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How can I determine axle spline count before pulling apart?

6K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  03S10longbed 
#1 ·
This factory open rear is just sad, I have a perfectly good aftermarket eaton unit I took out of my Camaro before I did my 9 inch conversion, I also have a complete 94 trans am with a perfectly good 373 geared posi I could pull the parts from, replace the bearings, and provided the spline count is a match should be good to go on the cheap.. if not I'll just take it apart and look.. Also does anybody know if its possible to swap rear 4th gen f-body brakes or fronts for that matter? Obviously right now I have an open rear.. I can weld and fabricate.. just curious whats been done.. thanks..
 
#2 ·
If you have a '03 with the original 7.6 rear end then without a doubt you have 28 spline axles.


The '94 TA differential will also be 28 spline, but it will be the Auburn. Not a good choice when new, and no good when used. The Auburn wears out quickly when abused and fills the rear end with powdered metal. It also can not be rebuilt. When it wears out it's scrap metal.


You didn't say what the Camaro was.


I'm assuming that you already know about the 2 and 3 series differentials for the 7.5/7.6 rear ends, and that you will have to set the backlash and differential bearing preload with shims when you do the swap.
 
#5 ·
its 373's with an aftermarket eaton unit, also I have a factory low mileage torsen unit I pulled from my 99 z28 before I did my 9 inch swap.. which ever one I use I will be using new bearings, shims, seals, axle bearing and seals, probably going to go with the 373's over the 3.42's... any ideas about if it is in fact possible to swap the factory drum brake setup out in favor of the rear disc setup from the 94 trans am?
 
#6 ·
Your '03 should have the same bolt pattern on the housing ends as the disc brake rear end. Bolting the caliper brackets on shouldn't be a problem. I don't know about the axle hub that centers the brake disc. Some axles have a different diameter on the hub. I was going to try this several years ago and never got around to it. I think there is a drum to disc sticky on this sight.
 
#7 ·
I have a zexel torsen unit from a f-body in my 94 sonoma 4wd. fit perfect. went from 3.08 to 3.73 gears.
 
#8 ·
thanks for the info, I'll let you know how it goes, basically I got a 03 s-10 really cheap and an accident lt1 trans am in a trade so I'm trying to use all of the swappable parts (nice leather seats, rear brakes and gears/diff hopefully, z06 wheels, going to try and make the center console work, LT1 at some point, etc..)
 
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