Rear Differential

[longfiredragon]

Hello all

I guess your not a true off roader until you have high centered on the rear differential. Lol. Yes I can laugh about it cause I was lucky.

Up a dirt road yesterday, getting late so I needed to turn around, no issue, just turned up the side embankment and backed up. Except I did not look close enough, and when I did see the rock it didn't look high enough to pose an issue.

Well it was high enough, just high enough to catch the rear differential. I managed to wiggle off it. Very little damage. Scrapped the bottom bolt and plate, and the differential housing a tad. No fluid loss.

It was totally my fault, and I was lucky. Took a pic. After I managed to get off.

Anyway, I know diff. Cover skid plates are a good idea. I would like to stay around the $150 budget wise. Looking at the metal Cloak. I like the way it installs, and the color and it's not to expensive.

Anyone using the metal cloak, and is it decent?

Any others people feel are pretty good.

Thanks.

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[dapipp]

I have a few battle scars on my Metalcloak diaper. It is easy to remove to change differential oil and holds up well on the trail.

 

[longfiredragon]

I have a few battle scars on my Metalcloak diaper. It is easy to remove to change differential oil and holds up well on the trail.

Good to know, thanks.

Little scary to know you could rip a differential open and there I am stranded.

Funny thing is I had just been thinking about skid plates a few days before.

 

[AlgUSF]

I'm curious, were you local when it happened? If so, where?

 

[longfiredragon]

I am in an RV, currently in tombstone Az. The road we took is just on the outskirts of Sierra Vista Az. Called Ash Canyon Rd. And like I do, it was a branch off the main Rd.

We were only out for maybe an hour or so. Just wanted to get out for a bit and let the dogs run.

 

[jbcrane]

I added the Metal Cloak diff. skid (aka: Golden Diaper) last year and though I haven't hit yet, it's great knowing it's there for just what you described. Easy to install. I did end up notching it to accommodate the fins on my Advantek diff. cover - then hit it with a little golden rattle can. It didn't quite seat perfectly until I did. Close, but not quite. Between it, the @Rival 4x4 muffler skid and @EVO MFG shock mount skids I feel like I'm pretty well covered in the rear.

 

[longfiredragon]

I added the Metal Cloak diff. skid (aka: Golden Diaper) last year and though I haven't hit yet, it's great knowing it's there for just what you described. Easy to install. I did end up notching it to accommodate the fins on my Advantek diff. cover - then hit it with a little golden rattle can. It didn't quite seat perfectly until I did. Close, but not quite. Between it, the @Rival 4x4 muffler skid and @EVO MFG shock mount skids I feel like I'm pretty well covered in the rear.

Looks very nice. Looks like the fit is nice and tight also.

I'm a Willy's sport, so I have the m220 which I think is the basically a D44. So no issue finding a skid for it.

But I'm a m186 in front and I am not seeing a lot of options for it. Like a lot of stuff mfg's just want to cater to Rubicons. Still looking.

Thanks for posting.

 

[Stuckinthesand]

More than you want to spend but if you rip these open you have major issues.

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/diff-covers/0750009b-arb-front-m186-diff-cover-black

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...MItYzWnejDgwMVQFxHAR0erQqaEAQYFSABEgJqBvD_BwE

 

[longfiredragon]

More than you want to spend but if you rip these open you have major issues.

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/diff-covers/0750009b-arb-front-m186-diff-cover-black

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...MItYzWnejDgwMVQFxHAR0erQqaEAQYFSABEgJqBvD_BwE

Yea, those are nice. I will keep them in mind. Sucks I just changed the lub in both diff. Covers. Lol.

 

[Maverick909]

i run the rancho diff skids. had them installed in less than 20 mins with my hand tools. Ive hit them a few times and they have held up nicely.

Rancho RockGEAR RS62124 Skid Plate - dana 30 front skid
Rancho RockGEAR RS62117 Skid Plate - dana 44 rear

 

[Roky]

Any others people feel are pretty good.

Thanks.

I’ve got the heavy duty Dana covers and Rancho skids…. It only takes the thickness of the skid away from ground clearance (1/4”)…..Been working great, I rattle canned the skids to match my covers though….. even though red is my accent color, it was too much red, lol….

 

[BDinTX]

More than you want to spend but if you rip these open you have major issues.

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/diff-covers/0750009b-arb-front-m186-diff-cover-black

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...MItYzWnejDgwMVQFxHAR0erQqaEAQYFSABEgJqBvD_BwE

I think you linked to the wrong ones. He wants the RED ones for more Horsepower!

 

[BDinTX]

even though red is my accent color, it was too much red, lol

Now I'm going to question everything you've ever told me...

 

[BDinTX]

Hopefully we can all agree the diff housing isn't so fragile that it needs to be covered with a skid to protect it from breakage unless you're really smashing into rocks. I think we can also agree a more stout diff cover is a good idea because the factory one can get poked or peeled. I also can appreciate the fact that a smooth skid will slide over things easier.

For those with the diff skids do you find that it also increase the chances that you hit the diff to begin with?

 

[Stuckinthesand]

Hopefully we can all agree the diff housing isn't so fragile that it needs to be covered with a skid to protect it from breakage unless you're really smashing into rocks. I think we can also agree a more stout diff cover is a good idea because the factory one can get poked or peeled. I also can appreciate the fact that a smooth skid will slide over things easier.

For those with the diff skids do you find that it also increase the chances that you hit the diff to begin with?

I agree with all this. I figure if I peel back one of the ARB covers a skid probably wasn't going to help anyways. Obviously none of us try to purposely hit either dif on a rock but it does and will happen. I actually need to change out that darn bottom drain plug on my front diff because I must've dragged it across something when wheeling and it has the some slight film of fluid now. For those of us with the M186 front no diff cover will protect that because it is in the actual housing. I can see why a skid makes sense here.

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