1993 C4 Gear Change - 2.59 to 3.54

[Ace57]

I'm considering changing the stock 2.59 gears to the Yukon 3.54 Thick Gears in my Dana 36 and have been quoted about $1,000 in Labor Charges and a little less than $600 for the Ring & Pinion and Installation Bearing Kit. (I have an Automatic Transmission) Since I don't know how to set up a differential and I know what's involved in making the switch, I think this is a fair price. The unit will have a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty. I looked for and found a couple of complete rebuilt units, but I'm a little scared of the quality of parts that the aftermarket Corvette Parts Companies would use. My car is used for cruising, not racing, and I believe the most bang for the buck performance modification is the gear change. I've been told that the 1993 has some sort of 4 pulse sensor that works the speedometer. Will the speedometer be at all accurate without changing the drive / driven gears that some have said are needed? Also, does anyone feel that I would better off finding a rebuilt differential as compared to changing the gears in mine. If so, furnishing me with some contacts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[grumpyvette]

if you look around on EBAY or CRAIGS LIST for awhile your bound to locate a LOCAL deal on a COMPLETE and interchangeable with the current dana 36 REAR DIFFERENTIAL out of a similar year corvette that you can either use as a send in exchange core or, as a second spare differential that you can bring it to a local shop too have it inspected and have the new gear ratio, set installed in that differential housing, thus reducing the cost of the rear gear swap , AND allowing you to retain the original rear differential.
by removing and re-installing the differential your self you remove much of the time consuming low tech work, that you can do your self from the billing and youll learn quite a bit as you do some of the work your self, read thru the links for additional info
yes youll be amazed at how the rear gear change improves performance, a change to a 3.54:1 or 3.73:1 rear gear and ESPECIALLY if matched to a 2500rpm-3000rpm stall converter stall speed totally changes the characteristics of a corvette from , mildly impressive to out-right smile producing if the engines even mildly improved over stock.
the change of gear ratios you list will effectively boost available rear wheel torque by about 30% over much of the useable power curve
you might want to consider upgrading to a dana 44 from a manual trans car , that would be expensive but salvage yards do normally have them available and I'd at least look at the cost before upgrading a dana 36,

http://www.vette2vette.com/

as your supplying the differential already removed from the car.
we have a member (GTR1999)that does a great deal of work on differentials that may be helpful Ill ask him to post here!

THESE THREADS MAY HELP
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=161

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=80&p=5408&hilit=dana+corvette+rear+differential#p5408

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=741

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=555

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/under-car-safety.26/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ette-auto-thin-ore-thick-gears-on-3-54.15589/

https://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=0b4217cf231c53e35d69f8fff&id=be6677f7bc

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=163&p=7245&hilit=corvette+dana+differential#p7245

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=905&p=1470&hilit=dana+corvette+rear+differential#p1470

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=26&p=1040&hilit=dropping+corvette+rear#p1040

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=5892

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=1321&p=6865&hilit=differential+tools#p6865

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=945&p=1721&hilit=differential+tools#p1721

 

[gtr1999]

Hi guys
I would like to help but I only work on the C2 & C3 differentials, which are different. I can say a quality C2-C3 rebuild runs about $1500 for a blueprinted but not all out racing diff.