Ecklers&MAD rebuilt differentials

[MaineShark]

I'm considering a rear end swap at some point in the future, and the estimates I've gotten (between gears, hardware, and labor) put it in the $400-600 range. For $800-900, both Ecklers and Mid-America offer rebuilt differentials, already set-up with a choice of ratios.

Just curious if anyone has gone this route, rather than re-gearing the original differential?

The only snag is I was planning on 3.90's, and the highest ratio that they offer is 3.70. I'm not planning on professional drag racing, or anything, so I'm not absolutely set on the higher ratio, but I do think it would be a lot of fun.

I've never priced-out diff work, so I can't really properly estimate it, but do you think it would be cheaper to just have my diff rebuilt locally with the 3.90 gears? Or is that going to be more expensive? I seem to recall something about modifications being required over a certain ratio - I thought it was only when installing 4.10's or bigger, but the lack of higher-than-3.70 offerings from many vendors has me wondering if I was mistaken about when the need for modificaitons kicks in...

Joe

 

[Corvette-Pilot]

$600 for someone else to do it sounds cheap to me !!
Sure would be a lot less hasssle to drop the car off and pick it up the next day and drive it away all done and warrantied.

I have also thought of those exchange rear ends for mine. Thing is they want your core back to them within 30 days in rebuildable condition. Puts a lot of pressure on you to do the work right away to get your core refunded.

Hard call?

 

[MaineShark]

Yeah, that seems to be the thing of it. But it's $600 for new gears, with low hassle, versus $900 for new gears and a rebuilt differential, with more hassle.

I guess that's the long and short of it.

Joe

 

[Dave L.]

Ikerds

Joe - I'd check these guys out first.
http://www.ikerds.com/
perhaps you have heard of them?

Dave

 

[MaineShark]

Thanks, that clears up the issue of available ratios.

The question is still whether it's worth the extra price for the rebuild

And there is also the question of installation and setup. I'm not really an expert on this, but last time I heard someone describe setting up Shark diff, they mentioned fitting the side yokes. None of these diffs come with side yokes installed. Does that mean there will still be setup involved, to adjust the yoke position? Or do the yokes just drop in?

Joe