C5/C6 Diff conversion bracket......UPDATE!!!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 3
From: CA
You want to put a C5 diff in ur XLR? It should make for a very nice upgrade. Since the plateforms are similar to the Vette it should be easy. You just need the right bracket.
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,719
Likes: 3
From: Anderson Indiana
We have built quite a few diffs for D3 for XLR's and XLR-V's.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,345
Likes: 16
From: In a house
How much?
How much for a gear change only....no hardened halfshafts, no fancy clutches. Im fed up with my 800 rwhp Z06 and have already started selling off anything salvageable and going for a pimp ride with drivetrain upgrades only....and just not interested in overkill any longer.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,949
Likes: 262
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
Daniel thanks for the R&D work on this bracket. 
This is a GREAT solution for those 05 owners looking to prevent the inevitable when they use their cars for more than waxing and car shows. Now that you've got it to a bolt on only solution, it's something anyone could do in their garage. 
You're an asset to the forum for sure. Hats off.
This is a GREAT solution for those 05 owners looking to prevent the inevitable when they use their cars for more than waxing and car shows. Now that you've got it to a bolt on only solution, it's something anyone could do in their garage. You're an asset to the forum for sure. Hats off.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,177
Likes: 84
From: Short Hills, NJ
Daniel thanks for the R&D work on this bracket. This is a GREAT solution for those 05 owners looking to prevent the inevitable when they use their cars for more than waxing and car shows. Now that you've got it to a bolt on only solution, it's something anyone could do in their garage.
You're an asset to the forum for sure. Hats off.
This is a GREAT solution for those 05 owners looking to prevent the inevitable when they use their cars for more than waxing and car shows. Now that you've got it to a bolt on only solution, it's something anyone could do in their garage. You're an asset to the forum for sure. Hats off.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 3
From: CA
Thanks guys. I appreciate the comments. I enjoy custom fabrication, so it was fun designing these brackets.
The first thing I noticed when I drove the car was a reduction in vibration compared to running the old 6061 billet bracket I had on there before. The rubber isolator does a real good job in absorbing vibration. Guys who use these bracket will not have to worry about any added vibration and I'm still running the PFADT motor mounts up front.
The first thing I noticed when I drove the car was a reduction in vibration compared to running the old 6061 billet bracket I had on there before. The rubber isolator does a real good job in absorbing vibration. Guys who use these bracket will not have to worry about any added vibration and I'm still running the PFADT motor mounts up front.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 3
From: CA
All you need is the bracket and you're all set. That's one of the benefits of going the C5 diff route....nothing else needs to be changed.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,949
Likes: 262
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 3
From: CA
I always keep the C5 covers on there. From what I've heard the C6 covers have to be modified on a CNC machine in order for them to work. The way the C5 diff comes, is the same way it get bolted up.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,949
Likes: 262
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,092
Likes: 197
From: Colorado Springs, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Welcome2try had that done at corvettes of westchester.
While it seems that side mounts help you, the truth is that the C5 diff with its center mount can pivot slightly side to side and this seems to absorb lots of shock.
Welcome2 try's car blew up at the track so the C6 side covers did nothing for his C5 diff.
I had run crazy power on the street with Mickey Thompsons for 2 years. The C5 diff held up and I dont see why you would fix what isnt broken. C5's in the 9's are all over the place and I recall Braciole blowing up his C6 diff at the track on one of his 10.6 sec runs.
If I thought the C5 diff was second best, I would have paid for the C6 swap. Now with ECS' new trans/diff brace, it actually adds quite a bit of strength to the two units. Its way beefier than the old DTE version. Take a look at it.
While it seems that side mounts help you, the truth is that the C5 diff with its center mount can pivot slightly side to side and this seems to absorb lots of shock.
Welcome2 try's car blew up at the track so the C6 side covers did nothing for his C5 diff.
I had run crazy power on the street with Mickey Thompsons for 2 years. The C5 diff held up and I dont see why you would fix what isnt broken. C5's in the 9's are all over the place and I recall Braciole blowing up his C6 diff at the track on one of his 10.6 sec runs.
If I thought the C5 diff was second best, I would have paid for the C6 swap. Now with ECS' new trans/diff brace, it actually adds quite a bit of strength to the two units. Its way beefier than the old DTE version. Take a look at it.
