I’m looking at a PBR disc complete rear for my 88 IROC that a guy is selling. It’s complete from a driving car with brakes and everything but the limited slip is worn. The gearing is 3.23. He’s asking $800. This is going into a mostly stock car and I have no need for an S60, 9”, or anything else excessive but this would be preferred over my drum rear currently. Looks like it would be another $1500 to have a new dif and r&p to be installed making $2300 for a quite new complete rear axle. Any opinions on whether it’s worth it?

$800 seems more or less in the ballpark.

Of course it is. It's an Auburn POS. Those all are worn. Total garbage.

Since your current setup is drums, the PBRs should play reasonably nice with your existing MC & PV, without any changes other than clean new fluid and new hoses. They certainly did in my 83, subject to the metric/SAE situation I had to deal with.

I was thinking $150 - $200 is fair price.

Guess I'm getting well out of touch with things!

Probably a somewhat fair price. You could try a diff lube change and see if it helps. May be enough to get you by for a few years.
gears should be fine for a stock setup

I think $800 is a little high too.

What's wrong with the drum brake rear end in your 1988 IROC-Z now?

Can you tell us something about your car and how you intend to drive it after you install a different rear end into it?

The rear brakes regardless if drum, Delco-Moraine, PBR do just about f*ck all nothing in our cars as they are setup from the factory.

Well, there is that. And how cool is it to see some old drum brakes on a car. getting rarer and rarer. another dilemma in doing this swap.

Seems like a good deal for a complete setup, worth considering!


$800, if it was a fairly new rebuild. I wouldnt pay more the $200-$250 for it.

Sell me yours at that price.

Mine isn't stock anymore, but if you pay the shipping!
That said, even with the add ons I doubt I could get more than $500 for it, let alone $800. More than $250 though.

I thought as much.

" As much" cause i wouldnt sell you my NOT worn out posi for $250, but you think $800 is " in the ballpark" for a worn out posi.

@SSynical1 the old adage is 'something is only worth as much as someone else is willing to pay for it'. Just for reference, i recently bought a 4th gen diff because i couldn't find what you just came across. Its got 3.42, 1/2 worn out posi, PBR calipers, newer e-brake cables, sway bar, etc. i negotiated him down from $550 to $450 as it needs rotors and pads. I am doing a gear change as well, but it didn't need it. I'm going to spend another $500 on parts and I'll do the work myself. I'll press out and re-install the ARP wheel studs from my current axles and also cut off and re-install the LCA brackets to save a few bucks. $800 might seem a bit high because you still have to put in new gears and a Posi in at a cost of $1500, try to negotiate a bit with that in mind.
i have found Rock Auto to be good for the ring and pinion sets/kits. Also for reference, local shops here charge $400-450 labor only to do the gear change, I'm sure that will vary, but its gone up from $250 20 years ago....i don't change rear ends very often lol

best of luck.

Maybe them things are harder to come by in them neck of the woods. Maybe theyre more common out here, idk, but I seldom see one up for sale above $500 and they stay posted quite a long time. I've been eyeing a 9 bolt with 98-up disc for $350, but I'd rather save my money for a dana 44( yeah, fat chance).