OK so my rear end is done and I am just gonna replace the whole thing. I have lined up a rear end from an 02 trans am with 3:42 gears and no tcs. It also only has 19000 miles. I know that this should bolt right in but how do I fix the issue with the emergency brake not being the same? Also what other surprises am I missing? I know that a lot of you guys have already done this swap and I am trying to capitalize from your experience. Thanks

 

Use the emergency brake cables from the 02 rear. If you don't have them you will need to get some from a 98 or later car. You will also need to have your pcm reprogrammed for the 3.42 gear if you want your speedometer to be correct.

 

It is already set up for a 3:42. I have tunercat. Thank you for the info

 

I believe you're also going to run into a problem retaining the abs system. 02 cars have a four channel abs system while yours has a three channel system.

 

It does not have traction control so I am assuming it is a 3 channel. I copied this from the sticky.

15. What's the difference between a 3 channel and 4 channel rear?

A three channel rear end has ABS. A 4 channel rear end has ABS and traction control. A 'channel' is just a way of describing the means for a speed sensor to gauge the wheel speed. On a 3 channel rear end, the two front wheels have sensors, and there is one sensor on top of the rear end housing that reads for the whole rear. On a 4 channel rear end, there is a speed sensor at every wheel. 4 channel rear ends have reluctor wheels on each axle, 3 channel rears have one big reluctor ring on the differential. Because a 4 channel has a sensor at each rear wheel it can see the difference in speed between one wheel and the other, and ta-da, you have traction control.

 

You are correct.... the number of channels has nothing to do with the year of the car. ABS only is 3-channel, ABS+TCS is 4-channel.

 

So I found out that the rear end that I am buying does not have the ls1 brakes. Can I put my lt1 brakes on it if I change my mounting brakets over to this rear end. It has the axle shafts and everything else. I may just try to locate some ls1 calipers from somewhere.

 

You can swap your lt1 brakes onto the ls1 axle. You will need to use your Lt1 axle shafts as the Lt1 and Ls1 shafts are slightly different lengths.

 

how are they longer ,I have them in 2 02 rearends with out any differance in lengths,the 3rd 1 I used the ls style just a question.

 

I didn't say they were longer. I said the were different lengths. I have a ls1 and a lt1 rear. When I put the ls1 brakes on my lt1 rearend I checked the shafts and there is about an eighth of an inch difference in the length of the shafts. I don't remember which one was longer.