[sparspecker]

I'm looking for a R180 4.44 rear diff. I have a Forester XT and recently acquired a set of 5x100 rear STi hubs.
I thought instead of buying adapters for the Brembo 2 pots and providing a solution for the hand brake setup I would just swap out the rear diff. Would this be as straight forward as it sounds? I have the half shafts with the hubs as well.
This diff was available on type R JDM STi's in case anybody is wondering.

 

[Hardrvin]

RAAMAudio had one for sale many moons ago.

The next problem you'll have is what driveshaft to use to the front. I don't hear of people trying to run R180's w/ stock 5spd's so not sure of the solution. I'm sure it's been done though due to PPG's being available, hopefully someone can chime in.

 

[funkymonkey1002]

Do it! You also get a much better LSD (not sure which the 4.44 r180's got either clutch or helical, but anythings better than the stock VLSD).

 

[sparspecker]

RAAMAudio had one for sale many moons ago.

The next problem you'll have is what driveshaft to use to the front. I don't hear of people trying to run R180's w/ stock 5spd's so not sure of the solution. I'm sure it's been done though due to PPG's being available, hopefully someone can chime in.

How will the rear diff affect the transmission if they're both the same ratio?

 

[Hardrvin]

Someone else needs to chime in, but I'm under the impression that the R160 vs. R180 are different lengths and the 5spd vs. 6spd are different lengths. Hence why people use various driveshafts when doing either a 6spd w/ R160 or 6spd w/ R180. It's not common to see someone use a 5spd w/ R180 though, so not sure how the driveshaft plays out.

The PPG comment comes in regarding that in a 5spd R160 setup (stock) the weak link is generally the trans. So you don't see people putting a R180 into a 5spd setup. But w/ PPG's, the weak link becomes the R160, so it's possible/probable someone has put a R180 behind a 5spd.