Planning a gear swap
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 333
Likes: 3
From: The Woods MissLouTex
Planning a gear swap
Can anyone give me some general info on the process. I personally will not be doing the work but some shops want to change the whole unit and some want to just swap the gears. Any pros or cons on that. Which fluid do you guys recommend to go back with? Should i swap axles while i have it out with stronger ones?(been hitting the strip a lot lately). Thank in advance
Will be going from 3:42 to 3:90
Will be going from 3:42 to 3:90
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
If they have the tools and shims, they most likely want to do it themselves, if they don't have the tools and shims, they most likely want to swap out the whole thing.
I only use Red Line. I like it so much, I went to work for them when I retired!
I went from 3:42 to 3:73, not sure what you do with your car, but 3:90 is a big jump!
I did whole diff with a Quaife, but you can buy a diff exchange with new bearings and such fro several forum vendors.
I only use Red Line. I like it so much, I went to work for them when I retired!
I went from 3:42 to 3:73, not sure what you do with your car, but 3:90 is a big jump!
I did whole diff with a Quaife, but you can buy a diff exchange with new bearings and such fro several forum vendors.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 333
Likes: 3
From: The Woods MissLouTex
Can the swap be done at home with basic knowledge? Im not a complete idiot and pretty mechanically inclined but lack a full array of tools if anything special is needed? I have no lift but i can get the car up plenty high enough to work on it. If its pretty much a cut and dry swap i think i could do it
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Can the swap be done at home with basic knowledge? Im not a complete idiot and pretty mechanically inclined but lack a full array of tools if anything special is needed? I have no lift but i can get the car up plenty high enough to work on it. If its pretty much a cut and dry swap i think i could do it
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...cal-style.html
Racer
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 475
Likes: 3
From: Jacksonville TX
It does take a special tool to setup the gears in our diffs. It is better to just do a swap, imo. I have had the wonderful pleasure of having to drop the rear drive train and the diff in my garage. I did buy some harbor freight cork screw type transmission jacks. The C6 is fairly easy to work on overall compared to a lot of other cars. The process of some repairs are just take a lot of time to do. I do not have a link handy. You can find one for clutch replacement. it will give you the basics for dropping the rear cradle. It is just a few bolts holding the diff to the trans. It will just pull apart from there. There is a big o-ring between them.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,419
Likes: 200
From: Wilkes-Barre Pa
It does take a special tool to setup the gears in our diffs. It is better to just do a swap, imo. I have had the wonderful pleasure of having to drop the rear drive train and the diff in my garage. I did buy some harbor freight cork screw type transmission jacks. The C6 is fairly easy to work on overall compared to a lot of other cars. The process of some repairs are just take a lot of time to do. I do not have a link handy. You can find one for clutch replacement. it will give you the basics for dropping the rear cradle. It is just a few bolts holding the diff to the trans. It will just pull apart from there. There is a big o-ring between them.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,419
Likes: 200
From: Wilkes-Barre Pa
When I had the diff out for a clutch swap I also installed a trans brace and replaced both output shafts and seals in the diff.
If you do the diff swap yourself keep an eye on the back on the intake manifold. It will contact the firewall if you go to far.
If you do the diff swap yourself keep an eye on the back on the intake manifold. It will contact the firewall if you go to far.
Last edited by MARSC6; Oct 24, 2014 at 07:33 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,999
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From: Bay Area Ca.
I would recommend the whole diff swap with upgraded components.
Look into RPM or DTE rebuilt differentials.
I went with the 4:10's and love them. The fuel takes a hit but I still average over 25 mpg on extended trips driving 75-85 mph...and even higher!
It makes the 6 speed so much more fun, really adds to the torque feeling.
6th gear becomes more usable.
Went from 1500 rpm at 70 mph to 1800 rpm at 70 mph.
Much better around town, but then I am a gear shifting head.
Look into RPM or DTE rebuilt differentials.
I went with the 4:10's and love them. The fuel takes a hit but I still average over 25 mpg on extended trips driving 75-85 mph...and even higher!
It makes the 6 speed so much more fun, really adds to the torque feeling.
6th gear becomes more usable.
Went from 1500 rpm at 70 mph to 1800 rpm at 70 mph.
Much better around town, but then I am a gear shifting head.
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Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
I would recommend the whole diff swap with upgraded components.
Look into RPM or DTE rebuilt differentials.
I went with the 4:10's and love them. The fuel takes a hit but I still average over 25 mpg on extended trips driving 75-85 mph...and even higher!
It makes the 6 speed so much more fun, really adds to the torque feeling.
6th gear becomes more usable.
Went from 1500 rpm at 70 mph to 1800 rpm at 70 mph.
Much better around town, but then I am a gear shifting head.
Look into RPM or DTE rebuilt differentials.
I went with the 4:10's and love them. The fuel takes a hit but I still average over 25 mpg on extended trips driving 75-85 mph...and even higher!
It makes the 6 speed so much more fun, really adds to the torque feeling.
6th gear becomes more usable.
Went from 1500 rpm at 70 mph to 1800 rpm at 70 mph.
Much better around town, but then I am a gear shifting head.
It does drive better with my cam.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,549
Likes: 27
From: Southampton NJ
If the shop knows what they are doing a gear swap is fine and less money, Cartek swapped mine from 315 to 373, 8 years ago and know problems, I cracked the case an 05 4 years later, and they upgraded it to the 2nd generation case using the same gears from the cracked case with no problems
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor