Well CRAP!!
Back to searching again.
Hey anyone need a 7.625" posi-trac diff?

 

Get you one of these if you've got a 8.625. Another dead giveaway is 30 spline axles on a 2002.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/e...-010/overview/
Clutch plate type posi doesn't rely on difference in wheel speed to throw a cog out and lock up all of a sudden (like the factory gov-bombs do).

I just took one out of my S10 to put a spool in. Needs some spider gears and the spring plates (broke them at the drag strip about a week ago). You are aware about the need to set up pinion depth and ring gear backlash every time you change the carrier and/or ring and pinion - or it will howl and wear horribly?

 

If you're just changing the carrier, you don't have to worry about the pinion depth. Just measure the backlash before taking it apart and make sure you end up with the same measurement after the new carrier is installed and the carrier bearing preload is set properly.

 

Since my plan was/is to remove the ring gear from the open carrier and put it on the new limited slip carrier, I was only going to set backlash. Was not going to bother the pinion at all, so the pre-load should be fine...

The one from Summit Racing is way-out of my budget, heck that is about 1/4 the value of the Blazer!

And what do you mean by "dead giveaway is 30 spline axles"?...my Blazer has 28 spline axles.

Have yet to find a used 8.625" limited slip carrier...still looking.

 

If you have 28 spline axles in a 2002, then you have a 7.625 ring gear rear end (which is really what I would expect in your average 4x4 Blazer). 2002 8.625 rears are all 30 spline axles. Sounds like you may be just fine with what you have.

http://www.nitro-gear.com/AXG26050549-p/axg26050549.htm

http://www.nitro-gear.com/AXG26058547-p/axg26058547.htm

Yes, you (and Tom) are correct of course about only needing to set backlash back to original if you are re-using the ring gear.