DIY Open differential (V6 AT) to LSD SWAP

[ScReW]

This is my first DIY so please don't kick me hard)))

First of all you will need the following parts:
2 hubs (13580684)
2 new hub nuts (13217120)
2 new axle washers (thrust washers) (20825083)
2 axles (22813175 – right; 22813176 - left)
1 liter of 75w-90GM differential oil (89021677or 89021678)
1 bottle of LSD additive but you will need only 75ml of it (1052358 or 992694)
Rear part of driveshaft (I could not find p/n. but have a few photos of it)

1) First of all take rear wheels off
2) Remove entire exhaust: remove 2 clamps near engine and hammer them a little (right to the rear, left to the front).
After that remove metal bar in the middle of the car (hold by 4 bolts) Beware of exhaust falling down.
Then you have to lift the car and pull it towards to remove exhaust from 6 rubber mounts, which holds
it in place (it is pretty heavy). After dismounting from rubber mounts tilt front end of exhaust to the
ground pull towards and remove it from your car.

3) Remove aluminum heat shield
4) Remove hub nut (36mm nut)
5) Unclench brake pads
6) Remove one 10mm bolt which holds brake line to have opportunity to hinge caliper
7) Remove two 16mm (maybe 15mm) bolts which holds caliper and hinge caliper with some wire on spring

8) Unscrew one torx bolt holding brake rotor and remove it

9) Remove 3 bolts from control arms (1 upper near knuckle from upper control arm, 1 from Trailing arm
near subframe, 1 from link rod). You need to do this for tilting knuckle and removing it.
10) DO NOT forget to remove speed sensor (10mm bolt) from knuckle BEFORE removing hub.

11) Unbolt 3 bolts holding hub and take it away.

12) Drain fluid from differential
13) Gently pull axles from differential
14) Now we have to unscrew 3 bolts which connects driveshaft and differential thought rubber
spacer and 2 bolt holding middle bushing of driveshaft. It will not fall but will be loose.

15) Remove 4 10mm nuts holding in place aluminum shield behind driveshaft and move it little bit
towards your car. Without doing this it will be impossible to remove 3rd bold holding in place differential case.

16) Now use some hydraulic holder under differential and remove 3 bolts holding it in place.
When you will lower differential be careful. Driveshaft and shield around may fall down.

17) Remove rear part of driveshaft (be careful with gasket on it).

Now we can start installing our LSD differential

Some tips for assembly:
1) If you are like me and bought used diff - then clean 2 oil seals (axle gaskets) very good!!! And after cleaning lube them with new differential fluid.
2) On all spline connections add graphite lube and between knuckle/hub and hub/rotor surfaces.
3) Put one drop of Lock-tie on 6 bolts (3 holding differential case, 3 holding diff and driveshaft). BUT don’t use permanent lock-tie or you will never remove it))).
5) Use new thrust washers to avoid clicking noise.
6) Open diff axles use 36mm hub nuts, but LSD diff axles 32mm nuts.
7) don’t forget to add friction additive to the differential oil (75ml of additive on 1 liter of oil)

Answers on some questions which I had:
1) The one and the only model of Camaro which have open differential is 3.6(LLT/LFX) with Automatic transmission!!!
2) All open differentials axles, hubs and differential itself have 28 splines, but all LSD differentials axles, hubs and differential itself have 32 splines.
3) LSD differential case is way bigger then open case.
4) About driveshaft: there is difference between them!!! The rubber spacer (between diff and driveshaft)
on LSD is bigger in diameter and bolts will not fit so you need to change this part it you want LSD differential!

I hope this is pretty detailed DIY and will help others

[Jason@JacFab]

Nice write up! I'm sure it will come in handy one day... Thanks for taking the time to do it.

Are you sure your open diff is 28 spline? I've got a 1LT auto diff here and it's definitely 27 spline.

[MagnumForceGB]

About to do this in a few days, but using a DSS one-piece driveshaft that has the V8 differential flange adaptor.

Did you use a impact wrench to get the axle nuts off?

[ScReW]

Originally Posted by MagnumForceGB

About to do this in a few days, but using a DSS one-piece driveshaft that has the V8 differential flange adaptor.

Did you use a impact wrench to get the axle nuts off?

I used air-tools (sorry i'm not a native speaker)
;-)

[ScReW]

Originally Posted by Jason@JacFab

Nice write up! I'm sure it will come in handy one day... Thanks for taking the time to do it.

Are you sure your open diff is 28 spline? I've got a 1LT auto diff here and it's definitely 27 spline.

Jason ...emm maybe i misscounted them but i was sure there were 28
all i ment with that statement that parts from one set of parts (open diff) and another (LSD) - will never fit )))

[Tajefe Couple]

Originally Posted by ScReW

Jason ...emm maybe i misscounted them but i was sure there were 28
all i ment with that statement that parts from one set of parts (open diff) and another (LSD) - will never fit )))

I got a used set up like you, differential part#22928326 myc, ss, 3:27, lsd.
They sent axles for the SC/SS diff part#'s 22953759, 22953760. Can we use the heavier duty axles instead of 22813175, and 22813176 since they all have the same 33 spline count?
Maybe with just different hubs?
Help please!

[Tajefe Couple]

Originally Posted by tajefe

I got a used set up like you, differential part#22928326 myc, ss, 3:27, lsd.
They sent axles for the SC/SS diff part#'s 22953759, 22953760. Can we use the heavier duty axles instead of 22813175, and 22813176 since they all have the same 33 spline count?
Maybe with just different hubs?
Help please!

Sorry would probably help to add mine is a 2012 a6, v6, lfx with the open 2:92's.
The new diff and axles are all from 2013 ss'.
Thanks again to anyone that can help.

[MyLocalDJ]

Originally Posted by tajefe

I got a used set up like you, differential part#22928326 myc, ss, 3:27, lsd.
They sent axles for the SC/SS diff part#'s 22953759, 22953760. Can we use the heavier duty axles instead of 22813175, and 22813176 since they all have the same 33 spline count?
Maybe with just different hubs?
Help please!

*****************
Were the HD axles interchangeable and useable with the LSD swap? Any other issues that you ran into?

[Tajefe Couple]

Sorry, for health reasons build stopped along with his posting ability. Heard if you got the hubs for the zl1 axles they would work with the differential but never tried. Got the correct ss parts including hubs, and axles still setting in shop with car.

[darcycook]

do i need to take exhaust ?? GETTING READY TO DO THIS

[darcycook]

Originally Posted by Tajefe Couple

Sorry, for health reasons build stopped along with his posting ability. Heard if you got the hubs for the zl1 axles they would work with the differential but never tried. Got the correct ss parts including hubs, and axles still setting in shop with car.

do i realy need to take off exhaust ? getting ready to do this ?

[Tajefe Couple]

Yep, totally in the way.

[jimmyp]

If you're going to change ratio's does anything need to be reprogrammed to keep the speedo accurate, and all the other electronics happy?

[Tajefe Couple]

Yes for the Speedometer, a dealership or tuner can do this. As far as I know everything else is good.