I posted about swapping in different gears and am learning about that, but specifically, I just need a clarification on this issue.

Is a carrier equal to a differential? Like are they the same thing? Like someone says "I've got 2.73's, I want 3.73's", and someone replies "You need a 3-series carrier", does that mean he has to change out the differential itself to 3-series, and people just refer to it as a "carrier", or do you take off the cover and there is an actual piece inside the differential called the carrier that can be taken out and replaced?

Thanks!

 

the carrier would be the assembly under the rear cover, whjat the ring gear is bolted to

 

Sorry, but that's kind of a vague answer for someone as clueless as me. So I switch to a 10-bolt, am I going to need a different differential and a different carrier?