Ok, I feel stupid for asking this but is there a differance between the two carriers or are they the same just with or without a clutch pack ?

 

They will exchange, but I'm sure they're different. At least, the LSD carrier has the notches or splines inside that engage ears or splines on the clutch packs. I've never opened an open 8.8 diff before, but I would guess that it does not have those notches.

You can let the LSD's clutches get really worn out and turn it into an essentially open diff with very sloppy axles. You can also turn an open diff into a locker by installing an aftermarket locking mechanism. But I don't think you can turn one into the other by adding or removing clutches.

 

Kinda what I thought, thanks.