2011 GS with ZR1 axle from the factory?
08-08-2012, 06:53 AM
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
2011 GS with ZR1 axle from the factory?
Has anyone ever seen or heard of 2011 Grand Sport 6 speed coming from the factory with a driver's side ZR1 axle?
08-08-2012, 07:22 PM
#2
Tech Contributor
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The only difference would be the ZR1 axle is stronger so if they had a parts supply problem why not substitute a better part Vs waiting for the correct part to be ordered and delivered thus keeping production moving. Since production quantities were and are low and even in 2011 not much time until C6 Production ends they may have just ordered ZR1 parts to finish out production in order to keep overall parts costs down and your axle was when they phased them in.
Bill
Bill
08-08-2012, 09:56 PM
#3
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Thanks Bill...That's what I'm hoping for and will be very happy if someone else has it too....the bigger shaft is definitely a good thing...as long as it wasnt because the previous owner snapped the original. After seeing it last night next to another 11 GS that didn't have it, I was hoping I got lucky and not screwed.
08-09-2012, 02:56 AM
#4
How can you tell the difference? Have a '12 GS, but still curious. Next time I have the car on the air will check it. And makes sense, since the left rear wheel is the one with constant power (right one is driven by the differential LSD). If left rear wheel doesn't slip, I don't believe power flows to the other wheel, so the shaft takes a lot less abuse over time.
08-09-2012, 09:20 AM
#5
Melting Slicks
In for more info on broken shafts... was a problem for C5's with higher than average power,,, is it the same for C6's?
Is replacing this shaft a reasonable preventative measure? (assuming the rear is already apart for some other reason??)
08-09-2012, 12:39 PM
#6
How can you tell the difference? Have a '12 GS, but still curious. Next time I have the car on the air will check it. And makes sense, since the left rear wheel is the one with constant power (right one is driven by the differential LSD). If left rear wheel doesn't slip, I don't believe power flows to the other wheel, so the shaft takes a lot less abuse over time.
GM uses the different size axles on each side to dampen wheel hop.
08-09-2012, 01:51 PM
#7
Safety Car
Thread Starter
How can you tell the difference? Have a '12 GS, but still curious. Next time I have the car on the air will check it. And makes sense, since the left rear wheel is the one with constant power (right one is driven by the differential LSD). If left rear wheel doesn't slip, I don't believe power flows to the other wheel, so the shaft takes a lot less abuse over time.
08-09-2012, 03:43 PM
#8
Safety Car
Torque always flows to both shafts equally, even when one wheel is spinning. Each shaft is driven by their respective side gear connected through the differential gears and the LSD...you should probably study a drawing of a limited slip differential to understand the power flow so you don't make silly posts like this.
GM uses the different size axles on each side to dampen wheel hop.
GM uses the different size axles on each side to dampen wheel hop.
From talking with the engineers at Bowling Green, it's a two fold reason. One is because slightly more power does get transmitted to one of them, and yes, if they make the sizes drastically different, it greatly reduces the drive line resonance (which really helps reduce wheel hop).
08-09-2012, 05:00 PM
#9
Safety Car
Thread Starter
08-09-2012, 06:11 PM
#10
Thanks Bill...That's what I'm hoping for and will be very happy if someone else has it too....the bigger shaft is definitely a good thing...as long as it wasnt because the previous owner snapped the original. After seeing it last night next to another 11 GS that didn't have it, I was hoping I got lucky and not screwed.
08-09-2012, 06:40 PM
#11
From talking with the engineers at Bowling Green, it's a two fold reason. One is because slightly more power does get transmitted to one of them, and yes, if they make the sizes drastically different, it greatly reduces the drive line resonance (which really helps reduce wheel hop).
08-09-2012, 06:43 PM
#12
08-09-2012, 07:12 PM
#13
You're the one who shouldn't make silly statements. Oh, forgot the 
. Your statement is true for a Banshee ATV; you wouldn't be able to turn without destroying the tires (and making a racket) in short order if it was true for cars. The 'slipping' side might have 98, 95, 90, 50, or whatever % of torque from the side directly connected by gears, but not the same, since it can slip by design. Put extra FM in your LSD and it'd be the equivalent of an open differential, with only one wheel getting the torque all the time. In most LSDs, the 'clutch' side engages when there's slip, but that happens very quickly. There're several types of LSDs, but I haven't received my 2012 service manual, so don't know yet exactly what kind is in our car, but at least it's fully mechanical (don't like the electronically-controlled ones myself). By the way, the only differentials capable to apply equal torque to both wheels are Ferrari's 'E-diff' (hydraulically-controlled), and the so-called 'torque-vectoring' ones (electronically-controlled), since they control BOTH shafts independently (none is directly connected by gears). LSDs, by definition, only control one side. But are MUCH simpler, almost equally effective, and you'd never walk if the system (clutches, cones, etc) fails.
