Rear end question: 82 rear end and 85 drive shaft
 

So, I have a question. I have an '85 with a bad rear end, and a rear end out of an '82 waiting for me to pick up at my Grandpa's house out of my old '82. I know that there is a difference between the size of the bolting plate (not quite sure what it's called, but the portion of the driveshaft that bolts to the rear end), but in my stupidity I forgot to keep my driveshaft out of my '82 when I stripped it. I was talking to a guy at school and he said that provided you torque the bolt to the correct spec, you can swap the input shaft plates between rear ends. I was wondering if there was any way to accomplish this so I don't have to find a different driveshaft, or have I completely screwed myself and do I need to find a different drive shaft?

You can swap the flange from one diff to the other. However, you really need to replace the crush sleeve (distance piece, in most parts books) anytime you remove the flange from the front of a diff.

That's not a problem. Thanks for the information.