The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1.5 ton rear Diff carrier gasket, same as 1 ton?

I am looking for a gasket for my 1.5 ton Chevy (single speed rear end) rear differential carrier. I haven't had much luck online for the 1.5 ton, but found 1/2 thru 1 ton gaskets. Are they the same?

I'm almost certain they're not the same. You could go to your FLAPS and buy some medium thickness gasket paper and make on. It's not hard. Use a ball peen hammer and tap tap tap around all the edges and the bolt holes. When you get the big hole taped out then you can slip it over the ring gear etc. and tap out the outside dimension or use scissors. While you're at it make one for the rear cover.

I'm almost certain they're not the same. You could go to your FLAPS and buy some medium thickness gasket paper and make one. It's not hard. Use a ball peen hammer and tap tap tap around all the edges and the bolt holes. When you get the big hole taped out then you can slip it over the ring gear etc. and tap out the outside dimension or use scissors. While you're at it make one for the rear cover.

Many of my gaskets come in a tube:

https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-821...&hvtargid=pla-432399660406&psc=1

Great for rear ends, not good for gas.

Differential carrier gasket thickness is likely figured into the assembly and alignment of the assembled unit. Therefore best to find original gasket or make one same thickness and not use something different.

Large Manila folders come in blond(thin)and green(thick), make good gasket material.


Ed

Grigg, educate me. It seems to me that the gear assembly bolts into the housing as a unit so regardless of gasket thickness the gear alignment would remain the same. The axle alignment might be off a few thousanths but does that matter over the length of the axle of several feet? The housing probably flexes more than that.

I know anecdotal evidence is suspect, however, I mounted the differential carrier on my '50 Chevy COE without a gasket and 2300 miles later no problems at all. I could not find a gasket, so I used Permatex "Right Stuff" which is a wonderful product, designed for OEM placement of diesel oil pans without a gasket. It is more adhesive than Permatex #2 but does not allow seepage or creep of oil like you see with #2 or RTV.

Based on my experience of one, I tend to agree with 1ton tommy in that axle alignment might be off a few thousandths but it would not matter much.

Thoughts?

Kent

It may be a slight enough difference to not matter much, I agree.

I like to do things right to the best of my ability/knowledge. I also believe in providing sound advice. Thus the recommendation to use the original thickness gasket and the reason why it might matter.
Then whoever chooses can follow it or not and base that decision on a sound understanding of the situation.

When you don't understand all the factors involved and make "judgement calls" the results aren't always pleasing.
Or better to know when you're cutting corners than be surprised when it didn't work out.


PS
To add to the gasket thickness discussion (without having them to measure) I suspect the differential cover gasket is 1/16" thick, and the carrier gasket 1/64 or 1/32"; same shape and same bolt pattern. If gasket thickness didn't matter why didn't GM only offer one thickness gasket, less trouble and expense to make and stock one instead of two?

I put my 1 Ton differential together with the correct gasket. I found that the splines left very little room for error and were a bit tricky to get started into the assembly. I think the spines are a fairly precise fit.