Diff Covers

[intentsrig]

Wow, your differential skid plate and seal are just mangled. I still stand by the metalcloak skid plate and it seems like mine is pretty far away from that seal. The thickness is 3/16 inch steel which doesn't sacrifice a lot of ground clearance in my opinion, while providing significant protection for the castings on the bottom of the M220 rear differential. I have hit mine, but nothing like the damage done to yours so far.

I’m assuming it took a few hits hard enough to bend a tiny bit which loosened the axle tube u bolt clamps. Or simply loosened over time/ I didn’t have it tight enough to begin with after a diff fluid change. Then got worse from there with bending and movement. Which allowed it to shift up into the dust cover/ pinion seal.

So I’d just periodically check it for tightness with a tool, not by hand shaking/ hitting and the ol “seems good” approach lol.

You should see the evo oil pan skid. Super bent. That thing was sort of a pos. Bent on one of the first trips and rattled the exhaust.

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[ROK HEMI]

I’m assuming it took a few hits hard enough to bend a tiny bit which loosened the axle tube u bolt clamps. Or simply loosened over time/ I didn’t have it tight enough to begin with after a diff fluid change. Then got worse from there with bending and movement. Which allowed it to shift up into the dust cover/ pinion seal.

So I’d just periodically check it for tightness with a tool, not by hand shaking/ hitting and the ol “seems good” approach lol.

You should see the evo oil pan skid. Super bent. That thing was sort of a pos. Bent on one of the first trips and rattled the exhaust.

thanks for the tightening advice. I have been very happy with the Metal Cloak skids so far. wish the new resonator skid for the 392 would fit the Magnaflow Rockcrawler system I'm putting on, but I'm pretty sure it will not.

 

[Windshieldfarmer]

I’m assuming it took a few hits hard enough to bend a tiny bit which loosened the axle tube u bolt clamps. Or simply loosened over time/ I didn’t have it tight enough to begin with after a diff fluid change. Then got worse from there with bending and movement. Which allowed it to shift up into the dust cover/ pinion seal.

So I’d just periodically check it for tightness with a tool, not by hand shaking/ hitting and the ol “seems good” approach lol.

You should see the evo oil pan skid. Super bent. That thing was sort of a pos. Bent on one of the first trips and rattled the exhaust.

I too have a metalcloak rear diff skid. I too had problems with it bending after a few what I thought were minor hits. I was unimpressed but I simply bent back and readjusted. If the pinion seal is in danger, perhaps I should remove?

 

[Blade1668]

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.

Time to fire up the welder and build your own. I welded up a guard from my XJ's rear D-44 axle cover from scrap metal from other projects. The lack of upgrade parts for XJ's is what got me to building stuff. Not that there wasn't D-44 guards available but I figured I'd give one a shot. Then a few companies started building parts cheaper than I could, between time saving "lack of" as well as cost "needing tubing bender" other tools and space.

On the Metalcloak dif guards bending find buddy with welder or references above and weld a few beads on to make slightly more ridged and give wear resistant. The same as "hard facing dozer blade.

 

[longfiredragon]

Time to fire up the welder and build your own. I welded up a guard from my XJ's rear D-44 axle cover from scrap metal from other projects. The lack of upgrade parts for XJ's is what got me to building stuff. Not that there wasn't D-44 guards available but I figured I'd give one a shot. Then a few companies started building parts cheaper than I could, between time saving "lack of" as well as cost "needing tubing bender" other tools and space.

On the Metalcloak dif guards bending find buddy with welder or references above and weld a few beads on to make slightly more ridged and give wear resistant. The same as "hard facing dozer blade.

I would absolutely consider this, as I have a friend who is a good welder.

Except, I am in an RV travel. So not going to probably happen. I think rugged ridge has one, but I need to be parked somewhere for a while and prioritize my spending.

 

[Blade1668]

I would absolutely consider this, as I have a friend who is a good welder.

Except, I am in an RV travel. So not going to probably happen. I think rugged ridge has one, but I need to be parked somewhere for a while and prioritize my spending.

I bought aftermarket covers for my LJ after asking stealership how much a gear oil change cost. The covers, lube locker seals synthetic gear oil and Trac-Loc additive was less than that cost. My turn off on dealership services, not to mention I could actually check the wearing of gears.

Lowes and Tractor Supply carries gear oil in 2.5 gallon jugs that meets requirements for axles. Might not be a issue for some but if you have multiple Jeeps.

 

[Jeep Wick]

I got the last black ARB cover for the rear from Summit, everyone else was out of stock.
Quadratec has the front in black.

 

[Wabujitsu]

I compared the oem and this Advantec before I installed it, and didn’t see anything jump out at me…… I assumed that since it’s Dana Spicer, it can’t be that different anyway…..they’ve been on for a few years now, I would have heard from the diff by now if it was drowning or parched…..lol… I even re-geared it and everything is good……

Hey brother, it’s been too long and we need to fix that!!! Gimme a holler!

I was wondering the same thing. The screenshot in the OP for the product says “Genuine OE Quality.” Dana made the OE diff covers that come stock. How is this product an improvement?

 

[Roky]

Hey brother, it’s been too long and we need to fix that!!! Gimme a holler!

I was wondering the same thing. The screenshot in the OP for the product says “Genuine OE Quality.” Dana made the OE diff covers that come stock. How is this product an improvement?

Hey bud, these Advantec covers are made of nodular iron, they are definitely an upgrade compared to stock….. but the ” cool “ factor is what sold me… , ?

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