hey i was wondering if a R160 VLSD 3.90 rear diff from a 1991 Legacy fit into my 85 GL wagon?

YES!

100% plug and play, providing your gear ratios are the same.

IM GOIN FOR IT!!!!! HECK YEA!! thanks:banana:

If it's going in the lifted wagon in your avatar, you may not even notice the difference. The VLSD's are very soft in their application, and can't redirect a lot of torque to the wheel with traction. Don't get me wrong, it's an improvement over an open diff, but don't expect to be impressed. The clutch type out of an RX is much better offroad, but you need to regear them.

yea it is going on the red dragon, im not really building this car for mudding it more so for elk hunting, deer hunting, and duck hunting. my goal is to have a rig that i can go anywhere i need it to i.e. snow crappy roads and mushy areas. is this worth it? i have always noticed that when i get stuck in my subie the left rear will spin and not the right or vise versa this vlsd is my attempt to have power at both wheels, is this rear end going to allow me to drive when i loose traction due to the poor articulation? im paying 250.00 for this and its a low miles diff, and i need a new rear diff anyways (someone striped the fill plug on the one currently on my 85) is this a decent price?

Edited March 28, 201115 yr by 85wagon

No - that's not a good price for a VLSD. They are more or less worthless for your application.... and that's top dollar for one. They typically go for around $150 in that ratio. It will be the same as an open diff for you which you can get for $50. They are pretty much worthless for any application that's not on tarmac. They depend on heat/friction to engage and that will never occur at slow speeds. What you want is a clutch type LSD or a welded diff.

 

And you don't need a new diff to replace the rear cover where the fill plug is located. Hell a pipe nipple extractor will take it out and then you can just replace the plug. You are going after a fly with a tank......

 

If you don't want to go welded the best thing you can do is swap to rear discs and use 200SX calipers - then you can have parking brakes on each rear wheel. When one spins in the air just lock it down with the parking brake handle.

 

GD

Edited March 28, 201115 yr by GeneralDisorder

hey, if i did weld up my rear diff, wouldnt that chunk my rear tires and bind up when i drove on pavement even in 2wd? this car will be 70% highway and 30% offroad.

hey, if i did weld up my rear diff, wouldnt that chunk my rear tires and bind up when i drove on pavement even in 2wd? this car will be 70% highway and 30% offroad.

i got my answer thank you pooparu!!

hey, if i did weld up my rear diff, wouldnt that chunk my rear tires and bind up when i drove on pavement even in 2wd? this car will be 70% highway and 30% offroad.

 

it shouldn't chunk them up, but they will wear faster... Will also decrease your mileage some, and attract lots of looks if you are making a slow speed tight turn

Ok so I tried replying to this a couple times but I was running into a computer error...

 

 

So that diff will bolt in but not totally. The driveline mates up to two of four bolts so the other two will have to be drilled. I have a 3.9 VLSD in my RX with the EA82 driveline.

So that diff will bolt in but not totally. The driveline mates up to two of four bolts so the other two will have to be drilled. I have a 3.9 VLSD in my RX with the EA82 driveline.

 

If it's from a '91 as he says he will not have that problem. Your's may have already been swapped over to the later ('95+?) larger flange pattern. At the worst all he has to do is swap the pinion shaft flange from his old diff. It will bolt right on. No drilling is involved.

 

GD

quick question..... how do you make a 3.7lsd work in my 3.9 open diff? basically i know a guy who has 3.7 lsd he is willing to sell me the carrier and housing out of an svx will this work?

quick question..... how do you make a 3.7lsd work in my 3.9 open diff? basically i know a guy who has 3.7 lsd he is willing to sell me the carrier and housing out of an svx will this work?

 

If it's from an SVX it won't work. It'll be 3.54, not 3.7 , and requires SVX only, asymetrically stubbed, male axles.

 

Perhaps he meant a 3.7 from an XT6? that would eb bolt in. You'd however need to fit the LSD chunk with a 3.9 ring, and install it in a case with a matching 3.9 pinion.

quick question..... how do you make a 3.7lsd work in my 3.9 open diff? basically i know a guy who has 3.7 lsd he is willing to sell me the carrier and housing out of an svx will this work?

 

As noted if it's from an SVX it will not work.

 

But as for putting (any) LSD into your 3.9 - you just remove the LSD carrier from the diff that has it and you install it into your 3.9 case using the (3.9) ring gear from your old carrier. To do it correctly you then have to set the R&P lash and then do a contact pattern check.... most people don't do that but it should be done. I have found that I usually have to use the carrier bearing shims from the LSD diff to get as close as possible on the first try with setting the R&P.

 

GD