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Differential Covers

chicknwaffles

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Since Jeep in its infinite wisdom decided to remove the drain plugs on the front and rear differentials starting with the 2022 model year, thereby requiring the entire cover to be removed to change the fluid, I’m thinking of swapping out the covers for ease of future use. Of the various options, I’m leaning towards the ARB Covers. There is some conflicting feedback in the reviews for the front cover that it can be challenging to install, but rear is all positive. Wondering if anyone has any real-world experience with these covers and can offer any feedback? Or, alternatively, any recommendations on any other brands? In my case this will be for a 2022 JLU Rubicon 392XR. Many thanks!



ArbDiff.jpg
diff drain plug on the bottom= buyers revolt

remove drain plug on the bottom= buyers revolt

which I don't understand. I have a 23 and it's on the bottom in the back

skid plate=solved
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TX_Ovrlnd

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People, it's a couple hundred dollars and a small amount of time under the rig. Do it or don't do it, you're the only one who needs to give a crap about it. There are more important matters like what lift is best and do I want 35s or 37s!
 

Jeepin_Donnie

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People, it's a couple hundred dollars and a small amount of time under the rig. Do it or don't do it, you're the only one who needs to give a crap about it. There are more important matters like what lift is best and do I want 35s or 37s!
Can I fit 35s without a lift? You left out that one! :LOL:
 

Dyolfknip74

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I’ve got the ARB front and rear. I thought they were pretty easy to install and I think they look real nice.

I did have two issues though. On both Jeeps, the bolt holes in the diff housing that straddle the axle tube weren’t threaded deep enough. I needed to use a tap to get the new bolts all the way in. You may not have to do it but be prepared to.

One of the covers also had the wrong bolts with coarse threads included with it. Recommend pulling one factory bolt to compare threads before taking them all out.

This pic is after scwacking it on a rock and I ain’t even skurd.
86F0EEB7-ABAC-4D6F-86F2-978C175B8C9B.jpeg
My ARBs came with different sized screws. The longer ones go into different spots on the diff then the short ones. Basically where they have more steel behind them. Kind of hard to explain. You shouldn't have had to drill and tap anything.
 

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FWIW

Before I took delivery of my 21 I read a couple accounts of drivers hitting rocks with the front diff and damaging the drain plug. Enough to cause it to leak.

So before I took delivery, I had ordered F and R skids from RC. I figured, they are just welded steel plate, should be fine.

Turns out, when I took delivery of my jeep, the drain plug had been eliminated. Oh well, I installed the RC skids anyway. RC gets a bad rap for a lot of stuff but their diff covers are thick and strong.

They have since taken a much harding beating than I expected as I try to pick lines to avoid hitting them. So my skids are scratched and scuffed and gouged up but my factory diff covers are still unmolested.

After market diff covers might hold up just as well or even better but…..one issue I have run into with a well wheeled jeep is that the covers hold up but the bolt heads dont. They get ground down and rounded off and can be a real challenge to remove.

My skids protect the bolt heads so that will never be an issue.
 

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BDinTX

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My ARBs came with different sized screws. The longer ones go into different spots on the diff then the short ones. Basically where they have more steel behind them. Kind of hard to explain. You shouldn't have had to drill and tap anything.
Right, there are 4 that are about 3/8" longer if I remember correctly. I think all of the holes except the 4 that straddle the axle tubes are through holes. Those 4 are also blind tapped (holes have a bottom). The diff cover is also thicker there so I assumed that was where the longer ones were supposed to go.
Jeep Wrangler JL Differential Covers 2231ADB2-ECDB-416A-BA01-5CC5CB902B4D
 

chicknwaffles

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FWIW

Before I took delivery of my 21 I read a couple accounts of drivers hitting rocks with the front diff and damaging the drain plug. Enough to cause it to leak.

So before I took delivery, I had ordered F and R skids from RC. I figured, they are just welded steel plate, should be fine.

