6G ZL1 Differential

Mountain · 05-10-2017, 10:37 AM

I've searched around and couldn't find mention of this on here.

I came across this article in HotRod about a 9-inch Ford IRS upgrade into a 6G Camaro. Something that caught my eye, and that I had not heard anywhere before, is this:

"The stock rear differential uses a smaller 8.5-inch ring gear. Notice how the case splits longitudinally. Bagshaw says that when you add horsepower and torque with just a few engine upgrades, this design can cause problems, as the lateral loading from the ring gear pushing on the pinion wants to split the case open. GM has also seen this problem; for the ZL1 Camaro, the company has designed a diff case that opens from the back instead of the side."

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/put-9...r-2016-camaro/

Does anyone have any pictures of the 6G ZL1 rear differential?

Mountain · 05-11-2017, 10:25 AM

Well, according to the pictures taken by member "unavailablezl1", what is stated in HotRod is simply not true.

http://www.camaro6.com/forums/showth...74#post9720074
Car is a coupe, not a convertible. So, no if's, and's or but's about it...
The differential does look a little different, but it is still a side loader.
SS differential:

The unit in the ZL1 looks like the one in the CTS-V:

Camaro fanboy · 06-03-2022, 05:11 AM

mine is an ss and has it seems a zl1 diff in it from the factory. mine is the same as above. steel diff with the drain plug on the side.
seems euro cars are different

Camaro fanboy · 06-03-2022, 05:12 AM

Camaro fanboy · 06-04-2022, 01:59 AM

does anyone know why there seems to be 2 different types of differentials?
they look different..why is that?

arpad_m · 06-04-2022, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camaro fanboy

does anyone know why there seems to be 2 different types of differentials?
they look different..why is that?

The service manual mentions two standard LSD types ("225mm without cooler" and "225mm with cooler"), plus a a single eLSD ("226 mm eLSD" or "G96") variant. Yours is most likely the standard SS diff with the cooler.

Camaro fanboy · 06-04-2022, 10:16 AM

oh right thanks arpad-m

asthmamax11 · 08-09-2022, 11:02 AM

Interesting
So did any 1SS's come with the diff cooler ?

(I'm assuming not)

wnta1ss · 08-10-2022, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asthmamax11

Interesting
So did any 1SS's come with the diff cooler ?

(I'm assuming not)

YES

SS Coupes have the differential cooler

SS Convertibles do not have the differential cooler

oldman · 02-14-2023, 03:48 PM

This is an old thread but I like the GM snail design case, the side loading is taken up by a complete end cap (bedplate). This is not the primary failure point on most diffs, the failure point of most diff cases would be the main caps that hold the diff to the housing, the snail case completely eliminates this on the soild side (SS version) and with the bedplate on the other side which takes side loads as well as fore / aft loads. If the bedplate was deemed weak, GM would have just increased the thickness on the plate. Time has shown this setup to be far stronger than say the Challenger's all aluminum dif design that has an integrated rear cap and main bearing caps into a beadplate design.

ZL1Atlanta · 02-15-2023, 07:11 AM

This has proven to be the main weak point on the ZL1 diffs at higher power. Too much load on this single bolt, which in my most recent case, was an ARP LS crank bolt. The stock bolt broke a while back. The shop is currently fabricating a solution to keep the tension off this bolt while launching.

FWIW - The 9" kit has also broken here, but in that case it was the welds in the case itself.

oldman · 02-28-2023, 01:27 AM

Gasp! Are you running Hooker smash pipe bypass?
Do you know if the zl1 ring is welder or bolted to diff

ZL1Atlanta · 02-28-2023, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldman

Gasp! Are you running Hooker smash pipe bypass?
Do you know if the zl1 ring is welder or bolted to diff

They just cut and welded in some pieces to remove those crush sections. Since I took this picture we removed that and added larger headers and 3.5" X pipe.

I am not sure on the ring.

05-10-2017, 10:37 AM	#1
Mountain Drives: 2017 SS 1LE, 2016 1SS (previous) Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Metro-Detroit Posts: 1,863	6G ZL1 Differential I've searched around and couldn't find mention of this on here. I came across this article in HotRod about a 9-inch Ford IRS upgrade into a 6G Camaro. Something that caught my eye, and that I had not heard anywhere before, is this: "The stock rear differential uses a smaller 8.5-inch ring gear. Notice how the case splits longitudinally. Bagshaw says that when you add horsepower and torque with just a few engine upgrades, this design can cause problems, as the lateral loading from the ring gear pushing on the pinion wants to split the case open. GM has also seen this problem; for the ZL1 Camaro, the company has designed a diff case that opens from the back instead of the side." http://www.hotrod.com/articles/put-9...r-2016-camaro/ Does anyone have any pictures of the 6G ZL1 rear differential?