. Your statement is true for a Banshee ATV; you wouldn't be able to turn without destroying the tires (and making a racket) in short order if it was true for cars. The 'slipping' side might have 98, 95, 90, 50, or whatever % of torque from the side directly connected by gears, but not the same, since it can slip by design. Put extra FM in your LSD and it'd be the equivalent of an open differential, with only one wheel getting the torque all the time. In most LSDs, the 'clutch' side engages when there's slip, but that happens very quickly. There're several types of LSDs, but I haven't received my 2012 service manual, so don't know yet exactly what kind is in our car, but at least it's fully mechanical (don't like the electronically-controlled ones myself). By the way, the only differentials capable to apply equal torque to both wheels are Ferrari's 'E-diff' (hydraulically-controlled), and the so-called 'torque-vectoring' ones (electronically-controlled), since they control BOTH shafts independently (none is directly connected by gears). LSDs, by definition, only control one side. But are MUCH simpler, almost equally effective, and you'd never walk if the system (clutches, cones, etc) fails.
Last edited by JCtx; 08-10-2012 at 12:14 AM.
08-09-2012, 09:53 PM
#15
Safety Car
Thread Starter
I'm fairly sure this was a lucky accident for me...I bought the car from someone I knew...but he assured me up and down that nothing was ever changed on the car (he was the original owner) but there were a few little things that irked me...like the abs and shock wires weren't routed exactly right...a few retention clips were broken, and I could swear the cradle bolts had been removed. The major issue to me is really not what the reason it was there, but if I was told the truth. Everything else on the car is so clean and in good shape, im sure I'm just being paranoid.
But as my good buddy Joe G reminds me...a 6060 and ZR1 shaft = potential for way too much fun
08-10-2012, 12:09 AM
#16
That reminds me reading the ZR1 shafts have more splines than the 'lesser' Vettes, including the Z06, I believe. And/or are larger in diameter (not familiar with the ZR1). Is either one of those the case? If so, the differential would be different too. Curious about that.
Last edited by JCtx; 08-10-2012 at 12:16 AM.
08-10-2012, 02:37 AM
#17
Team Owner
You're the one who shouldn't make silly statements. Oh, forgot the . Your statement is true for a Banshee ATV; you wouldn't be able to turn without destroying the tires (and making a racket) in short order if it was true for cars. The 'slipping' side might have 98, 95, 90, 50, or whatever % of torque from the side directly connected by gears, but not the same, since it can slip by design. Put extra FM in your LSD and it'd be the equivalent of an open differential, with only one wheel getting the torque all the time. In most LSDs, the 'clutch' side engages when there's slip, but that happens very quickly. There're several types of LSDs, but I haven't received my 2012 service manual, so don't know yet exactly what kind is in our car, but at least it's fully mechanical (don't like the electronically-controlled ones myself). By the way, the only differentials capable to apply equal torque to both wheels are Ferrari's 'E-diff' (hydraulically-controlled), and the so-called 'torque-vectoring' ones (electronically-controlled), since they control BOTH shafts independently (none is directly connected by gears). LSDs, by definition, only control one side. But are MUCH simpler, almost equally effective, and you'd never walk if the system (clutches, cones, etc) fails.
. Your statement is true for a Banshee ATV; you wouldn't be able to turn without destroying the tires (and making a racket) in short order if it was true for cars. The 'slipping' side might have 98, 95, 90, 50, or whatever % of torque from the side directly connected by gears, but not the same, since it can slip by design. Put extra FM in your LSD and it'd be the equivalent of an open differential, with only one wheel getting the torque all the time. In most LSDs, the 'clutch' side engages when there's slip, but that happens very quickly. There're several types of LSDs, but I haven't received my 2012 service manual, so don't know yet exactly what kind is in our car, but at least it's fully mechanical (don't like the electronically-controlled ones myself). By the way, the only differentials capable to apply equal torque to both wheels are Ferrari's 'E-diff' (hydraulically-controlled), and the so-called 'torque-vectoring' ones (electronically-controlled), since they control BOTH shafts independently (none is directly connected by gears). LSDs, by definition, only control one side. But are MUCH simpler, almost equally effective, and you'd never walk if the system (clutches, cones, etc) fails. 
08-10-2012, 11:29 AM
#19
Tech Contributor
Nice new screen name to go with your new plate!
You should change your city to say "formerly JustinJor" or people are gonna think you're a troll yourself.