aftermarket diff's?

[prodriver1]

anyone here have cusco diffs? I was researching a setup I would like and its a 1way front and 1.5 rear, is this what an STi comes with stock? I want stronger diffs that dont puss out when the going gets tuff, but I dont want to weld my stock ones as this is my dd.

[Bookem]

What's your ratio of transmission to differential replacements??? lol! I'm guessing those would be pretty well built, but not sure if the price justifies over stock on your car. Or are you having some h6 plans in the near future?

[Wiscon_Mark]

You could always upgrade to STi drivetrain if you're that worried. I dunno, I would think the transmission & clutch would give out before the differential would if you were putting down lots of power.

[prodriver1]

dont plan on changing anything power wise, stock 2.5 is good enough for me. its just when I'm stuck its due to not having traction in more than 2 wheels at a time:( so I want better ones just like if I had another 4 runner I'd get locking diffs but that doesnt mean I need a v8 or turbo kit, just sick of getting stuck.

[grayguy]

I'd start with a factor LSD rear end. See what that does for ya, and a HELL of a lot cheaper than aftermarket diffs

[r3v_v3ng3]

cusco diffs? thats like over 2g's on the diff alone. I would buy the jdm gc8 driveline instead. For the same price you get the whole transmission and rear end (maybe axles) and its mechanical(torsen) front and rear (r160)

on ebay they have the jdm front helical lsd for around 400 and the same on the rears

[prodriver1]

cusco diffs? thats like over 2g's on the diff alone. I would buy the jdm gc8 driveline instead. For the same price you get the whole transmission and rear end (maybe axles) and its mechanical(torsen) front and rear (r160)

on ebay they have the jdm front helical lsd for around 400 and the same on the rears
why the gc8? why not the US market STi? I was thinking of getting an STi 6spd and rear diff and would rather get that than something shipped from japan.

[phi11]

^then you need to change to 5 x 114

Edit: I guess you could do a usdm 04sti swap,
Or use specB axles.
now I feel like I don't know what I'm talking about,
need........more..........coffee.........

I have a LSD rear end out of a 2001 2.5rs with 65,000 miles. 4.44 final drive,
Don't know what your final drive is?

[prodriver1]

^then you need to change to 5 x 114

Edit: I guess you could do a usdm 04sti swap,
Or use specB axles.
now I feel like I don't know what I'm talking about,
need........more..........coffee.........

I have a LSD rear end out of a 2001 2.5rs with 65,000 miles. 4.44 final drive,
Don't know what your final drive is?
yes the change from 5x100 to STi spec would be a welcome change, I have wanted the brembos of one of those for a long time. well I have the stock outback 5 spd so its ither 4.11 or 4.44 rite? and is the 2.5 RS diff better than mine??

[StatGSR]

Well it is an LSD and yours is open...

[prodriver1]

Well it is an LSD and yours is open...
ahhh. that sucks for me, I thought it was just warn out, wow that is stupid of subaru. ya buy our cars AWD is great only its really 2wd....

[prodriver1]

and I have a 4.44 final in the rear rite?

[r3v_v3ng3]

what year is your car? 5 spd right?

[prodriver1]

what year is your car? 5 spd right?
98' 30th anniversary outback on its 3rd engine ( currently a 98' gt 2.5) and I think its the original trans but idk for sure and ya its a 5spd.

[prodriver1]

I'd start with a factor LSD rear end. See what that does for ya, and a HELL of a lot cheaper than aftermarket diffs
what about the front?

[harrymaneuvers]

30th anniversary is model year 1999 not 1998?!?!?!

[prodriver1]

[quote="harrymaneuvers"]30th anniversary is model year 1999 not 1998?!?!?![/quote
thats what I though, but the title says 98' and the fenders have the 30th badge, and its leather with heated seats and heated windshield wiper thing and heated rear view mirrors and 4 tweeters and all the other limited stuff so.....

[1-3-2-4]

notice not a lot of aftermarket rear LSD's for the R160 diff?

[grayguy]

I'd start with a factor LSD rear end. See what that does for ya, and a HELL of a lot cheaper than aftermarket diffs
what about the front?

Stop taking your outback offroading and it won't be an issue...haha

[r3v_v3ng3]

i think you have a 4.11 diff

[prodriver1]

:smt005


I'd start with a factor LSD rear end. See what that does for ya, and a HELL of a lot cheaper than aftermarket diffs
what about the front?

Stop taking your outback offroading and it won't be an issue...haha

[prodriver1]

so then is the rs 2.5 5spd better than the outbacks as well? if so I'm 4sure getting both.

[r3v_v3ng3]

no, the transmission is pretty much the same. I would grab the transmission off a 05 and up LGT (5spd non outback) and the rear end since its 4.11 ratio. A stronger transmission and a vlsd rear end

[prodriver1]

no, the transmission is pretty much the same. I would grab the transmission off a 05 and up LGT (5spd non outback) and the rear end since its 4.11 ratio. A stronger transmission and a vlsd rear end
is that the same rear as the rs? is it viscous? is that what the v means?

[r3v_v3ng3]

Yes same viscous rear but since the legacy gt is newer then it most likely have less mileage.
Correct, V=viscous

I just installed the 05lgt rear vlsd on mine, i posted it up on members ride

[prodriver1]

ok then how about price? I want to compare the 2.5RS trans and rear diff combo vs the 05+LGT trans and rear diff.
next Q is are they both direct swaps or is their more work involved in getting the 05+LGT stuff to hook up?
Phi11 how much for your 2.5 rear diff?

