Diff Covers

[Casper_]

It’s a truss that holds my rear upper control arm…also I’m using it to hold my center limiting strap. I’m running long travel shocks on a 3.5” lift, so if both wheels droop at the same time my rear coils would come loose.

Isn't the sway bar and the sway bar end links supposed to keep this from happening???

Sponsored

 

[Jtphoto]

Cast aluminum? That's not going to work well. I mean you could definitely put a steel skid plate on that differential, but at that point you'd have to take it off every time you do your differential oil change. Which for me wouldn't be that bad cuz I do mine every 20,000 mi.

I wonder if they sell just the front? I got no need for a aftermarket rear differential cover. My factory one works just fine. Plus because mine's a 2021, I have that rear drain plug. No need for a new diff cover, just a rear skid plate in my case.

The point of the heavier diff cover is to strengthen the diff housing to prevent flex and gear damage.

 

[zouch]

Anybody ever use these?
Any Pros or Cons or suggestions.

$272 for the Pair.

i've been using the standard speckle-painted version of those for a while and they seem to have worked fine so far for me.

So if you have a standard pinion angle and you fill it to the upper hole is there any issues or disadvantages to doing this do you know?

some arguments are that having the fluid too high can cause more of the fluid to spool up around the gears resulting with less lube actually getting where it's needed.

The most important job of the heavy diff cover is to strengthen and support the diff housing center section to prevent flex.

agreed.

The rear diff housing has its own drain plug the front does not, you have to crack the cover to drain the oil.

that seems to vary. check your own to know what you're dealing with.

only downside i'm aware of for these is that nodular iron reportedly may not shed heat as well as a less stout option, but since i don't have the delicate Rubicon electronics in my difs i just use a good quality lube and am happy with the compromise.

 

[Roky]

Isn't the sway bar and the sway bar end links supposed to keep this from happening???

The rear shocks are the limiting factor, and mine are for 4.5-6” lift so they extend 32.30”, that’s to far for 3.5” coils….. the oem rear sway bar doesn’t limit droop….you can see here, that shock is fully extended and you can see the position of the sway bar if you blow up pic…

 

[bd100]

We tow, and heat in the rear differential is a concern, so I use the stock differential covers with the following:
Differential Spider

I use it for the front as well to clear the stock steering components.

 

[ROK HEMI]

I run the metalcloak skids to protect the DEF covers and the differential housing. The stock rear differential housing has a major, casting web that can easily get hung up on rocks and ruin your whole day. If it's broken. I think the metalcloak set up provides significant strength against flex of the housing as well.

 

[longfiredragon]

Why, and when jeep decided to do away with the plugs would probably take some digging. I have a 2021 JLUW sport and it does not have front or rear drain plugs.

I don't mind though. Dropping the cover is not hard and I get to inspect everything and clean everything.

One irritating thing though is the "oh sorry only made for the Rubicon" because I have the M186 up front finding a skid sucks. Rancho used to and no longer available. They may be reevaluating a new one, but not done yet. The M220 out back with LSD is also different. Some skids won't work on it either.

It's just a little frustrating at times. It's like hey turd face assholes people off road wrangler sports, what are they supposed to do when wanting to upgrade parts.

 

[jadmt]

I am set for AEV covers.

Talk me out of it
[/QUOTE

I had them on my JKUR and Power wagon and are top notch.

 

[Jtphoto]

One irritating thing though is the "oh sorry only made for the Rubicon" because I have the M186 up front finding a skid sucks. Rancho used to and no longer available. They may be reevaluating a new one, but not done yet. The M220 out back with LSD is also different. Some skids won't work on it either.
.

With the JL being out for 6 year, I’d say it’s likely more about demand. If there isn’t enough demand for certain parts they will stop making them..
Personally I see the diff skids as more of a rock krawlers mod. For me it’s a PITA, I’d have to take them off every wheeling trip to clean the mud out. Not cleaning them out would retain even more heat. But that’s me.

 

[longfiredragon]

With the JL being out for 6 year, I’d say it’s likely more about demand. If there isn’t enough demand for certain parts they will stop making them..
Personally I see the diff skids as more of a rock krawlers mod. For me it’s a PITA, I’d have to take them off every wheeling trip to clean the mud out. Not cleaning them out would retain even more heat. But that’s me.

I get demand. Still it would be nice to just have a couple choices.

I get the need to, rock crawling etc. I have high centered on the rear differential once, my fault. So it would be just a piece of mind thing.

 

[Jtphoto]

I get demand. Still it would be nice to just have a couple choices.

I get the need to, rock crawling etc. I have high centered on the rear differential once, my fault. So it would be just a piece of mind thing.

Piece of mind is a good thing and I would do same if I really needed it. I agree.

 

[intentsrig]

I run the metalcloak skids to protect the DEF covers and the differential housing. The stock rear differential housing has a major, casting web that can easily get hung up on rocks and ruin your whole day. If it's broken. I think the metalcloak set up provides significant strength against flex of the housing as well.

I ran that rear skid for awhile. Until it bent and took out my pinion seal. Which required pulling over and filling up the diff 3 times on the way home haha. I also ran the stock cover and put a big dent in it on fordyce. Very lucky to not damage the gears lol.

Why it bent so bad I’m not sure. Could have loosened up allowing it to shift.

I removed it on the way back from which hill 4 to highway 80. Funny enough I did not hit my axle/ diff again. That skid definitely makes you lose clearance.

I went with the Dana spicer cover after this.

 

[mnjeeper]

Take my advice and DO NOT overfill the differential because it will result in a pinion seal leak. I added these covers to my '21 Willys while I was doing a 500 mile gear oil change after my re-gear. At that time, thinking the extra hole was for more capacity, I filled to the bottom of the top hole.

7000 miles later the pinion seal began leaking during a vacation to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Not only did it put a damper on beach activities but I also had to limp the Jeep home to Indiana, stopping every hundred miles or so to add gear oil.

After researching, my understanding is the top plug is simply a better location to add gear oil and to make it easier to identify when the level is up to the bottom plug.

I also read where some stated the top hole was to be used when the differential is completely dry (such as initial assembly after a complete tear down) for the first fill up. However that doesn't make much sense since the stock cover only has the one hole.

More harm than good will be done from overfilling and I have first hand experience.

Appreciate the info since I just bought these diff covers and am at gear break in so about to install. Curious what people think about using lower fill hole, then a tiny bit more once you hit limit through upper hole.

I think it's safe to go with a cover manufactured by the same folks who manufactured the housing ?

I wend Dana for the same reason.

 

[Will]

Per Dana/Spicer, use the hole on the bottom

The two fill hole options are there because they use the same cover for multiple vehicle applications. In the video below they mention that the lower hole should be used for the JL 44 cover application.

 

[Muskoka Minute]

Per Dana/Spicer, use the hole on the bottom

The two fill hole options are there because they use the same cover for multiple vehicle applications. In the video below they mention that the lower hole should be used for the JL 44 cover application.

Awesome Info!!
I didn't realize they had a drain plug in them.

Thanks for sharing.

Sponsored