'61 Rear Axle Housing

[Richard P.]

Is the rear axle housing on 1961 different for positract and non-positract? In other words can I put a posi unit in a housing that was not originally a posi housing? I am trying to do that and the vent line isn't lineing up and the pictures I find are confusing on this point.

[John F.]

Re: '61 Rear Axle Housing

Contact Tom Parsons on this forum. Or do a search on it. Tom wrote an excellent article on it.

[Tom P.]

Re: '61 Rear Axle Housing

Without exception, ANY 55-64 pass car rear and ANY 56-62 Corvette rearend center section is a 100%, direct bolt-in into any of those axle housings. PERIOD.
The NON-posi Vette housings had a vertical vent with a loosely crimped on cap. The vent was serated on the lower end and just tapped into the hole in the housing. The posi vent had a 90deg elbow that was threaded and screwed into the same hole. There was a length of 3/16in steel tubing (same size as brake line) connected to the elbow that went over to the clip on the center of the housing (same clip that was bent over the brake line).

[Ray C.]

Re: '61 Rear Axle Housing

Hi! Tom,

The posi housing has a splash/drip shield on the interior of the housing. Is this shield needed to help lube the posi unit?

Ray

[Tom P.]

Re: '61 Rear Axle Housing

As I understand it, under extreme conditions (such as competition), it helps to direct more oil onto the ring gear teeth. This is one of the welded-in features of a posi axle housing that cannot be seen from outside. Yes, the posi housings have the long vent line which is one of the things that identifies a posi housing, BUT, that can be added to ANY housing, and once added, it will look just like a posi housing---------------------------well, sorta. A posi housing will also have a circular posi tag around the filler plug, which is now reproduced.
The round one was used up through 62, the one with the flat side is 63-64.

[Gary C.]

Re: '61 Rear Axle Housing

In addition to the top slinger, there's also doughnuts welded just inside the axle tubes to help retain the gear oil in the pumpkin and slow it down from running out to the axles. Gary....