all the 3" housing are longer to give the transition to the 3" outlet look at the t31 housing is is a 4 bolt 2.5" housing then look at the gt 4 bolt 3" it is just tappered out to 3inch after the turbine outlet it is still 2.5" at the turbine , the larger housings just look to have a progresive transition from the turbine wheel to the the actual out let where the down pipe hooks up