How-To: ORU's Differential Cover Installation
Read 118,152 TimesPosted Mar 6, 2006, 3:57 ET by Mike
|
Permalink |
Print |
Email to FriendMore in:
How-To,
Off-Road,
Performance
HowTo: ORU's Differential Cover Installation
Photos & Story By Mike
 When building your Off-road 4x4 truck, whether you are building it for looks of functionality, the addition of an aftermarket differential cover is an easy and effective upgrade. If you choose wisely during the purchasing process you could get a cover that not only makes that dull pumpkin look 100 times better but also helps the differential to run cooler, extending the life of your truck inner workings. As with all of your trucks driveline, heat is one of the quickest ways to reduce the life expectancy of the rear-ends gears and bearings. Keeping these components cool is critical while you are running the truck through its paces either in the dirt ore on the pavement.
Performance aftermarket differential covers are designed to help keep your gear oil cooler by making use of fins cast into the aluminum cover. These fins keep the oil cooler by drawing heat into the cover and then dissipating the heat by using the outside air which is flows over the increased surface area of the fins. This results in cooler oil temperatures, decreased gear and bearing wear and a differential which not only looks better, but performs better too. This is not the case with the chromed covers or those plastic see through covers that seem to be so popular. While they may dissipate the heat, they don't do it any more effectively than your current cover does.
For our installation we choose a polished aluminum differential cover made by Off Road Unlimited to add some shine to the underneath of out rig while protecting its gears from unnecessary wear.
1: Remove the bolts from the original differential, paying close attention to the location of brackets or clips being held in place by the existing cover.
|  | 2: Allow the oil to drain from the differential. Once the cover is completely removed, clean any oil or debris that might have been left behind.
|  | 3: Thoroughly clean the mating surface to remove any of the old gasket, sealant and oil. Ensure you use a suitable degreaser to remove any traces of lubricants on the sealing surface.
|  | 4: Fit check the new differential cover to assure clearance between the cover and the ring gear inside. Most aftermarket covers are considerably larger so clearance should not be an issue but it's always a good idea to check first.
|  | 5: Apply a bead of sealant around the seal surface of the differential cover approximately 3/16" in diameter.
|  | 6: Install the differential cover and start all the bolts. Using hand tools, snug up each bolt moving from one side to the other until all the bolts are tight. Using air tools could crack the differential or scratch that highly polished surface.
|  | 7: Refill the differential with factory specified lubricant. Ensure you are using the correct fluid as serious damage to gears or limited slip clutches if the incorrect fluid is used. Don't forget to add any additional additives that are required for limited slip differentials.
|  | 8: Apply a small amount of silicone to the threads of the fill plug and tighten it down to the factory recommended specifications and you are done.
|  |
Check Out ORU's Differential Covers at Truck Hownd
Discuss now in our forums:  Off Roading Performance
Related Articles
Lightening the Lightning
Diesel Racing - Clash of the Titans
The Fire Truck That Starts Fires
2005 SRT-10 Quad Cab?
The Phoenix - The Fastest Diesel Truck
Dial_Ur_Boost Supercharger Pulleys
TS Performance Breaks Pro Street Record
Edge Products Unveils The Wolverine
Donahoe Racing Raises The Bar Again
More Power from the Power Pros
|
|
