Is it possible to swap a thirdgen differential into an S10?

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Derrick Haddock
'85 TA 305 TPI 700R4
'93 Blazer 4.3L Vortec 4L60E

Yes. They interchange, but with all the same caveats that 3rd gens have within their own family.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

I imagine the guts are the same, but the housings are different.

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R

R.I.P. #3
My favorite quote about D.E. "He can see air"

[This message has been edited by Engineboy (edited February 21, 2001).]

The width is a little different. I think the third gen is wider. It wouldn't be very hard to mount it. Cut off all the third gen mounting hardware. Take off the leaf spring and shock mounts from the S10 and weld them onto the third gen housing. Just make sure the measurements are correct.

It would be an improvement if you are putting a 9 bolt into the S10. Just as long as the gear selection is what you want it would be a better diff to use.

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Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car

87 IROC-Z Pro ET Bracket Race Car
383 stroker (carbed) with double hump cast iron heads and pump gas
461 Big Block installed and ready for the 2001 racing season

Best results before the 383 blew up
Best ET on a time slip: 11.857 altitude corrected to 11.163
Best MPH on a time slip: 117.87 altitude corrected to 126.10
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP based on power to weight ratio: 476.5
Best 60 foot: 1.662

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley

4.3 S-10's got a bigger rear than standard. they got the 7.5 inch ring gear. Same rear as the el camino's too.

Right... I should have said, the innards are the same. The housings are totally different. You can swap posi carriers and gears but not axles and housings.

All the S trucks, F cars, and G cars (with a very few specific exceptions) got the 7.5" rear. So did some of the B cars.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

RB, S trucks got two different rears. Standard is the 7.5. 88 and newer 4.3 S-Trucks are equipped with 7-5/8" rear-ends and stronger axles. All 93-up S-Trucks have the 7-5/8" rear-ends. Incidentally, The Camaro uses the same basic differential case as the S-Truck, as do 1978-1987 V-8 El Caminos and Monte Carlos.

Later third-gens also got the 7 5/8 gears. They fit in the same housing, just a small increase in size. Later model S10's could be ordered with an 8.5 inch 10 bolt. Like they said above, the carrier/ring/pinion are the same, everything else is different.

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82 camaro--original steering wheel, brake/gas pedals, seats--everything else modified
82camaro

That's what I was referring to earlier... that's the same year more or less that the F cars changed axle splines and all that too. It's the same basic piece, which interchanges within all those housings, just minor detail differences. Just enough different that they don't fit together... exactly the same except for being totally different.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports