Questions! Differential swap?

filip00

Keep the pumpkin. You only need to add an LSD into the diff and that's it.
I had the same situation as you did, although I already had the sport VLSD in the car, which is nearly identical to having an open diff.

After browsing through all the options online and going through all diffs available, I decided that OS Giken is probably the best diff out there, although a bit pricey, offers best performance with minimal hassle about maintaining it.

The job included removing exhaust, rear sway bar, strut brace, and unbolting the whole differential. After that's off, you pull out the axles, diff LSD (or the open diff within the housing) and you have to remove the gears from the ring (final) gear and bolt it onto the LSD. Then you reassemble everything and that's basically it.

I didn't change the ratios and I kept the factory final drive, as I think it's just fine, the car works well, I like that on highway I can cruise at 80mph at 3000rpm in 6th. Other gears are fine, although a slight bit long.

A whole another option is to swap the whole pumpkin and diff within, with a different one including LSD, but I really urge you to NOT pursue the factory VLSD option as it's ****. Go for the mechanical (clutch plate) LSD.