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,655
Likes: 8
From: Avon Indiana
St. Jude Donor '09
One of the covers bolted right up but the other required me to drill and tap one new hole which I did in 5/16- course instead of 8mm. Then I had to address the different style of o-ring. It is actually the same o-ring but the design to which they are used is totally different. I made a fixture to hold the cover in the lathe and machined a new groove to accept the o-ring like the c-5 covers have. Now that I made the fixture and have done it once it wouldnt be that big of a deal to do again. I could probably machine a set of covers in 1- 1 1/2 hours start to finish. I never realized that you all were using the c5 covers. I didnt know that it would have been much stronger with just the rear mount. The rear mount I made is a complete bolt on with no drilling or welding of the cradle. The lower triangle shaped plate fits into the pocket(which gets smaller as it moves upward) so it basically goes all the way up until it bottoms out on the flange. I have a few pics on my post about a week ago when I was trying to figure out how everyone else was putting their c6 covers on the c5(and it turns out they werent...lol) If you have any more questions let me know
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...diff-swap.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...diff-swap.html
Last edited by stanger383; Jun 20, 2011 at 10:50 AM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 10,517
Likes: 63
From: Pennsylvania
Sparo - Are you going to be selling the bolt on brackets to those of us 2005 owners who can't weld? How much?? Using the C5 diff makes a lot more sense to me than a more expensive C6. Thanks.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 3
From: CA
Not sure if I PMed you about the bracket. If not, shoot me a PM with any questions you have and I'll get back to you.
4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Bracket photos
Trying to follow in your foot steps, the photos of your bracket appear to be deleted. Any chance of sending me a few of them? It would sure help. Thanks
Hey guys,
Some months ago I posted pics of my diff bracket that I created to allow me to bolt up a C5 diff in my 2005 C6. We all know how weak the diffs are in the 2005 C6 and when I broke mines I couldn't afford to buy a C6 diff and pay to get it built. So I created a bracket to allow me to use a C5 diff which is stronger and cheaper. It was an aluminum bracket made of 6061 T6 that worked great but unfortunetly the CNC machine I was using to make the brackets has been out of service for a few months and a buddy of mine had just blown his diff in his C6 3 wks ago. So I had to help him. With no CNC machine I decided to make one again out of steel just like the first bracket I made, only stronger and better.
What I came up with was a simple yet very strong design. I didn't think about taking any pics of the bracket once installed
but I did remember to take a few pics of the 2nd bracket I just made.
Here it is...
Here is a pic of the bracket that's welded to the cradle.....
I've also created a bracket that REQUIRES NO WELDING AT ALL!!!! It's a complete bolt-on application which uses this bracket as well. I just have a little more welding to do to it and it's finished. I'll post pics of it once it's painted and if I can find another C6 locally i'll take pics of it installed.
Engoy...
UPDATE!!!!!
Ok guys here is the "bolt-on" version of the bracket. Since I couldn't find a local candidate to try out the new bracket and all my buddies already have the "weldon" version, I had to try it myself. So I ripped out my welded base plate and installed this unit. Here are a few pics...
Here is the lower bracket bolted to the cradle. The only modification to the cradle is drilling 4 holes. Everything else bolts right up.
Here is a pic of the bottom of the cradle with the bracket bolted up.
And here is the upper and lower bracket installed on my car.
Enjoy...
Some months ago I posted pics of my diff bracket that I created to allow me to bolt up a C5 diff in my 2005 C6. We all know how weak the diffs are in the 2005 C6 and when I broke mines I couldn't afford to buy a C6 diff and pay to get it built. So I created a bracket to allow me to use a C5 diff which is stronger and cheaper. It was an aluminum bracket made of 6061 T6 that worked great but unfortunetly the CNC machine I was using to make the brackets has been out of service for a few months and a buddy of mine had just blown his diff in his C6 3 wks ago. So I had to help him. With no CNC machine I decided to make one again out of steel just like the first bracket I made, only stronger and better.
What I came up with was a simple yet very strong design. I didn't think about taking any pics of the bracket once installed
but I did remember to take a few pics of the 2nd bracket I just made. Here it is...
Here is a pic of the bracket that's welded to the cradle.....
I've also created a bracket that REQUIRES NO WELDING AT ALL!!!! It's a complete bolt-on application which uses this bracket as well. I just have a little more welding to do to it and it's finished. I'll post pics of it once it's painted and if I can find another C6 locally i'll take pics of it installed.
Engoy...
UPDATE!!!!!
Ok guys here is the "bolt-on" version of the bracket. Since I couldn't find a local candidate to try out the new bracket and all my buddies already have the "weldon" version, I had to try it myself. So I ripped out my welded base plate and installed this unit. Here are a few pics...
Here is the lower bracket bolted to the cradle. The only modification to the cradle is drilling 4 holes. Everything else bolts right up.
Here is a pic of the bottom of the cradle with the bracket bolted up.
And here is the upper and lower bracket installed on my car.
Enjoy...