Differential Questions?! Help pls
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 6
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From: Houston
Differential Questions?! Help pls Well I'm new to this first of all I can't figure out why I can't get my differential together.
Last week I messed up my car racing an SS and I what I thought happened was that I messed up my clutch because I couldn't put in gear.
I got home took off the differential cover and my gears were shredded! So I thought no big deal, I'll just upgrade to 4:10 (which are the best choice to go with on a 02 TransAm 6 speed right??) so when I took off my posi unit it turns out I cracked it!! So I was looking for a posi unit ASAP and I didn't want to order 1 because of the wait. I got lucky and found a whole differential off an 02 Camaro SS AUTO. I heard it was the same thing as my TransAm except the standards and Autos had different gears. So I said no big head I just need the posi unit off it. So now it turns out that I have I have a space and it's not fitting as it was with the possi I originally had. I compared the posi units next to each other and they're about the same height expect the little teeth off the camaros possi are not as thick as the ones off my original possi. Also another thing I noticed was that the pinion off the Camaro differential was WAY bigger than the one I had. I heard to buy some spacers but is that safe or there anything else I can do?!?! I hope I explained this good enough for somebody to understand my situation. ANY help is appreciated THANKS!
PS. I bought already my 4:10 gears too.
Last week I messed up my car racing an SS and I what I thought happened was that I messed up my clutch because I couldn't put in gear.
I got home took off the differential cover and my gears were shredded! So I thought no big deal, I'll just upgrade to 4:10 (which are the best choice to go with on a 02 TransAm 6 speed right??) so when I took off my posi unit it turns out I cracked it!! So I was looking for a posi unit ASAP and I didn't want to order 1 because of the wait. I got lucky and found a whole differential off an 02 Camaro SS AUTO. I heard it was the same thing as my TransAm except the standards and Autos had different gears. So I said no big head I just need the posi unit off it. So now it turns out that I have I have a space and it's not fitting as it was with the possi I originally had. I compared the posi units next to each other and they're about the same height expect the little teeth off the camaros possi are not as thick as the ones off my original possi. Also another thing I noticed was that the pinion off the Camaro differential was WAY bigger than the one I had. I heard to buy some spacers but is that safe or there anything else I can do?!?! I hope I explained this good enough for somebody to understand my situation. ANY help is appreciated THANKS!
PS. I bought already my 4:10 gears too.
Welcome to the Forum! Looks like you went from bad to worse. Your rear has a broken 3 series carrier, it sounds like the rear you bought has a 2 series carrier. The different carriers use specific ring and pinions that work with them and they are not interchangable (there is a ring gear spacer available but its use is not recommended).
Thank you FirstYrLS1Z for picture.
Read the sticky at the top of the page. The work you're about to undertake requires skill and knowledge.
Thank you FirstYrLS1Z for picture.Read the sticky at the top of the page. The work you're about to undertake requires skill and knowledge.
you're welcome for the pic !
as stated above,the carrier you acquired is incoorect.
Your 02 6 speed would have had a Torsen 3 series carrier with 3.42 gears.
The 02 auto could have had either a 2 series Torsen with 2.73 gears OR a 3 series Torsen with 3.23 gears. You got the 2 series as indicated by a large pinion and the fact that you ended up with a space.
A spacer is available but not recommended,if it were a non-performance vehicle,a spacer MIGHT be ok to use,but since you've got 4.10s you're afer perfomance.
You NEED a 3 series carrier.
As in the pic,they make 4.10s' for a 2 series carrier,but you've already have 4.10s' for a 3 series.
as stated above,the carrier you acquired is incoorect.
Your 02 6 speed would have had a Torsen 3 series carrier with 3.42 gears.
The 02 auto could have had either a 2 series Torsen with 2.73 gears OR a 3 series Torsen with 3.23 gears. You got the 2 series as indicated by a large pinion and the fact that you ended up with a space.
A spacer is available but not recommended,if it were a non-performance vehicle,a spacer MIGHT be ok to use,but since you've got 4.10s you're afer perfomance.
You NEED a 3 series carrier.
As in the pic,they make 4.10s' for a 2 series carrier,but you've already have 4.10s' for a 3 series.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Houston
Thanks guys! now I understand I just thought they were the same For some reason! So the only difference between the 2 and 3 carrier are the spaces?? Also I'm not sure what year differential I bought I just know it was an auto SS.
I still have the reciept for my gears so I can exchange them, now my next question is would I just have to swap out the whole differentials and buy a 2 series gears or would I just swap possis and gears and use the same housing, etc...
I still have the reciept for my gears so I can exchange them, now my next question is would I just have to swap out the whole differentials and buy a 2 series gears or would I just swap possis and gears and use the same housing, etc...
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I just checked Summit Racings web site and they sell 2 series carrier 4.10 ring and pinions manufactured by Strange Engineering, Richmond Gear and their own Summit brand gears that do NOT require a spacer. The person you're talking to is at the least not very well informed.
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Houston
Thank you I'll search that right now. He said he did an Ls3 swap on a 02 Trans Am and he said he used the spacers and nothing's happened and everything went well. I called Pyle Bros at Baytown, Tx a very very reliable good reputation differential shop and they said nothing was wrong with using the spacers. So this is where I'm stuck lol
If you end up using a spacer,check(with a good micrometer) its' thickness at many spots to verify it's the same everywhere. I've got some spacers that vary in thickness and as the thickness varies,the 'lash' changes due to the ring gear moving towards and away from as the ring gear/differential rotates.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Houston
I'm buying the spacers I hope i'm not doing the wrong choice. I really don't feel like waiting for the 2 series carrier. 4:10's to come in either and at this shop
They have the spacers in stock
They have the spacers in stock
diff just curious. did you get the whoel differential or just the pumpkin part.
(posi w gears). reason iom asking is that you should just stick it all into the camaro diff unbolt yours and bolt on the camaro diff into your T/A.
its actually an easier job than to swap gears if you dont have the exp.
If you are going to do the gear swap anyways, order from summit the spacer install kit for ring gears if you havent already done so.
it brings shims and new bearings.
the last thing you want to do is have new gears burned out or rubbed becuase of a bad bearing or misalignment.
Good luck...
(posi w gears). reason iom asking is that you should just stick it all into the camaro diff unbolt yours and bolt on the camaro diff into your T/A.
its actually an easier job than to swap gears if you dont have the exp.
If you are going to do the gear swap anyways, order from summit the spacer install kit for ring gears if you havent already done so.
it brings shims and new bearings.
the last thing you want to do is have new gears burned out or rubbed becuase of a bad bearing or misalignment.
Good luck...
