[Audio_Rookie]

Long time reader seeking knowledge :p

I have combed through the DIY and the last few years of this category and I cannot seem to find almost any info about this.....I guess who would want to remove that??

Situation:
2020 1LE Independent rear suspension

Car:
1966 rambler station wagon.

Problem:
ELSD (unable to control it, not a holley feature yet :p)

So I have a very low mile complete IRS I have narrowed and mounted in my station wagon. Finding someone to make shorter axles is one problem, the ELSD is another.

Is the 1LE diff the same as the ZL1? does anyone really know how big they are? I have heard the actual pumpkin inside is a 9.9 and might be interchangeable with a fifth gen zl1 pumpkin. I can confirm for sure this is not the case, as overall dimensions are quite different.

The ring is 9' not 9.9" as well, is this the same size as the standard camaro SS? If so I might just try and find a low mile diff from an SS if all bolt-up dimensions are the same.

Are there other options here? what is this "gravedigger" diff I have read about? I cant find parts anywhere....do they modify the cradle to fit a fifth gen diff?

pics for reference (2020 1le diff vs fifth gen zl1 diff).

[Bumbleboy92]

Haven’t heard of ‘removing eLSD’ but I’ve seen one person make a custom harness that allows then to control the eLSD they have from an entire ZL1 rear cradle for their 1LT v6

Maybe that could be an option? Probably would need a lot more customization though

https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=613779

[radz28]

The only information I've found is the E'LSD is like 226mm in diameter, and that mods' are almost nil. I believe they are shared amongst 1LE and ZL1. Grave Digger is the 5th Gen ZL1, that is not variable, like the 6th Gen, and IS 9.9", and GM stated they couldn't break it. There have been far and few breakages with the E'LSD that I've heard. I think part of it is the ratio and tooth-count and the design of the case, according to some of the knowledge of rear ends I have come across. If you're worried about breakage - unless you're pushing close to 1000 FWHP, you probably don't have much to worry about. Controlling one is the other issue, and there are different programs of control, even among Camaro sub-models.

[Audio_Rookie]

Yes I have a 2010 Camaro with a ZL1 rear. I was under the impression the “gravedigger” was a fifth gen zl1 diff or pumpkin that was adapted to a sixth gen.

These are only rumours more or less as I have scoured the internet and can’t find any real information on how this was done. I feel like I’m talking about a unicorn.

[radz28]

No. That 9.9" rear was stock for the 5th Gen ZL1 only. 6th Gens have different rear ends altogether. I think I've seen one article or post where someone had or was looking to add that chunk to a 6th Gen, but I don't remember more. I think they said it fit, but I don't know that for certain, nor do I remember any more follow up. You might be able to find the 9.9", and that might be better so you don't have to worry about the e'lsd that you you already have.

[oldman]

since you have a 6th gen cradle, the SS 8.6" pumpkin will bolt right in, the driver's side Zl1 / ediff / SS-1LE shaft is identical in length to the SS shaft so it will bolt right up to the SS 8.6" pumpkin, the passenger side eDiff shaft is 3/4" too short you can either run a stock SS shaft, an aftermarket SS shaft or make a spacer out of 4" diameter aluminum (about 4 hours if you are old with just a hand grinder / high speed porter and drill press). I think a SS pumpkin with ZL1 shafts are goto 650 HP / 600 ft lbs and abuse, street car with limited track time and / or slicks and / or auto pretty hard to break... The manual SS has 3.73 gears which would be perfect for a 401 with EB heads and 230 duration at .050 lift can, get the cross ram... My sister had a S/C Rambler aka scrambler in high school complete with sun tac hose clamped to steering column... Ran poorly and made no power with what basically was a 290 CID 2BBL cam, a quick trip to the dealer the the 220 duration dealer cam package put the bite into that dog's bark.... Note AMC treated its dealers as extension of the factory floor and would / should warrantee anything out of the group 19 section. NO AMC worked without the group cam... the 401 maybe but even that was a pretty tame Jeep cam something like 202 duration.

https://www.motortrend.com/features/...parts-program/

You can put the 5th gen ZL1 diff into the cradle but you are going to need a bunch of custom work on the actual pumpkin and don't know anything about the shafts.

The 6th gen 1le / Zl1 (non-convertible) rear cradle (and gas tank / fuel pump as an aside) are identical. and it is 8.9"... or about 9". The diff itself is just a general open 4 pinion unit and the plates on the passenger side is what meters the torque between the the two axle shafts.

[Audio_Rookie]

The rear mounts on the fifth Gen vs sixth Gen cradle is very different. I would likely end up modifying the cradle to make a fifth Gen diff work. The zl1 units are so dang expensive now though what would be the point.

A shame I now had a full low mile elsd diff as a paperweight. Guess I’ll downgrade to a 8.6” ss diff. I had to narrow the cradle 1.25” each side to get the most forward offset wheels I could find to fit (corvette wheels). So I will still need custom shorter axles it seems. Dutchman says they can machine you a new centre bar and reuse your old cv joints etc. might be the way to go.

Wagon has a t56 magnum and a 6.0 ls swap. Also a c6 front frame/ifs swap. Want it to be an auto cross wagon sleeper lol.

[oldman]

probably use the shorter driver side ZL1 axle on the longer side, get a passenger zl1 axle (solid shaft) and that should be able to cut and spline. The driver's side for all versions of the axles stock are hollow, this is for wheel hop. The weaker 8.6 you will NEVER break, it is a snail case which is a far stronger design vs say Dana 44 or Ford 8.8 or the last GM 5th gen 8.6, or any aluminum Challenger cases from 200mm to 260mm German trash (talking just the case). The Ford 8.8 may have a slightly stronger pinion for instance but the ring is held in by 4 bolts as the case for most rear ends listed (outside the challenger), the GM snail is a bed plate desigh inserted into the carrier, that ring is not going to move unless we are talking tractor pull or something.

[Audio_Rookie]

Ya even the solid bar tapers down after the splines though :( I was hoping I could just machine factory ones shorter. Really went down this rabbit hole. Here :(