I'm trying to put a GSL-SE rear pumpkin with a 4.88 R&P into an 85 GSL axle housing. There seems to be some interference - I can't get the pumpkin fully seated in the housing.

Everything I have read says this swap should fit with no issues. The axle housing is the larger axle (84-85) version.

Anyone know what the problem might be?

 

where in NC are you located? maybe i can come help ya.

 

Thanks for the offer. I'm pretty sure that the 4.88 diff isn't going to fit into the housing I have.

I'm in Charlotte too, so we'll have to get together. I've got one street Rx7 with a sterling carb and RB exhaust, and I'm building up an IT7 car with a buddy of mine.

 

sometimes you have to play around with it and rotate it a bit to get it to go in. It should fit in the housing.

 

on 84,85 model cars , all 3rd members are interchangeable......you must not have it in slightly crooked.....keep tryng

 

The problem you are likely encountering is that the main bearing braces on the diff don't fit into the bracing ring on the inside of the axel. Let me guess when you lift the pumpkin into place it slides in all the way to about 3/16 of an inch then goes no further? Nick-7 and I encountered this problem while replacing his diff over christmas. To check this we used wheel bearing grease on the bracing ring to see if the bearing caps were hitting and indeed they were. We just carefully filled the caps (evenly on all four) until it fit. There have seemingly been no ill effects of this so far. lemme know if you have any other questions about this.

 

I had to do the same thing when I put 4:10 in my -SE

 

Good call Brent. A little filing on the tabs that stick out from the bearing caps, and it dropped right in.

Thanks!