I know this is the 3rd question I've had about this freaking rear end, but I'm almost done.

Background: I purchased a 10 bolt carrier from an 88 camaro to replace the one in my 85 IROC, and to my surprise, it is different. Both are 26 spline, the difference is the distance from the bearing to the ring. The 85 in 1.5 inch to the ring, the other is 1.25. I don't think there is a way to make it work. I believe the overall length is the same. My 1985 carrier is stamped "7" and also a "J23", does this mean something? Is this what I need to ask for when I'm talking to someone on the web? I thought the 10 bolts would be the same. I've already bought this 88 carrier, and obviously its wrong. FYI, the 88 carrier is stamped with an "8" and "G15" I've checked all the junk yards around here, and the rearends for F-bodies are gone. Any ideas where to get one?

RB83L69, you out there buddy?

 

No, I'm not here.

The one with the ring gear farther away from the pinion (closer to the bearing) is for 3.08 or lower ratios; the one with the ring gear flange closer to the pinion (farther from the bearing) is for 3.23 and higher ratios.

Sounds like you bought a 2 series carrier, and your existing gear set is 3 series. It will fit your housing but not your gear set.

If the 2 series one is a posi, and that's why you bought it, you could use a spacer on it to move your current ring gear back over where it needs to be. http://www.drivetrainspecialists.com...=28&cat=GM+7.5 about 2/3 of the way down

Don't know anything about the numbers stamped on or cast into them, that stuff is too complicated for me.

 

Or, you could just buy a set of gears for the 2 series carrier and it would work fine. It would help if you described exactly what you are trying to do? Swap a posi rear into your old non-posi or worn posi Iroc? Do you want to keep your original gears?

 

My intention is to just get the car back on the road. I had a bent axle, and when I went to replace it, the axle shaft screw had broken, and to get it out, I drilled out the carrier and tore it up. I was attempting to just swap out the carrier and not have to mess with changing the ring and pinion. I'm not sure how hard it will be to find a 3 series carrier, sounds like a good excuse to add 373 s, but everyone I've talked to around here, wants and arm and a leg to do the work. I've never done it before, and I don't know how to set the backlash, etc. Is it easier than it sounds? I still need to check out that spacer mentioned above.

 

The cheapest thing to do, by far, will be the spacer. Changing gears will cost you the gear set, and an install kit, bare minimum; labor should be in the $250-300 range. I would not recommend attempting it without all the right tools and some experience or at least some experienced help. You'll be into it for at least $600 more than whatever you have in it so far.

A spacer is less than $60 IIRC.

I would not use the "special" gears, ever. It's not because they don't work, they work just fine as far as that goes; the problem is that on down the road if you ever do get the right carrier, they won't fit the carrier that's supposed to go with whatever ratio you have. On the other hand, you can take out or put in a spacer at will, even sell it if you get the right carrier someday.

 

Most posi's are available in 2 and 3 series anyway. Find a 2 series posi is not that hard if you ever decide to upgrade at some point down the road. For now, using the spacer would be cheapest--but I would still check backlash, the pattern, etc. Just as you would with a new/different set of gears. If you don't, you would be assuming a different carrier, with a spacer, will line up the gears exactly as they were before.

 

Check these out before you make a decision on the spacer & gears:

http://www.ring-pinion.com/gear/g1199.shtml

http://www.ring-pinion.com/gear/g1099.shtml

I have not personally dealt with Randy’s Ring and Pinion, but hear nothing but good things about them, and the info in the links stands to reason. I went through this too (have a 2.73 posi and a 3.42 open, wanted to make a 3.42 posi) and decided to just use the 3.42 open while I decide whether to get a 3.42 set for a 2 series carrier or a new 3 series posi unit (my factory posi has 70K on it, it may be near death). If I were in your position I’d try to get another complete rear as this may be the cheapest solution, but I am lucky to live in the outskirts of Chicago where the many junkyards are littered with these cars. I’d recommend TGO classifieds or ebay as you mention junkyards are not an option.