I have not found the specific answers searching for these...

I have an 83 GS witht he stock diff still. My next move is going to be getting an LSD.

Although I should point out that at the drag races, my old boss said he saw both my rear tires spinning during the burn outs. Im guessing either he didnt see it clearly, or the weight was distributed evenly to both tires.

My questions are:

When I find a LSD will I also need to get the front axles/rotors to keep the bolt patterns the same?

And because its converting from drum to disc brakes, Can I fit rotors or axles from an S4 or S5 for a 5 bolt pattern? (Reason being I found the perfect rims - only made in 5 bolt ) Id rather avoid using adapters.

Will 8" width rims require some work to fit without rubbing?

Are there any differences between SE and non-SE control arms?

As always, all help is appriciated

 

Jack up the rear end, put the car in nuetral, then rotate one of the rear wheels by hand. If you already have LSD then both rear wheels will rotate in the same direction, whereas an open diff will rotate the wheels in oposite directions. Someone else will have to answer your other questions. Good luck.

 

get a gsl rear end and you will keep the 4/110 bolt pattern, gsl se rear will give you the 4/114 pattern. you will need the disc brake handbrake cables also if going drum to disc.
also I am almost positive that the se control arms are different then the rest -don't quote me on that tho

 

No all control arms are the same, series 4 and 5 have independent rear with no axles, but drive shafts.

Enough power or not enough grip can make both wheels spin until you need it then it will go back to one wheel.

using the bigger brake rotor means redrilling the hubs, adaptors or a different rear axle such as ford 8.8, but you need mega power before thats a necessary mod. The the caliper brackets need to be modded

 

Listen to Aussie as he just did an SE-suspension swap. Speaking of which, I just found an SE sitting in a junkyard (at least what appears to be a junk yard), and I am thinking about going and picking it up for the suspension and what have you off of it. I may need some of your professional opinion if I do this.

More on topic then, it is a relatively easy swap so long as you have patience. Like someone said prior to me, you have to have the e-brake cable and stuff from the GSL or GSL-SE as well. And yes, the GSL will have the same bolt pattern. You may also need to modify the driveshaft to fit as not all axles are the same for the years. (Can't remember which years they changed exactly).

 

oh yeah you will also need the brake hose for the disc brake rear end along with the handbrake cables, that was all I had to buy to swap a gsl rear into a gs

 

Check the drive shaft if you get a gsl rear end to be sure the flange at the rearend is the same. I just swapped an 82 gsl rearend to an 85 gs and the flange was different so I had to use the driveshaft from the 82.

 

late 83, and all 84/85 have bigger axles, bearings etc so they probably have the different driveshaft flange.

Glitch talk to me if you want advice on the SE swap, brakes are worth it alone. IMHO

 

Im not sure if my 83 is late or not..

Does Anyone know if the GSL rear ends used female lug nuts?

Im probally going to have to use adapters fo a 5 lug pattern

Probally the only thing I dont like about FB's are the male lug nuts... what an annoyance.

And do they make adapters for cars with male lug nuts?

 

You can buy studs and screw them ito the hub, with red locktite, then go with shank style nuts.

 

GSL, uses the same lug bolts as the GS but the SE uses lug studs with regular wheel nuts as stock, also a nice upgrade. I have heard of several of the screw in studs breaking under duress at autocrosses.

 

re: the screw in studs, after steady 3 years of track days not one broke. biggest prob was keeping them screwed in. 'just a few drops' of red loctite was not enough. had to drench them in loctite then never backed out.

u can also peen over the studs behind the axel hub.

 

Cool - So I'll try to find an SE rrear end, but If I find a GSL, I dont imagine that Studs and lug nuts should be very expensive. Suprisingly that had not occured to me. I already have red Locktite, now I know what to expect. Thank you all!