[prodriver1]

so the 05LGT read diff is viscous, the 2.5RS is mechanical? which is better?? I'm talking durability and mudability. I dont want the fluid in the viscous diff to over heat or something when I'm offroading, and going sideways in the snow is a multiple times a day thing all winter long and thats way hard on diffs. btw I am loving all the knowledgeable answers you guys rock :smt023

[StatGSR]

Why are you trying to swap your 5spd now? You can either by a rear diff that matches your tranny and put it in, or buy any subaru R160 and swap the gears with your existing rear diff, then put it in.

[mlitz]

so the 05LGT read diff is viscous, the 2.5RS is mechanical? which is better?? I'm talking durability and mudability. I dont want the fluid in the viscous diff to over heat or something when I'm offroading, and going sideways in the snow is a multiple times a day thing all winter long and thats way hard on diffs. btw I am loving all the knowledgeable answers you guys rock :smt023

mechanical is going to be better just be because you don't have to run the risk of it over heating the silicone fluid and losing your lsd tell it cools down.

[StatGSR]

so the 05LGT read diff is viscous, the 2.5RS is mechanical?

Both are viscous neither are mechanical...

[prodriver1]

Why are you trying to swap your 5spd now? You can either by a rear diff that matches your tranny and put it in, or buy any subaru R160 and swap the gears with your existing rear diff, then put it in.
well it has quite a large amount of new stuff on it, in fact when I get the forester springs put together with AGX's and new top hats (forester ones as the springs are larger) I will also be putting on new subframes and polly bushings and subframe lock bolts, then its getting painted when I put on 3 new doors, new windows, couple of new body panels including the hood that I have rust free and lying around, so with the new diff and trans will put me at everything but the chassis itself as new, I've got more bits of trim and interior pieces than I can remember, new brakes, new wheels. But the gas tank and interior seats are stock;)

[prodriver1]

so the 05LGT read diff is viscous, the 2.5RS is mechanical?

Both are viscous neither are mechanical...
so do any rally people have trouble with their diffs in the 2.5 rs's? do they upgrade? what about the WRX is that the same as the 2.5 RS?

[prodriver1]

buy any subaru R160 and swap the gears with your existing rear diff, then put it in.
so put the final drive gear from my car into the r160? can you do that for me :grin: but how about cost wise, my 5spd is getting old, not wanting to go into revers or 1st easily sometimes the synchro's are a little stubborn but they don't make any noise yet, and the fact that I have broken so many subaru 5spd's make me want to get both trans and diff at the same time just to be done with it and the fact that my trans isn't total crap yet means I could sell it and that would help with the cost of new stuff. so having said that what would the most cost effective way of doing this be, rebuild my trans and get a new rear diff (2.5 RS, 05=lgt, or r160 with my 4.11 final) or get both trans and diff from a 2.5rs or 05=lgt?

[StatGSR]

to make it clear, all non STI AWD Subarus have an R160 rear diff, some have an VLSD, some do not. But you can swap your open diff gear with the gear from one with an LSD, which would allow you to have one that has the right final drive without having to look high and low to find the "right" one.

a WRX (not an STI) still uses the same VLSD as any other R160 LSD Subaru. They are not special.

An old transmission isn't more prone to breaking than a new one, the majority of the parts that make up a transmission arn't really wear items, besides the syncros, there really isn't much that are typical wear items. A situation that would "break" an old tranny would probably do the same thing to a "newer" one, that is unless there was some part of the tranny that was actually designed stronger. there isn't any part in a 99-01 2.5RS transmission that is any stronger than what you already have in your car. as for the 05 LGT it may have the slightly stronger tranny that has the slighly thicker gears in it, but i don't know for sure (my guess is that it would be similar to the updated 04+ wrx 5spd). But really if your worried about the strength of the gears, you would almost have to go with a PPG gear set to have any notable increase.

IMO if your guna spend the that much time and effort, get a 6spd and call it a day. if not, just get and LSD rear diff and put it in.

[r3v_v3ng3]

so do any rally people have trouble with their diffs in the 2.5 rs's? do they upgrade? what about the WRX is that the same as the 2.5 RS?


The rally people are probably running the jdm gc8's (sti turbo), which probably have mechanical front lsd and r160 rear mlsd. If not they probably upgraded to a clsd.

If you rebuild the trans, you might as well put a front lsd and rear lsd. This would require you to just swap your differential out with the lsd unit (some grinding for the rear carrier). They run about 400 each on ebay and they are mechanical (stronger and better than a vlsd). The only problem is trying to search for the rear axle but they do pop out once in awhile on ebay for the jdm whole carrier with axles for more $$ since its heavier to ship

front lsd
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JDM-Subaru-Impr ... 2a1755c814 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/JDM-Subaru-Impreza-Front-torsen-LSD-helical-GDB-sti-wrx-diff-differential-ratio-/180780124180?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item2a1755c814)

rear lsd
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JDM-92-93-94-00 ... 5ae47fa271 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/JDM-92-93-94-00-SUBRAU-IMPREZA-GC8-WRX-STI-LSD-REAR-DIFF-AND-SUB-FRAME-/390380626545?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item5ae47fa271)

If you got the money then go balls out with the 6 spd sti (guessing around $4-5k)

[prodriver1]

both amazing responses thanks guys :smt023 , so the ebay stuff from an sti is way cheaper than I was thinking so I will for sure try to find something like that. so then what am I in for as far as work on that? is it mostly a direct swap?