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In some cases, a differential can be identified by the number of cover bolts is has. Count the number of cover bolts on your differential to help identify which differential you have.

Cover Bolts
Some late model vehicles come with independent rear suspension. Check your rear housing to see what kind of suspension it has.

INDEPENDENT REAR: Left and right axles can move up and down independently of each other
Independent Rear Suspension

SOLID REAR: Has a solid housing
Solid Rear Suspension
Some differentials have a dropout which bolts to the front of the axle housing. Check your housing to see if it has a dropout on the front.

Dropout
Some differentials have a removable pinion support on the front of the housing. This can be helpful in narrowing down which differential you have. Take a look at the front of the housing and look for bolts that hold a removable pinion support in place.

Pinion Support
Checking your pinion nut size can be helpful in identifying your differential. To check the pinion nut size, the driveline must be disconnected from the pinion yoke. With the driveline disconnected, check the socket size that fits your pinion nut.

Pinion Nut Size
In some cases, a differential can be identified by the number of ring gear bolts it has. Ring gear bolts secure the ring gear to the carrier.

Ring Gear Bolts
Ring gear diameter can be a helpful way to identify which differential you have. The ring gear diameter is measured across the face of the gear. To obtain the ring gear diameter, simply place a tape measurer across the gear. This can be tricky if the ring gear & carrier are still in the housing.

Ring Gear Diameter
Differentials are available with many different axle spline counts. If you have your axles removed, count the number of splines on the axle. It’s helpful to mark one of the splines with a marker when counting the number.

Spline Count