06-03-2022, 05:11 AM	#3
Camaro fanboy Drives: 2017 2SS Arctic blue fully loaded Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: SWEDEN Posts: 880	mine is an ss and has it seems a zl1 diff in it from the factory. mine is the same as above. steel diff with the drain plug on the side. seems euro cars are different __________________

06-03-2022, 05:12 AM	#4
Camaro fanboy Drives: 2017 2SS Arctic blue fully loaded Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: SWEDEN Posts: 880	__________________

06-04-2022, 01:59 AM	#5
Camaro fanboy Drives: 2017 2SS Arctic blue fully loaded Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: SWEDEN Posts: 880	does anyone know why there seems to be 2 different types of differentials? they look different..why is that? __________________

06-04-2022, 10:16 AM	#7
Camaro fanboy Drives: 2017 2SS Arctic blue fully loaded Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: SWEDEN Posts: 880	oh right thanks arpad-m __________________

05-11-2017, 10:25 AM	#2
Mountain Drives: 2017 SS 1LE, 2016 1SS (previous) Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Metro-Detroit Posts: 1,863	Well, according to the pictures taken by member "unavailablezl1", what is stated in HotRod is simply not true. http://www.camaro6.com/forums/showth...74#post9720074 Car is a coupe, not a convertible. So, no if's, and's or but's about it... The differential does look a little different, but it is still a side loader. SS differential: The unit in the ZL1 looks like the one in the CTS-V:

08-09-2022, 11:02 AM	#8
asthmamax11 Drives: 1SS Summit White 6 speed Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Gainesville GA Posts: 579	Interesting So did any 1SS's come with the diff cooler ? (I'm assuming not) __________________ 16 1SS M6 White Magnuson 2.3 Heartbeat Roto Fab Solo Performance Cat deletes and Axleback Hurst short shifter #'s coming soon Riaction coilovers 1LE sway bars BMR mm BMR chassis brace Flow one 19" wheels wrapped in Mickey Thompsons 02 Z28 M6 35th anniversary 80k miles T-tops Leather Bolt ons Joy to drive this classic every day! Daily Driver

02-14-2023, 03:48 PM	#10
oldman Drives: SS 6 speed of course Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Hilo, HI Posts: 4,316	This is an old thread but I like the GM snail design case, the side loading is taken up by a complete end cap (bedplate). This is not the primary failure point on most diffs, the failure point of most diff cases would be the main caps that hold the diff to the housing, the snail case completely eliminates this on the soild side (SS version) and with the bedplate on the other side which takes side loads as well as fore / aft loads. If the bedplate was deemed weak, GM would have just increased the thickness on the plate. Time has shown this setup to be far stronger than say the Challenger's all aluminum dif design that has an integrated rear cap and main bearing caps into a beadplate design. __________________ Forged short block, large duration sub .600 lift Cam Motion cam, 7200 RPM fuel cut, Pray Ported Heads, 3.85 pulley D1X, stage II intercooler, DSX secondary low side, DSX E85 sensor, Lingenfelter big bore 2.0 pump, ported front cats, 60608 Borla, LT4 injectors, ZL1 1LE driveshaft and Katech ported TB, ported MSD intake, BTR valvetrain, ARP studs, ProFlow valves, PS4 tires.

02-15-2023, 07:11 AM	#11
ZL1Atlanta Drives: 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Canton, GA Posts: 405	This has proven to be the main weak point on the ZL1 diffs at higher power. Too much load on this single bolt, which in my most recent case, was an ARP LS crank bolt. The stock bolt broke a while back. The shop is currently fabricating a solution to keep the tension off this bolt while launching. FWIW - The 9" kit has also broken here, but in that case it was the welds in the case itself. Attached Images __________________ 2017 ZL1 - PB 8.05 @ 172 MPH @ 3730 lbs @ 70 DA (work in progress) Built by Vengeance Racing, tuned by Elite Tuned

02-28-2023, 01:27 AM	#12
oldman Drives: SS 6 speed of course Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Hilo, HI Posts: 4,316	Gasp! Are you running Hooker smash pipe bypass? Do you know if the zl1 ring is welder or bolted to diff __________________ Forged short block, large duration sub .600 lift Cam Motion cam, 7200 RPM fuel cut, Pray Ported Heads, 3.85 pulley D1X, stage II intercooler, DSX secondary low side, DSX E85 sensor, Lingenfelter big bore 2.0 pump, ported front cats, 60608 Borla, LT4 injectors, ZL1 1LE driveshaft and Katech ported TB, ported MSD intake, BTR valvetrain, ARP studs, ProFlow valves, PS4 tires.

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