swapping rear end..

[95camaro3800]

I am swapping the rear end on my car, and have one all lined up to purchase. I think theres a good chance its a 4 channel, and I think mine is a 3 channel (i could be wrong). Is it possible to still put it in? what would i need to change to get it to work properly?

[Smoke Panther]

Re: swapping rear end..

If you don't want ABS, sure it's possible to put a 4-channel rear on a 3-channel car. The number of channels refers to how the car gets it's ABS information...3 channel means there are 3 ABS sensors(2 on the front wheels, 1 ontop of the pumpkin) and 4-channel means there are 4-ABS sensors (one on each wheel).

[Speculation]
I suppose that you could make a car that is 4-channel work with a 3-channel axle by splicing the two ABS wires into one, fooling the computer into thinking it's getting information from both wheels when it's only getting info from the one ABS ring in the pumpkin.
[/speculation]
However, i don't know of any way to get a 3-channel rear to work with a 4-channel axle...or if it's even safe to do such a thing. you'd have to buy an extra ABS sensor and wire it up somehow, and even then, you don't want the car's computer thinking it's getting telemetry from one source when there's actually two

[ninety4three4]

Re: swapping rear end..

i to have a 4 channel rear i want to put in my three channel car, is the informartion sent from these sensors sent directly to the abs unit or the computer, cause if its the abs unit couldnt it be swapped from a 4 channel car or am i on crack

[ninety4three4]

Re: swapping rear end..

well i found one way to make a 4 chan rear work with 3 chan wiring, drill out where the abs sensor would have been in the pumpkin, tap it and thread in the sensor, than you ahve to remove the posi unit and press the reluctor ring onto the carrier i believe and then put everything back together, i will look for the link right now

[ninety4three4]

Re: swapping rear end..

found it...

http://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=617761

[Smoke Panther]

Re: swapping rear end..

found it...

http://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=617761

uh...he didn't exactly use a hand drill/cordless drill to drill a hole in the housing...so unless you have something powerful enough to accomplish that, go for it...

[ninety4three4]

Re: swapping rear end..

i do have access to equipment that could drill that hole, just giving a plausible option to make the rears work, you speculation didnt seem very safe to me :)

[FunkZ]

Re: swapping rear end..

The 4-channel harness will plug right into your car. It will only read from the left sensor. The ABS will work, mostly. It can still light an INOP every once and a while.

Your other concern is you need a cutting and flaring tool to convert the dual brake lines into one.

[ninety4three4]

Re: swapping rear end..

is this what you have done to your car, how did you rig the brake lines so that everything works properly? i am very interested to know because if i can do it i will keep the rear i have and put it in my car!!

[FunkZ]

Re: swapping rear end..

Yeah, been through that before, you can make it work. I ran it for a year and then swapped for another 3.73 rear that was the correct 3-channel.

www.funkz.net/firebird/firebirdmod10.htm