I have a 94 Z A4 with 2.73 gear. I want to install 3.42 gear, What all do i need to install the gear? I have read that i need a 3 series carrier.

 

they make a 3.42 gear for a 2 series carrier but honestly i wouldnt trust it...if i were you i would freshen up the differential with a new one anyway if your goin to have someone go through the trouble of opening up and disassembling the rear anyway. you'll also probably want to get an install kit with new shims, bushings, bearings and such...

are you planning on doing the install yourself???if so, i don't recommend it...setting up a rear properly is one of the few jobs that even a lot of guys who build their own cars from the ground up leave to the pros.

 

94ZRiCeKiLr,
Where can you buy a 3 series carrier? Is that all i need to get it upgraded from a 2 series to a 3 series? Thanks

 

as far as i know thats all you need. i cant think of a specific place off the top of my head to get one but im sure you could probably call up summit or jegs and talk with a tech who will point you in the right direction...i'm sure they have what u need.

 

I'd call a driveline specialist like "Randy's Ring and Pinnion" or "Moser". There is no problem that I am aware of using the 2-series carrier and a 3.42 ring and pinion though.

Rich

 

Get an ABS reluctor gear/ring for a 3 series carrier also if you want your ABS to work. I bought mine from SLP for $20. I also bought a new take-off torsen carrier for $100. I heard that they don't have anymore torsens though. Call them. It's the cheapest way to upgrade to those gears.

JD

 

Are you planning to do the work yourself or have someone else do it? If your paying someone to do it I recommend just buying a complete rear out of a 6spd car and swapping it in. Much cheaper and by far easier. That's what I did. Picked up a low mileage 3.42 with a MAC girdle, studded, etc. Basically stronger than a stock unit, not bulletproof or anything, but probably plenty strong enough for how I'd abuse it. It was also complete with rear brakes which I needed badly since my rotors and calipers were shot. Got it all locally for $300 I think. Now I can still sell my stock rear for possibly half that and save even more money. Heck if anything have the stock rear to fall back on if I ever dump this one somehow like at the track or something. That way no hassle getting the kit, the gears, the 3 series carrier(which you don't really HAVE to have), installing them or paying someone to install them, etc. The price I payed is cheaper than the parts alone. Just another option FYI.

 

yea usually thats a good idea but u have to be careful with that...six speed rears take one hell of a pounding...MAKE SURE its EXTREMELY low mileage and from a car thats never been on sticky tires.

 

What is an ABS reluctor gear/ring for a 3 series carrier?
Let me tell you what I have done so far I had a 94 Z it had the 2.73 stock gear in it, my wife was hit in the front and totaled it. I then bought a 96 Z M6 rolling chassis minus the motor and trans and computer. I moved the motor, trans, wiring harness and computer over to the 96 but the rear had traction control on it which means it had the 4 wheel abs sensor on it and my abs didn’t work. So what I wanted to do was swap rear ends so my abs would work again and just install a 3.42 gear. Thanks for the help

 

You will either have to do the full gear swap as you considered. Or if you went the route I recommended you'll have to get a rear that already came equiped with TC. Other than that you'll be fine. Like already mentioned each way of getting the 3.42's has it's pro's and con's. Either way your gonna get the gear your looking for. The way I mentioned is just more reasonably priced, like someone else said though, considering that rear's life before it's purchased is up in the air as far as condition goes. You know what kind of abuse your rear has been through, so that's an advantage.

On a side note, the 96' rear should already be a 3.42. Is it possible to change your harness to fit that setup? I'm not sure how feasable this idea is, but that would potentially save you a lot of headache and money. I don't know much about the computer crap though. Maybe you could just change the plug connector that's in the differential housing. lol, another option would be to take both rears out and swap the 3.42's from one to the other. You would atleast save the money on a gear purchase. Just have to get everything else. I guess then install the 2.73's in the other rear if you want to keep that. Maybe it's not such a good idea.

Edit: I didn't realize how I typed. What I meant was you would just have to buy a rear that came equipped WITHOUT TC, not equipped WITH it.