Rear Differnential Covers

I use to have a chrome diff cover, but now it's starting to get surface rust somehow. So, now I'm looking into a new cover that'll be able to with stand weathering (so no chrome). I'm looking into the aluminum craddle type (like Ford Racing and Summits/Trick Flows) or the ClearGearz Diff covers. I like the aluminum for it's strangth, but I like the cleargearz for it's rareity and cool looking. I do, however, would like to see some diff covers for the 8.8" that are bigger and hold more fluid and are finned for cooling. The 4.56 gears get hot - quickly - so I'd like to keep them cool. I also plan on throwing in some synthetic gear lube (75w-90). Let me know any information on the deep sunk covers -- or what you think the pros and cons are on the aluminum vs. clear covers are! Thanks

-Drew

www.transdapt.com (click on ClearGearz on left column)

Aluminum Cover


Also, I don't do a lot of hardcore off-roading so the clear diff wouldn't be under a lot of punishment (but it is "bullet proof", supposidly).

The clear are nice and they can take some abuse. When the first came out people laughed until they saw they tested. I watched a 4x4 show on OLN the other day and a 1000 HP truck had it on his. I don't know about a finned one, don't see too many. Why not run a diff. vent hose?

Pick One Of The Following

#1


#2


#3


I would like the ability to have a drain plug in the cover to make maitnance easier - but the thing that sucks - I like all three covers A LOT!

BeauJ said:

Why not run a diff. vent hose?

Click to expand...

I know my front one has a vent hose cause when i lifted it I extended it into my fender well so water wouldn't get in it. I don't know if my rear 8.8" has a vent hose or not. I will look into.

-Drew

The clear one doesn't look too bad. When I get a new cover, I'll get one with a drain plug. I think the third one costs quite a bit more than the others, but I'm not sure.

It's good insurance, cheap, easy to do. If/when I change gears I'll prob. get the clear ones.

I vote clear. They just look sweet. I wanted to get one for mine, but once I saw the price tag I just bought a chrome one on ebay instead.
EDIT: I'm also pretty sure every 8.8 came with a breather tube.

#1 or #2, yes, I'm also pretty sur the 8.8 has a breather hose

ExplorerDMB said:

I know my front one has a vent hose cause when i lifted it I extended it into my fender well so water wouldn't get in it. I don't know if my rear 8.8" has a vent hose or not. I will look into.

-Drew

Click to expand...

Yes, there is a vent hose. It usually connects to the top of the diff or the axle tube right near the diff and runs up to the under-side of the body.

MagHytec is the way to go for all-out durability, and extra cooling power. ClearGears is nice if you are in the wet a lot. Lets you easily determine the condition of your rear end.

-Joe

The main benifit of #1 (trickflow) is, it is also a diff girdle

I will just have to look more into it. Thanks everyone. Keep the comments coming.

-Drew

The rear diff does have a vent hose. It's located on the left axle tube closer to the wheel.

I vote clear Drew

I dont know of a differential that doesnt have a breather
Heat has to escape somehow....

410Fortune said:

I dont know of a differential that doesnt have a breather
Heat has to escape somehow....

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Right--usually the reason a seal blows is because the breather is plugged and the heat expansion has no where to go so it picks a seal

Well I might be able to get a better deal on the aluminum one. But if that fails through - then clear is for sure! I like them and I read somewhere that someone thought they might scratch easily and will become "foggy/fuzzy", but I don't really see how that can happen. The only real thing that will be on it is a few sand specs from the road and then mud/water from being offroad.

-Drew

the cleargearz are tough as nails, you wont scratch em easily
They do shatter however so you might get a rock guard of sorts over it if you go wheeling

410Fortune said:

the cleargearz are tough as nails, you wont scratch em easily
They do shatter however so you might get a rock guard of sorts over it if you go wheeling

Click to expand...

They Shatter
That could ruin your day, get the trickflow, you get extra fluid capacity, a magnetic drainplug, and a girdle that preloads the carrier bearing caps.

Well, the fill-plug on the 8.8" is already magnetic. But Yeah, I'm still mixed between the aluminum and the clear. Where does it say anything about extra capacity? That'd be nice.

-Drew

ExplorerDMB said:

Well, the fill-plug on the 8.8" is already magnetic. But Yeah, I'm still mixed between the aluminum and the clear. Where does it say anything about extra capacity? That'd be nice.

-Drew

Click to expand...

My trickflow takes 3.5 QTS of RP syn, I think thats a little over OEM fill capacity.
A mag fill plug will do no good as metallic solids tend to follow gravity IMO

A guy at my shop is running the cleargearz cover on his rear dana 60. That is whats going on my rear 60. The thing is remarkable. Cleargearz sent the shop one to play with and we take a short side axle shaft from a front dana 44 and just beat the hell out of it and they thing is just as strong as it was the day it was new. He is wheeling with no cover and has backed into rocks pretty hard with no problems, I mean he is running 39.5 IROKS.