I have my rear diff apart in my 86 Camaro and am swapping out the 2.73 gears for some 3.73 gears in an open diff 10 bolt. I am putting the rear back together tomorrow in the morning and am wondering for the future if I can just replace the spider gears from another series 2 carrier and swap the axles to some aftermarket 28 splines. I have looked for 90-92 Camaro axles at my local junk yard and have not found anything so am wondering if I can just take them out of an S10 or something else with a open diff series 2 carrier 10 bolt or do I have to get a series 2 carrier made for 28 spline axles. I might be able to swing getting new axles but cant afford a limited slip for quiet a while, like maybe next year quiet a while.

Unfortunately, no...

The hole in the carrier that the axle has to go through to get to the side gear, is too small to allow the larger axles through.

And, no as well on the S truck axles.

S truck axles are too short. The 26 spline gears can not be swapped for 28 spline gears. When GM redesigned the differential for the 28 spline gears then made the gears larger. The 28 spline gears will not fit in a 26 spline differential case. You will have to swap the complete differential.

Actually the 28 spline side gears will fit into a 26 spline case however as mentioned above, the hole through the case isn't large enough to allow 28 spline axles to pass through. I tried it many years ago.

Only axles from a third gen will fit into a third gen diff. No other diff is the same width.

I've tried it too and they wouldn't fit. Maybe some will and some won't. Anyway, the hole is too small. I've bored that hole out several times. That's not a big deal to overcome.


Seems like a pretty big waste of time to upgrade to the 28 spline axles with a standard differential. I'd just save the money for a 28 spline limited slip differential and swap the axles at the same time.

I recently scored the hated, but in this case still-functional, Gov-Lock, from a '94 S-Blazer, it was 4x4 with 3.42:1s, but the 28-spline Gov-Lock itself was $15, so I'm chancing it in my '94 Camaro V6/auto, come September.

I have taken the Gov Lock and modified it to work like the Eaton Posi by removing the governor, locking the cam plate and adding clutch discs. It works, but it's still not real strong. You have to have another Gov Lock for extra parts.

O no I know the S10 axles wont work I was hoping the spider gears would. Looks like I will have to re thing things cuz I am afraid of breaking my axles now.

I recall reading somewhere in here that some guy had run 10s with an automatic, welded spiders and 26-spline stock shafts on drag radials, IIRC.

The 26-spline shafts are only vulnerable to shock loading. So no trans brake, shift kit, or neutral-slams for automatics, no clutch dumps or powershifts for manuals.

Just wanted to give the OP a real world example of an affordable traction differential, even if it does stop working above 30 MPH, and break if mistreated.
Every so often, a 4th gen turns up in the local yards. All of those are 28-spline, but most of the ones with TDs are 2.73:1 Z28 / autos. But there was a later V6 with some performance option, it had a factory TD. A bit rare, but 3.42:1, and not a Gov-Lock.
IDK what year Z28s switched from Auburn to Zexel Torsen, and it's probably only the 3.23:1 and 3.42:1, I guess the 2.73:1 kept the Auburn through '02.
Unless the OP bought a thick ring gear aftermarket gearset, the Auburn from a 2.73 would require a ring gear spacer, which I wouldn't do. Too many 7.625" 3.73:1 gearsets in 2.2L round-body S-10s for less cost.

I thought the GN and T-type shafts were 28-spline, and would swap for us? Like1/8" different length?

The 4th gen started using the Torsen in '98 when it went to the LS engines.


The GN and T Type had the 8.5 rear end, not the 7.5 rear end. They also had a much narrower rear end, so the axles are too short.


The Gov Lock could work fine in a lower powered car, but won't take much abuse.

The 8.5 inch aspect doesn't affect 28 spline being 28 spline. In fact, in the '83 RX-7 I'm building, I have used Ford 28-spline shafts in a used GM 7.625" housing with a used GM 28-spline Auburn. 28-spline is 28-spline.

Not always. The 8.2 BOP 10 bolt 28 spline axles will not fit in a 7.5, 8.2 or 8.5 GM 28 spline differential.

I guess it's my fault if we're drifting off topic, sorry, but I didn't know that our great grandfathers were doing it wrong.