Turns out, when I took delivery of my jeep, the drain plug had been eliminated. Oh well, I installed the RC skids anyway. RC gets a bad rap for a lot of stuff but their diff covers are thick and strong.

They have since taken a much harding beating than I expected as I try to pick lines to avoid hitting them. So my skids are scratched and scuffed and gouged up but my factory diff covers are still unmolested.

After market diff covers might hold up just as well or even better but…..one issue I have run into with a well wheeled jeep is that the covers hold up but the bolt heads dont. They get ground down and rounded off and can be a real challenge to remove.

My skids protect the bolt heads so that will never be an issue.
what trim eliminated the plug? nothing wrong with those skid plates. i just installed them too.
 

Dyolfknip74

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Right, there are 4 that are about 3/8" longer if I remember correctly. I think all of the holes except the 4 that straddle the axle tubes are through holes. Those 4 are also blind tapped (holes have a bottom). The diff cover is also thicker there so I assumed that was where the longer ones were supposed to go.
Jeep Wrangler JL Differential Covers 2231ADB2-ECDB-416A-BA01-5CC5CB902B4D
Lol, well now you have me second guessing but it's colder than a witches tit outside so it will be looked at this spring.

I used the longer ones that weren't through holes IIRC.

Lol, if only there was a way ARB could have passed on this information to the final consumer. ;)
 

BDinTX

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I considered using the longer ones in other positions but they were poking through the casting and it didn't look like there was going to be much thread engagement in the tube holes.
 

rkwfxd

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what trim eliminated the plug? nothing wrong with those skid plates. i just installed them too.
Well mine is a 21 Rubicon so it has the D44 front axle. I do not know about the other trims/axles.
 

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OrneryBear

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Just a bit about the metals used in various covers.

The stock stamped steel cover is pretty durable. It will take a pretty good hit to damage it. A front diff cover hit could deform it, but likely not puncture it. It's malleable. The other damage is catching the lower edge and peeling it. Still a good chance it won't cause loss of fluid. If it does leak fluid or rub on the ring gear, you can remove it on the trail and beat it out and flat with a hammer.

Cast covers like the Dana and ARB are made from much thicker material and might take a harder hit to damage. But when they do get damaged, it will be a brittle break/fracture. Not much to do on the trail to repair it, except duct tape. The plus side is that it won't likely peel the edge.

The more custom fabricated steel plate types, give the most protection.
This is true if the cast covers are made of traditional grey iron. If they are made of Ductile Iron they are up to twice as strong as grey iron, and are made to more likely bend instead of crack. I don't know if Dana or ARB covers are ductile iron, haven't looked into them, but I do know that Metal Cloaks covers are ductile Iron.

more on ductile iron

https://willmanind.com/what-ductile-iron/
 

BDinTX

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Interesting didn't know all that. ARB says theirs are nodule iron which apparently is the same as ductile iron.
 

BDinTX

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If I was even aware of the Dana one I would have strongly considered it. It looks stout as hell, but the blue wouldn't work for me.
 

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Since Jeep in its infinite wisdom decided to remove the drain plugs on the front and rear differentials starting with the 2022 model year, thereby requiring the entire cover to be removed to change the fluid, I’m thinking of swapping out the covers for ease of future use. Of the various options, I’m leaning towards the ARB Covers. There is some conflicting feedback in the reviews for the front cover that it can be challenging to install, but rear is all positive. Wondering if anyone has any real-world experience with these covers and can offer any feedback? Or, alternatively, any recommendations on any other brands? In my case this will be for a 2022 JLU Rubicon 392XR. Many thanks!



Jeep Wrangler JL Differential Covers 2231ADB2-ECDB-416A-BA01-5CC5CB902B4D
I mean it's a bummer not having a drain plug but it will force you to do a better visual and clean any sludge that wouldn't normally make it out of the drain. My glass is half full tonight for some reason.
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