ok, so i got the lsd out of an '85 -SE at the local pull-apart. i got the diff into my 82 GS and bolted everything up, and then went to bolt up the driveshaft... no-go. what can i do? am i able to swap the pinion flange from my old diff? or will i have to take the two flanges to a machine shop and let them re-drill the new one for the bolt pattern of the driveshaft? i would have got the driveshaft from the one at the junkyard, but someone else got the motor/trans/driveshaft. so now, im stuck.

also, i cant get the "new" pinion flange off, ill be getting a puller tomorrow to attempt that again. the old one came off with no issues. any input on that one?

 

You can swap the flanges. The bigger question is, how the heck did you bolt up an '85 LSD to an '82 axle assembly? I assume you swapped the entire rear axle housing, but then you'd have different bolt patterns front-back.

 

I swapped the whole assembly. And I am swapping the spindles as well to have he same bolt pattern all around

 

good news! i rented a puller from my local autozone and with a little persuasion, the flange came off. and the old flange fits on the new diff! i should have the swap done tomorrow if all goes well!

 

Remember to set the preload on the diff bearing according to the specs in the FSM and get a new crush collar. Once you swap flanges, that collar needs to be replaced.

 

The easiest method would have been to use a driveshaft that matched the rear diff flange. 80-82 is small flange, 83-85 is large flange.

Isaac

 

i would have, but i didnt realize they were different until the diff was already in the car, so i didnt really have time to source a new driveshaft, had to have the car ready to get a quote on the car where it got hit and an event this weekend.