Just like the title says - I'm in need of a new rear diff for my manual transmission '03 Forester.  I'm really hoping to find one at a junkyard, but I'm not confident I'll find an exact match anywhere nearby so I'm hoping to get a list of vehicles that would have a compatible part.

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

Edit: First junkyard I called did a little digging and suggested that my rear diff can be found on '03 through '08 models.  I'm not 100% sure whether that's only the non-turbo models.

Edited November 11, 20169 yr by Doskei

Can you post your transmission code? We can look that up and determine your exact final drive ratio, and can give you a list of all compatible rear diffs.

Based on this chart, it looks like my trans has code "TY755VC3AA"

 

VIN is JF1SG63633G752848, if that helps confirm, though from what I've found that doesn't include exact encoding for the trans.

 

This will be the first transmission project I'll have undertaken DIY, so apologies for my inexperience.  If I need to pull a code from the vehicle itself in order to be certain, I'm happy to do so when I get home.

 

Again, thanks in advance!

 

EDIT: Also everything I've found suggests that it has a final drive ratio of 4.11.  Though, being a transmission newb, I'm certainly curious to see if that's correct.

Edited November 11, 20169 yr by Doskei

Check opposedforces.com.

From what I see the diiferentials are the same from 98-07 in Forester,

98-99 RS Impreza

96 up to at least 04 in GT Legacys and OB, including those with auto.

Double check my eyesight.

 

O.

Thanks ocei77.  It does look like there are a ton of models with a likely-matching differential.

I've found a used one on eBay (here).  Haven't called any more junkyards yet.  If this is the right part, I'm not sure I'll beat that price and I wouldn't have to pull it off a car...

I have taken my rear diff out, and reinstalled it (2002 Forester).

Following advice that I read somewhere on this forum, I did not remove the two rear wheel hubs.

 

Instead, I did the following:

- Lowered the exhaust by unclipping the 4 rearmost rubber hangers (3 on muffler & 1 forward of the diff). I temporarily supported the weight of the exhaust using a long zip-tie on the rearmost hanger.

- Disconnect the drive-shaft at the forward end of the diff (4 bolts)

- Then disconnected the diff from the forward steel bracket (4 horiz & 4 vertical bolts)

- Disconnected 2 nuts at rear of diff.

- Slowly lowered front-end of diff, and pulled the diff forward to extract the two rear studs from the cross-member. (to do this, exhaust needs to be pulled gently towards the floor.

- The two, left and right, drive-shafts can then be pulled out of the diff, and supported temporarily.

 

And you're done! It's not too bad a procedure
You'll need a trolley-jack, and loads of pieces of timber shims.

There's a better write-up somewhere, maybe even a video.

Looks good.

Wouldn't hurt to verify the FD ratio is 4.11

 

O.

Your actual transmission code is on the vin plate under the hood, and on a white sticker on the transmission itself.

 

For the 96-04 legacy gt and outback have 4.44 final drive with automatic, while manual legacy gt and outback are 4.11. 98-01 2.5rs impreza and 98-02 forester follow the same rules, 4.44 auto and 4.11 manual. After those years it gets a little muddy.