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Someone educate me on differential nomenclature

crustycurmudgeon

crustycurmudgeon

Well-Known Member
Can someone educate me on this? My differential rebuilder just called and told me the diff I took him has a bad carrier. I was under the impression the carrier was the whole enchilada that holds the gears and stuff and bolts into the axle housing. What's more confusing is he told me he's already started rebuilding it but how can he if the carrier's bad? He says he can't locate a non-posi carrier and I may have to go with a "posi" (his term--I know, that's GM).

Can someone help me understand what he's talking about?

Frank
 
Carrier, chunk, to me they are the same. The differential goes in the carrier along with the ring, pinion and bearings. Maybe he was high?
 
The whole enchilada is the third member. It's my understanding that the carrier is what holds the ring gear and the type of rear you are using (i.e. open, trac-loc, spool). I would assume if he is saying that he has started rebuilding it that he may have started replacing the bearings in the housing which holds the carrier and pinion gear.
 
The short answer is the differential carrier is the part that the ring gear bolts too.

Inside the carrier are the spider gear that provide the differential action. An "open" differential doesn't have any clutches and pretty much puts the power to the axle that has the least resistance. On a traction lok differential (aka Posi or LSD - Limited Slip Differntial, for the GM crowd), there are alternating clutches and plates keyed to the differential and each axle that are pressurized with a spring between them. The heavier the springs, the tougher it is to break the "slip" action.

Is this for an 8" or 9" rear end?
 
If he called it a "posi" you may question how seriously he takes his job... just saying. to the average schmuck it's not a big deal but that's like a Yamaha "Waverunner" dealer referring to a personal watercraft as a "Jetski" :no
 
It's an 8 inch unit. He did say that it had spun a bearing. I had to laugh when he said the owner must have driven it hard--I got it from Johnpro. :roll

Frank
 
He said he can't get you a "posi" what's in a word? Anyway trak-lok chunks are all over the parts stores for the 8" not as many as the 9" but being the owner of one they are there.

Your car was driven hard and by John? Naaaaaa hehehehe

Mel

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk
 
I wonder what he would say if he saw my 9" center chunk? It's been driven hard it's entire life on the track [nb]uhhh, that is when the engine's running[/nb]
 
"guruatbol" said:
He said he can't get you a "posi" what's in a word? Anyway trak-lok chunks are all over the parts stores for the 8" not as many as the 9" but being the owner of one they are there.
Click to expand...

No, he said the open carrier was obsolete and he could only get a "posi" carrier. So it looks like I'm getting trac-loc after all. It'll be done today.

edit: I just got a call saying that the carrier he "thought" was a posi was actually a locker, so it's going to be an open rear after all. I guess he was able to find a used one, but not a new one? He had originally said the price would be the same for open or posi.

Frank
 
You will not regret it. I love the one in the 65 I need one in the 67.

Mel

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk
 
Take the "posi" you will like it much better.

If you don't like it I'll swap you the sticker from the 67. I'll even bring it to you in the for of driving the entire car.

Mel

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk
 
"crustycurmudgeon" said:
I just got a call saying that the carrier he "thought" was a posi was actually a locker, so it's going to be an open rear after all.
Click to expand...

It won't be an open rear if it has a locker. Think that was a typo ;)
 
As long as you're in there you really should go for the trac-loc. If you don't do it now you probably never will. With a little gear it will drive like a whole new car. It'll also add to the value/appeal if you should ever sell it.
 
"buening" said:
It won't be an open rear if it has a locker. Think that was a typo ;)
Click to expand...

Sorry I wasn't clear. He said the one he thought was a posi was a locker, and I opted not to go with that, so he's doing an open carrier instead. Sounded like he didn't have another posi unit.

This is just a street car. I didn't really need the trac-loc in the first place.

Frank
 
"He had originally said the price would be the same for open or posi."

I don't know about 8" diffs, but for chevy 12 bolt posi's, used carriers fetch about 300 for a used one, new eaton brand diffs run about 425-490. 12 bolt "open" diffs are usually not worth more than $50-$100. Just throwing it out there in case he wants to charge you 300-400 for a used open diff.
 
I know it is a street car, but having both and driven both on the street, I have to say get the trak-lok because it does drive different and IMHO it is way better!

Amber's 67 has an open diff and Ed has the trak-loc and I am here to tell you when I drive Ed it is so totally different, I can't even describe it! So much better, you just have to drive one to know!

Mel
 
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