Is this true about station wagon rears?

[Minion1186]

I remember hearing that 80's BOP station wagons have standard low gears (3.08,3.23,3.42),optional Posi and maybe even an 8.5 with low gears and a posi?I know a junkyard crawling with these wagons,if i can get down there this year maybe i can pull the gears and posi out of a 7.5 and install them in mine.Also if swapping 2.56 gears and no posi to a 3.23 with posi what all should i take from the wagon rear?Any mods i have to do also?

 

[Bonnewagon]

I think a whole rear would be too wide for a G-body, and pulling gears out means reinstalling them with an installation kit. You can't just remove and replace. The good thing about it would be getting the 3 series posi carrier and gears fairly cheap. Make sure you get the posi carrier, ring and pinion set, bearing races (keep them segregated so they match the side bearings), driveshaft yoke, cover and bolts, factory shims (might need them) and all the stuff you remove to get the gears out. Never know what will break on yours. Bring a big pipe ( size of U-joint cup) to hold the companion flange while you unscrew the pinion nut. I think it's 1 1/4" nut. The axles need to come out to free the carrier, and the 5/16" pinion shaft bolt is all most always broken. Test it first before doing anything else. If it's broken you're screwed. You would still need to know how to install the gears properly and have the tools to do it. Read up on gears in a factory manual and see what I mean, it's a pretty complicated job.

 

[billyjack]

Just checked my '78 Buick option book. 3.08 was standard in an full size wagon, with 3.23 as the available option. Posi, as always, was an option. My experience is primarily with Buick, but never have I seen posi to be standard equipment, even in the Grand Nationals and T-Types.

Bill