When referring to a rear end. The housing is the entire thing minus the gears and so on right? What is a carrier?

The carrier is also known as the "chunk". It carries the ring gear, spider gears, and posi clutches (if any).

If you go by the terms used in the Chevrolet service manual, the carrier is the part that the axle tubes plug into and the rear cover fastens to; the ring gear attaches to the differential case.

You're right, I was going by some aftermarket things I'd read.

So when they say you need a "3-series" carrier for a certain ring & pinion, are they referring to the chunk or the part with the filler plug?

CJ,
JW is correct as far as the Chevy Service manuals go, but to everyone else in the business, and all of the parts manufacturers as far as I know, the carrier is the part that the ring gear actually bolts to. I have never noticed that Chevy called it the differential case until I just looked at the book.

------------------
Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md

1971 Heavy Chevy - original owner
Team Chevelle #100

cjlandry - here's a quote from one of my reference books, this is for 1969.

"There were three different 12 bolt posi units used. The first was the 2-series posi unit which was used on gear ratios from 2.56 to 2.73. The 3-series posi unit was used with 3.07 through 3.73 gears. Finally, the 4-series posi unit went with 3.91 through 5.13 ratio gears"

There were also two different diameters of ring gears, 8.125" and 8.875".

I wouldn't bet the farm on these numbers as I have seen several disrepancies in this book.



------------------
TC # 947
69 SS Sedan (http://www.angelfire.com/rock/69ss)

By the book, the carrier is the part which houses EVERYTHING. The case is the housing inside the rearend which holds the axle/spider gears and posi clutches, and the ring gear is bolted to it. It is properly called the DIFFERENTIAL CASE. The carrier USED to be in group 5.505 and the case was, and still is, in group 5.510. It was easier to understand the difference back when Chev rear ends were a removeable center section like the 9" Ford rears. The carrier was bolted into the housing. But now, the carrier and axle tubes are combined to make up the housing (which is in group 5.387). There is no longer a 5.505 group for the carrier. I guess this is why the terms carrier and case are now used interchangeably. And I include myself as one of the people that use these terms interchangeably.
But remember, by the Chev Parts and service books, the case is what the ring gear is bolted to. You call it whatever you wish.

------------------
Tom Parsons



[This message has been edited by DZAUTO (edited 11-25-2000).]