I have an 82 Camaro with an automatic transmission & completely stock differential. I believe it is 2.73...and I know it is "pegleg."

I'm planning to change the 2.73 out for a 3.42 or maybe even a 3.73 (I'm a little reluctant to go that far...I do want to feel at peace on the interstate). I also want to go POSITRACTION. Ignorant question: Is posi built into the differential, or is this a seperate animal? Don't worry...I'll get some help with the install smile.gif .

What do I need to look for at the salvage yards to help insure compatability? I can't fork out $1k for new parts. I saw an article one time referring to 3.73 & 80's 2.8L Blazers. Any suggestions?

Would something similar to this do the trick? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2435559977

Thanks In Advance!

Those gears will work, but won't give you posi. You could get those gears, a good installation kit and a new Eaton posi for your car and be ready. In case you didn't already know, your rear end is a 7.5 10 bolt with 26 spline axles. I don't know what those gears will go for, but the Eaton posi is $348 and the installation kit is $89. GM didn't make a good posi for the 7.5 rear end, so I recommend getting the Eaton. You will probably have to pay about $200-$250 for labor to install them. If you are thinking of installing them yourself then you must know how to set the pinion depth, bearing preload and backlash so that you get the correct contact pattern. This is done with shims and must be set to +/- .001 inch. There isn't much room for errors.

Could I buy the gear now...install it (or have it installed)...and then install posi later? I found a 3.73 gear, too. Is that too much, in your opinion?

I'm glad you told me about the GM Posi. I found one of those on e-bay, too...$99. Thank you so much for the information

What transmission is in it? If it's the 700, then 3.73's would be about the upper limit IMO if it's a daily driver.

You could just install the gears and then put in the new posi later, but you would need to pay somebody twice to do the job.

I'll take a look at the transmission tonight. I know that it is a Hydramatic. Would the VIN tell me that, or is the transmission branded somewhere? I'll look over it really well tonight.

Does it have 4 speeds or 3?

only 3...Drive, 2, & 1.

P R N D 1 2

Whatcha think? 3.73 too much...go with 3.42?

Hey Scott....

With a 3 speed, I would definitely go with the 3.42's. I have that set up in my rear end, and can drive a moderate rate on the expressway (55 - 65) at right about the 3000 rpm range. any further id sounds as if it were running on a strain. So from my experience, no real gain would benefit from the 3.73's.

You will probably hear alot of guys dispute that, but take you own factors into consideration. Myself... I dont take my car out for extended trips. Only to bust the occasional Rustang/Ricer in the booty, but no more. I'm definitely NOT set up like most of these guys with road friendly vehicles!

Also, before making decisions on gears, make sure all the other parts on your car are road worthy too. Brakes, A good trans cooler, ect... would be my choice BEFORE going posi. Just my 2 cents. Cats like big gear head, can work on their own cars, themselves .... and it really cuts the expences in half when you're talking about keeping the car together over the years. (So in essence, you might wanna pick up learning how to do it yourself)

So, In a nut shell, rebuild the rear end with 3.42's, and place the Posi unit money elsewhere!

Oh... another thing!!! (Rambling....) graemlins/clonk.gif

The 3.42's are an AWESOME gear for alot of STREET performance applications that require good gears. You'll find that they can be used with PLENTY camshaft gear recommendations, and offer the greatest versatility for MANY combinations with a simple tire diameter switch! you can run anywhere from a 25-27 inch diameter tire and feel the difference.

Ok... Jerry's gonna stop running off at the mouth!
graemlins/waving.gif

The differential that is in the car now is a 2 series and the 3.42 and 3.73 will not fit on it. You will need a 3 series differential anyway, so if you can afford it, this would be the best time to install the posi.

you Know Gear Head... I was just teling someone 5 minutes ago that I should learn to keep my mouth shut, and listen more! But ya know, thats what this forum is here for, so each member can educate himself FURTHER! Thanks for that knowledge!What an obvious fact! I forgot all about that. graemlins/clonk.gif

Learn something new every day!!