The open differential is killing me

[Xbox2202]

Today is the first day in over a month that it's been near decent outside, and I wanted to take some pictures of my car since I just got it back from the mechanic a couple of weeks ago. So, I take the car out in the front yard, and it slides a little bit when I go across the little place where water drains, but nothing big. So, I take the pictures, and start to turn around, and I start to spin the tire a little bit, but recover. Then it starts again, and I can't get it out this time. Right now the car is sitting out in the front yard because I can't get it out. I'm going to get it in the morning when the ground is cold, instead of wet like it is now.

So, I'll probably be finished paying off the debt for my car by next Thursday (payday). The very first thing I want to change out is the rear end. I'm looking for a donor car right now. So, once I find one, what should I stay away from other then one with traction control? I was figuring that I would get one from an LT1 Camaro because it should fit better than one from an LS1 Camaro.

[Xbox2202]

Oh yeah, I should probably mention that it wouldn't kill me so much if it wasn't our only car with an open differential.

[89IROC&RS]

in the mean time, a trick is to pull the e-brake up a few clicks, not all the way mind you, but four or five clicks, just enough to engage the ebrake shoes. This gives you the same thing as a positraction rear end, just youre using brake pads instead of clutch packs for friction on the axles.

Also, You could look for a torson rear end, they had them in later fourth gens and it should be a bolt in for your year.

[Xenostalgia]

On the same lines, how much is it to buy a ring and pinion kit for a 4th gen 3.23 rear end and how much is it to have it installed? Ring and pinion would give posi right?

[whoisdabomb86]

ur gonna need a carrier unit, like auburn, i think u can keep stock ring and pinion grab a carrier outa jegs, and get someone to install it..i think thatll work

[89IROC&RS]

check ebay, i got my torsen rear, with 3.23 gears for 145.00 bucks from a salvager.

but whobomb is right, the gears themselves are the same from an open to a posi, the difference is in the carrier unit, which is the big cylender that the ring gear bolts onto, and the axles slide into from each side. So you would have to find a Posi carrier to put into the rear end, but do some homework first, there are disk clutch, cone clutch, lockup, spool, and torsen units, and you want to make sure you got the right one for what youre looking to do. For what it sounds like youre doing, i would just find a wrecked fourth gen camaro or firebird, and check the spid label for the code G80, then buy the carrier out of it and swap it with your rear end.

[Xenostalgia]

So essentially you only need the posi carrier and the ring and pinion setup for whatever gears you have and a mechanic to install it on the same rear end?

[Hypsi87]

I ran low 12's with an open rear end with 1.81 being my best 60 foot. No slicks

[hot_red_z28]

For what you are looking to do, you'll be better off just finding a donor rear end... The labor cost of a new carrier/gear install will be more than what you'll pay for a complete bolt in rear...

just get one from an LT1 or LS1 (same size) and you can swap it in with a couple hours work and be done with it...

[Xbox2202]

That's what I was planning to do.

[89IROC&RS]

you could do that too