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8.25 diff cover vs guard

R

RenegadeT

NAXJA Forum User
Location
GSO, NC
After 2 wheeling trips, I've confirmed what I've read on here...the factory 8.25 cover is pretty weak and will peel away causing a sizable leak (1 foot diameter oil puddle overnight).

I'm trying to be weight conscious in my build, and of course save a buck or two. There's no doubt in my mind that the RuffStuff cover is the ultimate in protection, but it seems really overkill. The BTF cover is about the same price, but must weigh a lot less (3/8" ring vs 1/2", 1/4" cover vs. 3/8"). I do like the c'sunk bolts in the RS cover.

So, will a $60 Rusty's guard be just as effective as a full beefy cover? I've seen a bunch of $80 football mask style guards too.

0.02 please
 
For $80 you can have a half a$$ guard that will collect rocks, sticks, and mud or for a few dollars more you can have a full cover that will survive anything.

MY Ruff Stuff cover is well built and beefy.
 
I would go with a full replacement cover if you can....or homebrew one. A football mast style one won't help the peeling issue too much....damn 8.25!!

For the time being, take a rubber mallet and bang that bottom lip back into place. It will stop or drastically slow the leak. If you're on a budget and won't be able to get a new cover anytime soon, remove it, and re-seal the cover. Flatten the cover out while it's off and clean everything up real good. Use excessive amounts of sealant...it doesn't hurt anything, just trim the stuff that may hang down below!! Also, after you put the cover back on, don't fill it up for a few hours. Ideally, you can pull it and re-install on a friday night, and then fill it saturday morning. You're supposed to wait about an hour to fill.....you can fill a few minutes after but the seal isn't as good. The longer you wait, the better the seal. Then, once you've got the cover back on, take a sawzall or even a hack saw or any small saw and hack off the parts of the cover that hang down below that fat lip!! That will reduce the peeling of the cover.

The 8.25 is a strong axle and all, but I despise it because of that damn lip it has!!
 
BTF is likely good for most of the builds that people do.

I suspect that the weight difference is about 2 lbs per cover... Not a lot in the scheme of things.

I went Ruff Stuff... but if you go with BTF because of weight concerns that is fine. Unsprung weight is the worst kind and this will be unsprung weight
 
It doesn't look like BTF has a countersunk option. Truth be told, I have a BTF cover on my CJ, and I wouldnt mind exploring other options. I have no doubts about the RS cover, just wish it wasnt so heavy (edit: I whipped up a rough CAD model @ 1/8" simulating the additional material on the RS, estimated 3.5 lbs heavier)

So any real world regrets on getting the half-ring guards and finding they don't solve the cover-peel issue?

I've already massaged the cover back as much as I could. I could pull it off and reseal, but I'd be doing it again after easch wheeling trip. The next time I pull the cover off, I want to replace or stiffen it..that's why I started this thread!
 
I shaved as much as possible from the housing & cover, then made a guard to fit. I haven't had a peeling issue since.

HPIM1272.jpg


JIM.
 
A full hevay duty diff cover is a good idea because it actually adds to the structural strength of the housing reducing or eliminating deflection which can cause excessive wear and even gear failure (ask anybody who has wheeled much with a D35). It is money well spent to get a very strong diff cover.
 
JAS said:
I went Ruff Stuff... but if you go with BTF because of weight concerns that is fine. Unsprung weight is the worst kind and this will be unsprung weight
Click to expand...
Explain yourself oh enlightened one:rolleyes:



For the rear, get a Ruff Stuff cover. It will protect your gears, and strengthen the center section.
 
jeeperjohn said:
A full hevay duty diff cover is a good idea because it actually adds to the structural strength of the housing reducing or eliminating deflection which can cause excessive wear and even gear failure (ask anybody who has wheeled much with a D35). It is money well spent to get a very strong diff cover.
Click to expand...


X2

Ruff Stuff covers (Welded 3/8" thick cover) or Riddler diff covers (Cast cover) both are super strong. I run the Riddler and it's been great. I found them on ebay at the best price.

Pic if the Riddler Cover.

DSCF0007.jpg
 
I know this isnt relative but Poison Spyder just reopened and the Diff cover (Dana 44) they offer are pretty sick. Besides that I would look at Riddler (who I will prolly buy from) or ARB, ARB is sick cause of the dipstick and drain/fill plug but mist ppl prolly don't see the extra $50 worth it for the ARB
 
RenegadeT said:
After 2 wheeling trips, I've confirmed what I've read on here...the factory 8.25 cover is pretty weak and will peel away causing a sizable leak (1 foot diameter oil puddle overnight).

I'm trying to be weight conscious in my build, and of course save a buck or two. There's no doubt in my mind that the RuffStuff cover is the ultimate in protection, but it seems really overkill. The BTF cover is about the same price, but must weigh a lot less (3/8" ring vs 1/2", 1/4" cover vs. 3/8"). I do like the c'sunk bolts in the RS cover.

So, will a $60 Rusty's guard be just as effective as a full beefy cover? I've seen a bunch of $80 football mask style guards too.

0.02 please
Click to expand...

Don't exactly have the same problem you do but I have had a problem with leaking diff fluid (after I switched to synthetic royal purple) from the retarded style rubber plug on the 8.25 cover. If I were you i'd go with the new cover. That way u know for sure your getting extra protection and an elimination of another annoying potential leak source.
 
This might be a stupid question but it seams like most pictures of the riddler diff cover you can not see a fill hole...

How do you fill it and or drain it?
 
That is a Ford 8.8 Diff Cover in that Photo. The Fill-Hole is in the front of the Case.

58diff_large.gif



Here's a Photo of a Different Axle's Diff Cover from Riddler's Site:


riddler_1.jpg
 
Last edited:
If you are looking to beef up the cover a bit, but want to save some cash, you could always do a homebrew diff cover. beefing up the stock cover won't be as strong as an aftermarket diff cover, but it's a whole lot cheaper. Here's one I made recently when I had some free time-it provides 3 of the 4 important things that an aftermarket guard/cover can give you
✓ impact protection from objects
✓ resistance to peeling
✓ a real fill plug (The rubber one sucks)
✗ a stiffer center housing

This cost me about $30, and if I had used the cover off my axle instead of getting another cover, it would have only cost me about $10. It may not provide the protection the hardcore types need, but for most of us I think something like this is plenty.

DSC00935.jpg

Forgive the booger welds-I was using flux core and not letting it really get hot enough for a good bead 'cause I was afraid it would warp.

DSC00936.jpg

As you can see there's also a lot of metal on the housing itself that could also be shaved off.
 
Shave the heck out of the 8.25 and then do the RuffStuff cover. I have beat the living s**t out of mine and its still un-dented.

Here is a pic of the 8.25 cover with counter sunk bolts and drain plug and a shaved diff. This is how it looked the day I installed it.
15.jpg


Here is my new axle I'm building with the RuffStuff cover and RuffStuff truss and also shaved.

P1020149.jpg
 
That riddler one looks pretty bad ass. I think I might get myself one of those. It's too bad ARB doesn't make one for the 8.25
 
xjtrailrider said:
Shave the heck out of the 8.25 and then do the RuffStuff cover. I have beat the living s**t out of mine and its still un-dented.

Here is a pic of the 8.25 cover with counter sunk bolts and drain plug and a shaved diff. This is how it looked the day I installed it.
...
Click to expand...

any pics of the shave job from the front side...did ya leave the gussets or get rid of it all? The lip on the 8.25 is friggin huge (I know this isnt a big newsflash to anyone on here).
 
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