I got a 84 z28 with a non posi rear end.....so if I go the salvage yard, what vehicle would bolt up? S10, isuzu rodeo, c10, silverado? I'm really only worried about leaf springs because my camaro has shocks and not leafs so any help would be appreciated.....Hoorah

 

you can only use a rear from a 82-92 f-body (camaro firebird), keeping the stock width, or a 97-02 4th gen f-body rear, but they are about 1.5-2" wider on each side.

 

Wider how? Wheel spacing from the frame? All I want is positraction but I thought the driveshaft would fit the same.....it's the bolt to the body I'm concerned with also. But why stick with camaro and firebird rearends?

 

wider side to side, so your wheels will sit 1.5-2" further out from where they sit now. driveshaft will still work.

you can only use those rears, because they are the only gm rears setup with the torque arm setup that the 3rd and 4th gen use. the torque arm is the unique part. There are aftermarket rears available from Strange, Moser, Currie, ect, is the chevy 12 bolt, ford 9" and dana 60 variety, but are all over 2k for the setups.

 

The 3rd and 4th gen F body cars have a different suspension from all other cars and trucks. Just like 86 TA said, these are the ONLY factory rear ends that will work, NO EXCEPTIONS. You can get the after market rear ends if you want something stronger and have the extra money.

 

like today i bought a rear end off a 86 T/A with posi and rear discs....$150 and i have a feeling it may be built because it has a aftermarket diff cover with a drain in it and the car n the yard had gears n the boot....so its a toss up until i pull the cover n count the teeth but im optimistic....i jus had to rid of that open diff

 

I'm thinking of going this route as well to get the gears I want. I called a couple shops in town today and they quoted me $625 & $675 to swap to some 3.73's to replace my 2.73's. That's not something the wife would go for! I had one guy say he would get me a used set installed for around $475?

A used 10 bolt is starting to become pretty appealing. It would be different if I was trying to build something seriously strong for racing.

What are your thoughts big gear head? Any advice?

 

The stock 3rd gen 9-bolt diffs came stock with a drain plug.

If your counting teeth to get the ratio, that is the hard way. Just spin an axle and count how many times the pinion spins for the axle to make 1 full revolution. That will give you the gear ratio inside.

 

stay away from them Isuzu rearends, parts are hard to find and when you find them, the ring and pinion is $840.00

 

Hopefully in the last 8 years he figured it out