Thread: Differential rebuild 4.11 to 3.08

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Hey People I have never rebuilt a differential before. I found a web site that has a 3.08 Ring and Pinion gearset for 317.85 for the 1956 chevy 210. Have any of you taken this plunge and do you beleive its worth the trouble...

Depends on what you're using the car for, 3.08's will certainly make a lot nicer cruising gear for the car. Seems a bit high on the price of the gears, but I'm used to buying 9" Ford parts and don't really have an idea what the old chebbie stuff is selling for. Might want to try a google search and check a few other sources????

deltahomer, i dont know what you are looking for, but thats a big jump in gears. in town that gear will be as bad as the 4:10 is on the road now. if your stuff is stock the gear is where your power is now, you asked, so im saying i dont think you'll like it. a 3:73 will make a big dif. all im saying its a big jump and a lot of money and you have never felt the dif. in a 4:10 and a 3:08 you need to think about it a little.

First you should probably figure out how your going to use the car the majority of the time and what you can live with. Personally I enjoyed the 3.08s I put in my 58 Chevy, but I did a lot of highway driving.

If it was me, I think look in the local wrecking yards and see whats available locally. The 55-64 third members interchange and I would think you would be able to pick up a complete unit cheaper than the price yopu got for just the gears. Additionally, that way your 4.10 gear set is still intact in case you ever want to put it back in.

Generally the break down of factory gears went pretty much like this unless the car was special ordered.

55-57 3 speed overdrive 4.11
55-64 3 speed overdrive 3.73
55,64 3 speed standard 3.55
55-62 Automatic 3.36
62-64 Automatic 3.08


I went from 3.36 to 3.08 at one time and although i saw a couple of hundred RPM difference at cruising speed I did not notice any change in gas milage or preformance. I would say either the 3.08 or 3.36s should work well for you.

Originally posted by deltahomer
Hey People I have never rebuilt a differential before. I found a web site that has a 3.08 Ring and Pinion gearset for 317.85 for the 1956 chevy 210. Have any of you taken this plunge and do you beleive its worth the trouble...

Bad idea! I went back to your gallery to see what you have. A very nice looking 210 with Bel Air dash trim and a 327 with automatic. The 3.08 will be way too high and you will not be pleased.
My sister had a 56 Bel Air 2 dr. sedan with a powerglide.I put a 327 in it. we ran a 370 gear.It really ran good.
I had a 56 -210-2dr. hardtop. 283 -4speed,411 posi. It ran better.
If you want to go to a taller gear,anything taller than a 355, I do not think you will like.
Lt1S10 also had a 56 Chevy . He was giving you some good advice. $ 317.85 is way too much money,for a gear nobody wants.
I have 3 posi's for my 64SS.--same 3rd member. I may have a 355 or 336 at my other house .I will look this week. If you think you are turning your 327 too hard with the 411, 370 or 355 is the way to go. The 3.08 will just be a dog with the automatic transmission.
The clearances on a ring and pinion are supposed to be set up with a dial indicator. Many people can do a good job just by sight and feel. For your first one you best get some help,or your rear will be singing you a tune you dont want to hear.

You're going to run into a snag if you just buy the gears. The differential cases on those rears are different. 4.11 and lower use a different carrier than the taller ratios. You can buy an adapter ring to go the other way, I have one, but there's no way to use the thick ring gear on your carrier. If you want 3.08's, any wrecker will have stacks of them, they're probably the commonest (and least desired) of all the ratios available. Look close and get a posi.

Thanks for the killer info guys. I definetly like the power I feel behind the 411 gears but my speed at 3500 rpm is about 50 Mph I actually dont know my speed because the th350 I installed has the speedo gears it came with. The spedometer says I'm going 90Mph < and a little old lady passed me in a chevette. Thats not a Joke either , It happened. I would like some kick and I would like a cruising speed of 70 Mph. Sounds like 3.73 is going to be the best. I will look deeper into the price though. Thanks again my friends you guys are outstanding...... DH

Like I said, buy a drop-out center section with the gears you want already in it. Then, you've still got the original setup to put back in without hassle.
Unless you have some really small diameter tires, you should show 60 or more at 3500 RPM with 4.11's. My '54 Bel Aire with a 283 and 4.11 posi and 15" rubber did.

Instead of changing gears, why not swap out your automatic for a newer overdrive automatic and have the best of both worlds?

Pat