40YRW8

I know that the '06 Z came with the smallest of the Z06 half shafts and they have been updated a couple times since then. I have a Dec 06 build '07 and would like to know if my shafts are stronger than the '06 half shafts. Does anyone know which years came with upgraded shafts? If I remember correctly, there was an upgrade after '06 and another in '09 when the ZR-1 shafts became the common shaft. Anyone know what they weigh? Anyone have any good '06 halfshafts laying around gathering dust?
Gary

Wulverine

Post #55 in the FAQ sticky is a good read on halfshafts. The C5 axles seem to offer the best durability of all the OEM shafts.

Unreal

I have a good 06 shaft laying around. You would be dumb not to just do c5 axles. You can get a set for $130-150 and then not have to worry about it. Axles didn't get upgraded until 08.

Mopar Jimmy

What I want to know is what the heck the General thinking when they put stronger axles in a C5 vs early model C6s, I mean a 10 year old kid has more sense than that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MTIRC6Z

I suspect they THOUGHT the C6 axle was going to be an improvement...kinda goes to prove the old saying about "don't fix what's not broke"

Personally when I look at the two side-by-side my intuition tells me the C5 would be stronger, but I ain't no engineer. Probably what happened with the early C6 axles was bad material on the outside 'casing' of the inner CV joint. The axle itself doesn't seem to be the weak link.

BTW, the C5 axles are a pound each lighter than the C6 axles.

Cheers, Paul.

JoesC5

The CV joint is a completely different design between the C5 and the C6. Looking at the photo's of the two, it's easy to see why the C6 design is weaker.

Some info in this thread http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...nd-issues.html

Mopar Jimmy

The GM Engineers most have smoked some good crack the day they decided to design a weaker half shaft in the 2006 and 2007, C6 Zs, versus a C5, when the C6 Z makes 155 more HP than a C5, and more importantly GOBS more torque.

Wulverine

I scratch my head at this also, unless the engineers wanted the shafts to be the weak link to protect more costly components in the drive train.

JoesC5

I think it was done to save money, but in the long run, cost them much more then they thought they would save.

MTIRC6Z

Tell me about it, after I replaced my axles, I ended up replacing the diff, trans and clutch

I also installed some half-shaft safety loops from ECS, but only after some customizing.

Cheers, Paul.

40YRW8

Anybody know the difference in weight between the C5 and C6 axles?

Mopar Jimmy

See post #5 above that says the C5 axles are 1 lbs lighter, I can't vouch for the accuracy of that!

'06 Quicksilver Z06

When this "issue" was initially being described in the early 2006 Z06s, this question came up.

The C6 Z06 at the time, was the most powerful normally aspirated Vette ever offered from your dealership. (The C4 Callaway Twin Turbos actually had made more torque.)

The decision to use the "weaker" shafts in the C6 Z06, likely centered around the intent for the shaft's to break before the differential would, since the C6 Z06 was making so much power.

It is a lot cheaper to replace the shafts than it is to replace the pumpkin, and the initial shaft breakage incidents were covered by GM almost without exception going by the descriptions of those members who suffered breakage. Some had more than one shaft replaced under warranty. I myself did.

But the likely answer to your questions are that had they used the strongest shaft they could make, differentials would have been popping instead of axle shafts. This post, and others which can be found via a search of the forum, mention this along the lines of a "fuse" type design. (i.e. just as a fuse blows to prevent severe damage to more difficult to replace, and more expensive parts up the chain, so does the early axle blow to prevent damage to the differential.)

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...post1555058632
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...post1554868301

There was at least one revision to the shafts and if memory serves me, there were at least two, and the part number changed at least once.

The same shafts were also being used in the base C6. If you recall, the differentials in the early '05s were breaking, even with these "weak" shafts.

In '08 the axle shafts were changed and people either went with the '08 and up shafts, or the C5 Z06 shafts.

More reading on this topic can be found in the thread started by Ranger, and mentioned earlier in this discussion.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...nd-issues.html

BTW, this was one thread of many describing the axle issues. One thing which will come out to you with regard to the above thread, is it's similarity to some of the other threads you may be familiar with.

Unreal

All c5 axles are the same. No difference in part numbers for a c5z axle or c5 axle.

Prime Target

I'd rather replace the half shafts than the differential. I'm keeping the "weak" shafts in my '06. The fuse idea makes sense to me.

KLRBEE2

So is the 08Z shaft better than the C5Z, not as strong or equal?

'06 Quicksilver Z06

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...post1554542072

down to post #87 does a good job of answering your question.

Also http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1554691420-post147.html but this was of course stated prior to 2008.

That said, some who broke an axle shaft had both replaced with '08 and up shafts, some with C5 Z06 shafts, both will of course work.

However, the idea may not necessarily be to put in the strongest axle you can find, for the reasons already stated.

For example, these were offered up as a "solution" for the axle issue when the discussion on this "problem" were just getting started.

You'd probably pop your differential, and take your transmission with it, before you break one of these.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...lable-pic.html

I don't know if they are still available or not. But for $800.00 each, well one would have to think long and hard before pulling the trigger on these for a stock or near stock car.

But you probably wouldn't break one. Nope, not likely.

I'd much rather pop a stock 2006 or even 2008 axle shaft, than to have one or both of these M300 axles hold up, but then pop my differential and bust off part of my transmission housing, which is what sometimes happens when a differential breaks.

I am told that a C6 Z06 differential assembly is quite expensive.

Stock axle shafts, be they C5 Z06, 2006-2007 C6 Z06 or 2008 are dirt cheap by comparison. I had both axles in my 2006 replaced in 2009 with post 2008 shafts.

If you are going to "upgrade" then people have had success with both 2008 and up axles and C5 Z06 axles.

Breakage of either is typically at the "tulip"
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...need-info.html

Or at the other end.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...post1569772541

But anytime you "upgrade" to "bullet proof" and "hard as Chinese arithmetic" type shafts, axles and other driveline parts, all you really do is move up to the next weakest link......ie you're only going to find the next "fuse". And when/if it blows, it's liable to cost a lot more to replace.

40YRW8

"In '08 the axle shafts were changed and people either went with the '08 and up shafts, or the C5 Z06 shafts."

So, does my '07 have the same axle shafts as the '06 or does it have an interim upgrade between the '06 year and the '08 production run?

Unreal

Same as 06.

Sébast19X

Stock C6 Z06 2008 axle and numerous wheel hop, and 1.45 to 1.50 60' and around 65 drag passes, and no failure.

Hope this help.

seb