Diff Cover Upgrade vs Diff Skids vs both?

[Headbarcode]

Any idea if those Poison Spyder Dana 44 covers are compatible with the JL/JLU Rubi?

Just checked their site, and looks like they only have the D44 covers for what I assume is for JK's. I recently upgraded the covers on my Rubi, and found that most places used the term D44 but the cover shown only had 10 flange bolts. We have 12 bolts front and rear. That led me to the company Just Differentials. They have covers that specify M210 (front) and M220 (rear) with the 12 bolts.

I posted pics in an earlier post on this thread of what I bought. Here is a shot of the D44 listing from the same company's site. This is identical to what I just saw on poison spyders site. This will not work for a JL Rubi.

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[bbq4133]

Just checked their site, and looks like they only have the D44 covers for what I assume is for JK's. I recently upgraded the covers on my Rubi, and found that most places used the term D44 but the cover shown only had 10 flange bolts. We have 12 bolts front and rear. That led me to the company Just Differentials. They have covers that specify M210 (front) and M220 (rear) with the 12 bolts.

I posted pics in an earlier post on this thread of what I bought. Here is a shot of the D44 listing from the same company's site. This is identical to what I just saw on poison spyders site. This will not work for a JL Rubi.

I ended up e-mailing Poison Spyder after posting and they confirmed it is indeed not for the JL. Appreciate the suggestions and clarification--looks like I'll have to do a bit more research.

How are you liking the ARB covers?

 

[Headbarcode]

I ended up e-mailing Poison Spyder after posting and they confirmed it is indeed not for the JL. Appreciate the suggestions and clarification--looks like I'll have to do a bit more research.

How are you liking the ARB covers?

Haven't leaked a drop, so doing great on that front. When I head to Pennsylvania this fall, I'll find out how strong the powder coating is.

Some of the things that drew me to ARB, over a slew of others, were the recessed flange hardware, the horizontal fill point, it has a dip stick on the fill plug that allows slight overfill to compensate for pinion angle changes, and both the dip stick and drain plugs are magnetic. Also, the dip stick makes it easy to pull an oil sample to check for water intrusion.

 

[Token]

My $0.02.
The ARB covers are nice. Seem well made, and I like the design. I wouldn’t hesitate to use one for a moment in the front diff. Just not in the rear.

Iron is exceptionally good at retaining heat. Not a real issue for the front diff because you’re not in 4wd that often, and when you are, you’re typically going slow. The rear diff is ALWAYS working. Even on a couple hour drive on the highway to your favourite trails. The stock stamped steel cover is going to shed heat a lot better than an iron cover, and heat is the enemy to any lubricating fluids.

I replaced my front cover with an iron cover, in my case the Dana AdvanTEK cover, because that was “in stock” when I was looking for a cover last year. I’ve left the rear stock, and added the Metalcloak skid. I just prefer the way it mounts, not liking ones that use the small diff bolts to hold it in place.

I haven’t yet found an aluminium rear diff cover that I like, when I do, I’ll go that route. A thick aluminium cover will provide good protection if I happen to back into a large rock, which I am very cognizant to avoid presently, AND shed heat very well, because that’s just something aluminium does better than most metals.

 

[Token]

Nodular iron actually retains heat better than gray cast iron.

The heat transfer characteristics of a solid material are measured by a property called the thermal conductivity, measured in W/(m.K) It is a measure of a substance’s ability to transfer heat through a material by conduction. The higher the number, the more heat is transferred.

The thermal conductivity of nodular iron is 36 W/(m.K)
The thermal conductivity of gray cast iron is 53 W/(m.K)
The thermal conductivity of aluminum 6061 is 167 W/(m.K)
Cast aluminium is even higher at 205 W/(m.K)

 

[TxJeepers]

ARB, AEV and Dana themselves all make their diff covers from nodular iron. Pretty sure if all three of them came to the same conclusion that this material is ok, then I am ok. I chose ARB as I think they were the best with feature/price/color.

