thats the cheapest and strongest route.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,503
Likes: 2
From: Oklahoma City OK
a friend of mine had a 05 and GM replaced the diff and the put the new design diff in it...
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 8,615
Likes: 60
From: Haymarket Virginia
I've got 588RWHP, and I haven't had any problems "YET". Although, I try not to beat on it. With that much HP, you if you rev it up above 2K, you'll be spinning the wheels. So I don't rev it up much.
Does anyone know if you can "easily" replace the rear-end with one form an 06 Z? I would think thats the cheapest and strongest route.
Does anyone know if you can "easily" replace the rear-end with one form an 06 Z? I would think thats the cheapest and strongest route.
I also baby my car... I'm sure I could break it with a dump of the clutch!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 7,988
Likes: 1
From: Folcroft NE Pennslyvania
St. Jude Donor '09
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 8,472
Likes: 38
From: Houston TX
St. Jude Donor '11
I'm installing a DTE brace after Christmas in the hopes that it will keep the diff in one piece. After that I'll be switching to R compound tires so I may break the output shaft(s) but I can deal with that and replace those if/when that happens. Been there did that on my '99.