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I've been scouring this board for previous messages but can't seem to find any compatibility information for a rear LSD.

My '91 NA Legacy has an open rear diff and I want to do the obvious upgrade, but want to make sure I get the right one. Are there differences in axels or the driveshaft that would make this car compatible with a subset of newer diffs?

If this has already been answered and I was just too dumb to find it, I apologize in advance.

Thanks!

Both of my cars has 01 LGT VLSD with 4.11 gears with 95-99 outback rear axles. Need to change the flange or yolk off the old rear end so it matches your driveline and swap the studs in the rear cover and your all converted.

rallyak wrote:Both of my cars has 01 LGT VLSD with 4.11 gears with 95-99 outback rear axles. Need to change the flange or yolk off the old rear end so it matches your driveline and swap the studs in the rear cover and your all converted.

Thanks for help! To clarify, you needed to buy outback axles to go with the '01 VLSD?

Yes, outback
The ends look like this,

And if you notice there isn't a clip in the groove and the end is tapered. The Brighton and L's are different with no tapper and a clip and different spline count.

Thanks for posting the pics. The local enormous junkyard says they've got a 01 legacy gt 4.11 locking diff in stock for $200, which is great since there were some random Subaru rear diffs on eBay going for $400.

Is there any reason you didn't use the axels from the 01 LGT as well? I assume they would work.

01 rear axels are too long. I also have more pics of swap.

rallyak wrote:Both of my cars has 01 LGT VLSD with 4.11 gears with 95-99 outback rear axles. Need to change the flange or yolk off the old rear end so it matches your driveline and swap the studs in the rear cover and your all converted.

Sorry for all the questions, but "Outback" has been used on just about everything Subaru In those years do you mean the Legacy Outback or the Impreza Outback?

Thanks,

Sorry, I didn't specify. Legacy outback

I keep meaning to get one too. And that 01 4.11 diff should even be a straight drop in for me.

What about differential case being longer on the newer Subies (which shortens the rear section of the driveline) or is the VLSD case the same length as the older rear differential cases?

I know the case for 01 LGT is the same size. I'm not sure about the newer cases.

Ok, yeah it looks like there are two different types VA & T type and the VA types are probably the LSD which match our legacies.

http://main.experiencetherave.com/subar ... f_info.pdf

I got the new diff attached to the car before realizing the flanges don't match. (Yes, you warned about it but I misunderstood. ).

How the heck do I remove the flanges to do a swap? I tried drilling holes in a piece of steel and attaching that to the flange, and then using a breaker bar on the nut but twice the torque was so high the steel bent and broke!

czei wrote:I got the new diff attached to the car before realizing the flanges don't match. (Yes, you warned about it but I misunderstood. ).

How the heck do I remove the flanges to do a swap? I tried drilling holes in a piece of steel and attaching that to the flange, and then using a breaker bar on the nut but twice the torque was so high the steel bent and broke!

I take my diffs to a friendly mechanic, along with a 6-pack. He uses his 1000 ft-lbs impact gun to remove the flanges in about 1 second. If you research the installed torque spec of the nut , he'll even put it on right.

Thanks, the swap only took 10 minutes at the mechanics this morning. I really appreciate that you took the time to share this swap; can't wait to try the LSD at a NASCAR dirt track tomorrow!

I love mine on the ice and snow, and I hope you enjoy yours a well.

rallyak wrote:Both of my cars has 01 LGT VLSD with 4.11 gears with 95-99 outback rear axles. Need to change the flange or yolk off the old rear end so it matches your driveline and swap the studs in the rear cover and your all converted.

So then would I be in the same situation using an '01 2.5rs lsd rear in my 92 ss?

ShorelineScooby wrote:

rallyak wrote:Both of my cars has 01 LGT VLSD with 4.11 gears with 95-99 outback rear axles. Need to change the flange or yolk off the old rear end so it matches your driveline and swap the studs in the rear cover and your all converted.

So then would I be in the same situation using an '01 2.5rs lsd rear in my 92 ss?

Yes - I have an 00 RS diff in my 91 SS and those are the axles I used.

Does it matter what transmission the rear LSD is paired with as long as the final drive is the same? My center diff just blew after the last race, and I'm trying to figure out what went wrong. The car has a '94 ohase one transmission paired with a 2001 rear 4.11 LSD and matching axels.

As long as your final ratio matches the gear in the transmission it doesn't matter what the rear end came out of.