Anybody know a godamn thing about awd astro van diffs?

[total newb]

So i got roped into a side job with a total spaz, dude is off the wall adhd and has blown the front diff out of this astro van.

Before he ever called me he had already ordered a diff off of who fucking knows from some fucking where. It arrived, he nevered opened the box, loaded the van up and brought both to me.

Well guess fucking what, the upper bushing mount is busted off the diff and appears to be a 3.21 when the van is listed as 3.42.

In general. I fucking hate vans. They are built with light duty parts and nothing ever works out like it should.

So as it boils down, this is a 98 or 99 and he spracked on and on how this is a 1 year only version. Idk.

what idk if its something with the van ifs half tube or mounts or positions or spline or cv shaft setups that make the a van axle different than a s10.

things that i DO KNOW
-it is a 7.625"
-it has a steel p-side tube with no actuator.
-it has a open d-side axle seat that goes straight to the side gear not a flange axle for a bolt on cv.
-It has a removeable steel cover/seal retainer for that side
-the p-side axle shaft is a male spline not a cv flange.

So on top of not knowing shit about vans, idk shit about s10s either. So as a whole i need to know if an s10 primary diff housing is the same as an astro van and if i can simply jamb the steel axle tube on to said s10 housing?

I will source or get better pics.

 

[Rennat_2006]

Yes you can use the right side tube on a s10 differential. S10s have the one with the actautor/disconnect, AWD asshole(astro) vans and bravadas have the solid shaft.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Why am I not surprised that the patron saint of "I refuse to learn about anything that isn't a square body GM" can't figure out parts interchange for a minivan.

x2 on what Rennat said.

 

[total newb]

In 22 years of wheeling and wrenching professionally (6years) this is the 3rd astro van that ive touched.

I dont know anyone that owns one
i have never owned one.
I have only ever driven the 2 others
Ive never been around one that has been wheeled or broken.

I have litteraly never wanted nor needed to know shit about them.

Same goes for ifs chevy diffs, years/modles/interchanges. I dont give a fuck because they are garbage, and i know what to do with the garbage.

last night the owner came by and we had a long conversation about putting real axles in it (per his request) i figured about $65-8500 with a real possibility of getting that trimmed down to $6k.

After that he was more redisent about getting a prebuilt front diff.

He also wants to lift the ifs.

 

[total newb]

On top of ive never messed with any s10 front diffs either.

Fixed a couple of tcases and shifting issues. Rebuilt plenty of 7.5/7.625 rear diffs.


Hey arse_sidewards, what do you know about delorians?

 

[DMG]

I think 98/99 is where the break is. 98 down fits and 99 up fits. I am not sure I would want a customer that brings there own parts and especially shows up with broken stuff.

 

[Squamch]

In 22 years of wheeling and wrenching professionally (6years) this is the 3rd astro van that ive touched.

I dont know anyone that owns one
i have never owned one.
I have only ever driven the 2 others
Ive never been around one that has been wheeled or broken.

I have litteraly never wanted nor needed to know shit about them.

Same goes for ifs chevy diffs, years/modles/interchanges. I dont give a fuck because they are garbage, and i know what to do with the garbage.

last night the owner came by and we had a long conversation about putting real axles in it (per his request) i figured about $65-8500 with a real possibility of getting that trimmed down to $6k.

After that he was more redisent about getting a prebuilt front diff.

He also wants to lift the ifs.

Reticent? Resistant? Receptive?

don't these have some bullshit single leaf fiberglass rear suspension in them too?

 

[arse_sidewards]

On top of ive never messed with any s10 front diffs either.

Fixed a couple of tcases and shifting issues. Rebuilt plenty of 7.5/7.625 rear diffs.


Hey arse_sidewards, what do you know about delorians?

Back in the day a junkyard Astro van was the hot ticket for all the S10 guys looking to ditch the 2pc shaft as a bandaid to buy time before they SAS'd it. A decade ago the S10 was one of the vehicle everyone around here was wheeling in stoch-ish form because they were so cheap. Nobody wheels fullsize stuff here but I guess things are different on the west coast.

don't these have some bullshit single leaf fiberglass rear suspension in them too?

Yes, early ones only. It's not that bad but steel springs are just so dead nuts reliable there's no reason not to throw steel in if you have to touch it for some reason.

 

[total newb]

Reticent? Resistant? Receptive?

don't these have some bullshit single leaf fiberglass rear suspension in them too?

This one has steel leafs.

The corvettes and stupid dodge/merc utility vans have them.