 

[brewskisteve]

So I just purchased the Metal Cloak front diff cover and skid, only to realize after the fact it wont work with a stock 2018 JLU rubicon because it blocks movement of the track bar. I didn't see the small warning box stating this in the website (My Mistake) DUH!

So I'm looking at other diff covers as a solution. I found the ARB which looks like a great diff cover and will provide great protection . I started chatting with the company selling it online and he said the ARB might rub my track bar when in full turn.

My question to anyone here who has installed the ARB with no lift on a 2018-2020 JLU 3.6L Rubicon, have you encountered rubbing between the ARB cover and front track bar?

Thanks for any input!

 

[limeade]

So I just purchased the Metal Cloak front diff cover and skid, only to realize after the fact it wont work with a stock 2018 JLU rubicon because it blocks movement of the track bar. I didn't see the small warning box stating this in the website (My Mistake) DUH!

So I'm looking at other diff covers as a solution. I found the ARB which looks like a great diff cover and will provide great protection . I started chatting with the company selling it online and he said the ARB might rub my track bar when in full turn.

My question to anyone here who has installed the ARB with no lift on a 2018-2020 JLU 3.6L Rubicon, have you encountered rubbing between the ARB cover and front track bar?

Thanks for any input!

Sounds to me like this is a great opportunity to upgrade to an aftermarket front track bar!

 

[TxJeepers]

So I just purchased the Metal Cloak front diff cover and skid, only to realize after the fact it wont work with a stock 2018 JLU rubicon because it blocks movement of the track bar. I didn't see the small warning box stating this in the website (My Mistake) DUH!

So I'm looking at other diff covers as a solution. I found the ARB which looks like a great diff cover and will provide great protection . I started chatting with the company selling it online and he said the ARB might rub my track bar when in full turn.

My question to anyone here who has installed the ARB with no lift on a 2018-2020 JLU 3.6L Rubicon, have you encountered rubbing between the ARB cover and front track bar?

Thanks for any input!

Haven't run into that but did run into my Steer Smarts track bar hitting my ARB diff cover. I'm lifted with a SteerSmarts track bar. Put on ARB diff covers with regear and it hits. Replacing the SteerSmarts track bar this afternoon with a Metalcloak. An Old Man Emu track bar will also clear ARB diff cover (same company).

 

[TxJeepers]

I ended up e-mailing Poison Spyder after posting and they confirmed it is indeed not for the JL. Appreciate the suggestions and clarification--looks like I'll have to do a bit more research.

How are you liking the ARB covers?

I think Poison Spyder has been off their game ever since getting bought by 4WPs holding company. JL has been out for what 3 years now and they still haven't released a diff cover. I ran theirs on a JK and loved them. Would of went with theirs on JL but nope, not making them yet. Couldn't be happier with my the black ARB though.

 

[72Blazer]

So I just purchased the Metal Cloak front diff cover and skid, only to realize after the fact it wont work with a stock 2018 JLU rubicon because it blocks movement of the track bar. I didn't see the small warning box stating this in the website (My Mistake) DUH!

So I'm looking at other diff covers as a solution. I found the ARB which looks like a great diff cover and will provide great protection . I started chatting with the company selling it online and he said the ARB might rub my track bar when in full turn.

My question to anyone here who has installed the ARB with no lift on a 2018-2020 JLU 3.6L Rubicon, have you encountered rubbing between the ARB cover and front track bar?

Thanks for any input!

I’ll take it off your hands. Ship it out to 78541!

 

[72Blazer]

In the same boat...I think I’m
Going to just do diff covers for now and then add skids if needed.

 

[brewskisteve]

Haven't run into that but did run into my Steer Smarts track bar hitting my ARB diff cover. I'm lifted with a SteerSmarts track bar. Put on ARB diff covers with regear and it hits. Replacing the SteerSmarts track bar this afternoon with a Metalcloak. An Old Man Emu track bar will also clear ARB diff cover (same company).

Thanks for the input. Hopefully the MC won't have the same issue.

 

[brewskisteve]

In the same boat...I think I’m
Going to just do diff covers for now and then add skids if needed.

Thanks for your response. Ill keep searching for what works for my situation

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