Third member question
 

OK guys, need your help. I do not currently have a small bearing rear end housing to check this for myself. Looking to see if anyone has the items and time needed to answer a question.

Will a 84-85 (big spline) rear end chunk bolt into a 1981-1983 small bearing housing?
I realize the big bearing axles will not fit but I need to know if the chunk will bolt in.

-billy

i would say that the 3rd member will bolt into the earlier housing.

I believe so, I will be home tomorrow and can compare, I have several diffs taken apart I can look at to confirm....

Thanks bud. That would be great.

-billy

They will fit, the carrier bearings seem to be identical. Just to clarify the details, I am looking at the open diff out of my NA FC (which is the same as the 84-up 7" diff) and a 83 S rear end (which I swapped out for a GSL rear years ago) and the FC's diff goes right into the 83 housing. Only thing that doesn't work obviously are the axles themselves. Hope that helps, btw what are you working on with this?
Sean

Sean,

Isn't the FC chunk different? Maybe it is just the length of the pinion?
Anyways, that helps out allot. Thank you.

I am looking at small bearing Rx2, Rx3 and Rx7 big brake options.

-billy

Yeah the FC pinion is long as hell, the carrier itself is not interchangeable as its completely different, but the diff itself is. Sounds like a plan, I'm sure those with the small axle rears will apprecaite it ;) The 84/85 GSL/SE rears seem to be getting pretty rare....

I have two (2) 4:88 LS large axle 3rd members. See for sale section.

ddewhurst1 at wi.rr.com

Billy, does this mean big disc brakes on my SA are possible in the future? Would I need different wheels then as well? I'd love to just be able to bolt on a kit to get rear discs if nothing else. I like waffles :)

I doubt you'll be able to get big brakes behind the waffles, they wouldn't fit. If you want to keep your wheels and just get disks why not just swap to a GSL rear end? The only "custom" piece you need is a brake hose that will go from the SA thread pitch to the FB thread pitch and I think Billy has them...