Wayne Meuir

Is there a way to determine what year a Dana 36 rear is? I bought one that I am going to install in a 57 Chevy 2 Door. The seller said it is from a 96 Base Model Vette with Auto Tranny. I did not get the spring or the toe rods(long story--I got stiffed by the guy). It is complete otherwise. It has Parking brake in caliper, not drum parking brake. Based on that and what searches I did here, I think it has to be an 88+, but I really don't know how to tell.

Is there a way to tell, or does it really matter?.

Wayne

vetteoz

Look underneath the head

WVZR-1

Most D44's display that information but likely not a D36. The last 2 D36's that I've had didn't have the information on the differentials. A third empty housing doesn't either.

OP - If it's on the ground you can get all of the information from the ring gear and there's a good chance that there could be a date code on it that could help. The ratio for sure could be confirmed from that information. Does it matter? I'd think maybe. Various aspects of the rear could have labels that could be date coded. The half-shafts should be labeled and matching maybe that information to the ring gear information a person could "assume" it's age.

If it's for a project depending on maybe it's physical appearance a person could do bearings and seals and call it good.

Wayne Meuir

The whole assembly is really clean. I plan on putting a new pinion seal, both output seals and all new Polygraphite bushings on it. It is supposed to be a 3.07 ratio, but I have not pulled the cover off yet. It was all disassembled when I got it and the guy I bought it from still owes me the spring and the toe rod assembly, and now he will not return my calls. I am 67 years old and trust people to honor their word. Maybe I'll learn some day but I doubt it. I don't know what spring it had in it, but if it really is a 96, it is probably pretty soft. Surprisingly, and 57 Chevy sedan is only about 400 lbs heavier than a stock C4 Vette.

I am having a stock 57 frame converted to accept both front and rear c4 suspension by a guy in Ft Collins, Colorado that has done over 40 of these conversions. I will only be able to get a 275 tire on the rear on a 9.0 or 9.5 inch wheel and plan to run 245's on the front on and 8.5 inch wheel.
Thanks for the info. I will pull the cover off and see what the ring/pinion look like.

I am considering finding an LS motor to put in it. My car currently has the original 283 and an M20 Muncie 4 speed.

Wayne

WVZR-1

Remove the cover and let's see what the ring gear information confirms. The 3 seals if it's clean on the inside might just do.

Seldom when conversions are done is the transverse spring used - this fellow uses the transverse spring? If it's actually a '96 and a 3.07 it's likely that it also had a suspension option and the spring might be a "comfortable" option. When you get the spring the spring will have a letter code molded in it. That's easy to document.

Wayne Meuir

Yea, I need to get the cover off. It may be smarter to put new bearings in it while it is apart. It feels really smooth when you spin it by hand. I don't think I am going to get the stock spring because the guy I bought it from will not answer my e-mails or phone messages. I am assuming that I just got stiffed by the guy. My BAD!

Yea, the guy who does this conversion actually puts shock mount brackets on both the front and rear so that coil-overs can be used, but his opinion, after doing over 40 of these is that the transverse spring works just as good and saves about $1000-1500 that you would have to spend on mid priced coil overs. He recommends trying the transverse spring first and if you can find a spring rate that works well, use it, if not, simply remove the transverse spring and install coil-overs.

Wayne

WVZR-1

I have a couple springs that might do for you. One is an '84 that is pretty damned stout and the other is from a later build ZR-1. Either would work, dimensionally they're the same. Both are in very good shape. When you inspect the innards of the D36 you can determine likely the miles from ring gear wear.

Is the car a "roller" now or maybe drive-able? You might consider just going ahead and scaling it before you start. Front and rear weights, then you can just compare what's removed vs. what's going to be used.

ccpanel

What's the heaviest spring version?
Year?
Model?

WVZR-1

BMH Code (87.5 N/mm = 499.975/lbf/in)

1984

Z51

That's for the rear and since the OP had mentioned rear I assumed that was your interest. The rear will do all years '84 - '96

Heaviest front '88 - '90 Z51, '91 Z07 BUT will only do '88+ suspension builds using '88+ components. FHB code (115.5 N/mm = 659.967 lbf/in)

Heaviest front for '84 - '87 suspension builds using earlier components '84 Z51 BMB code (102 N/mm = 582.828 lbf/in)

ccpanel

thank you very much-super helpful.
and since my rig is about 1800 in the rear it should wokr great.

aboatguy

My D36 had the date engraved on the bottom of the diff

Wayne Meuir

Mine has no marking of any kind on it. Still have not taken the cover off, probably won't get to that until Monday.

The 57 Sedan I have is complete and running, but I have all the interior out in preparation for moving the body to the new frame.
I think the 57 weighs about 3800 lbs. compared to the C4 at 3300-3400, so the 96 Spring may be little soft.

The guy who is doing the frame is putting late C4 front Suspension in it.

Here is the only pic of the car that I have right now.
http://s126.photobucket.com/user/way...tml?sort=3&o=0