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Diff protection

Droopy76 said:
Do you guy's have any problems getting the RuffStuff covers to seal?
Click to expand...
Nope. I just use a cheapo cardboard gasket on my 8.8.
 
i have the roughstuff cover and lube lockers and i havent looked back. i had some troubles with rtv for a while- i would smash the cover into rocks and it would break the bond with the RTV and the cover would seep. the lubelockers solved the issue that wasnt ever a issue.
 
I have Ruff Stuff on my D30 and 8.25. Dan is the man. Do a search for Ruff Stuff and you wont look back. I know the OP ordered RS but in the future anyone woundering....STOP just get RS you'll be VERY happy. I sealed mine with Cheapo gaskets and RTV. Need lube lockers but havent yet.
 
Droopy76 said:
You guy's convinced me. I went ahead and ordered the RS diff covers. I can't wait to get em.:guitar:
Click to expand...


:thumbup:

You wont be disappointed. I got one for the 8.25. Countersunk, drain plug.

When I got it, I got online and ordered one for the D30.

Beefiest metal on the whole truck.
 
Ok for you guys running ruffstuff with lube lockers: Did you torque the cover to lubelocker specs? The only reason i ask is i broke both allens i had trying to get 30 ft/lbs on that little bolt. Anyone encounter this before?
 
I used Craftsman allen wrenches and did not have a problem... what brand where you using. I TQ'rd them down to about 35 lbs.... I think
 
xjtrailrider said:
Two things that the RS cover has over the Riddler, 1) counter sunk holes to help reduce ring gear deflection 2) no drain plug option which helps reduce maintenance time. A third thing would be if (and thats a big "IF"), you ever did gash the cover you could easily weld it up since it is steel instead of cast.

I do recommend Lube Locker gaskets with either of these covers to prevent seepage of lube, RTV will not get the job done for long.
Click to expand...

Question; how do countersunk holes reduce ring gear deflection over regular bolts? Riddler, RuffStuff, BTF, etc, will reduce deflection due to the thickness compared to a stock thin cover. Countersunk holes are just nice to have.

RTV seals just fine, LubeLockers are nice though but not necessary. -B
 
boomhauer said:
Question; how do countersunk holes reduce ring gear deflection over regular bolts? Riddler, RuffStuff, BTF, etc, will reduce deflection due to the thickness compared to a stock thin cover. Countersunk holes are just nice to have.

RTV seals just fine, LubeLockers are nice though but not necessary. -B
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With the thickness of the cover and 10 countersunk holes helping to hold the cover snug in place, the cover becomes one with the diff housing helping to prevent the housing from distorting under load thus keeping the ring gear in line with the pinion. Non- countersunk holes are OK but the countersunk holes help to keep the cover from shifting any in a load situation.
 
xjtrailrider said:
With the thickness of the cover and 10 countersunk holes helping to hold the cover snug in place, the cover becomes one with the diff housing helping to prevent the housing from distorting under load thus keeping the ring gear in line with the pinion. Non- countersunk holes are OK but the countersunk holes help to keep the cover from shifting any in a load situation.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, i agree on a thinner diff cover; though on a 1/4" cover with correct size diameter holes and bolts, that thing isn't shifting a fraction.
It's also nice to be able to get a wrench on the bolt, especially in the saltier climates. Just my preference. :peace:-B
 
I always thought the counter sunk holes were there when u hit rocks, it didnt strip the head of the bolt out..

Anyhow.
I just cracked my housing on the bottom of my D30 when i landed on a rock (spotters falut) The RS cover was still perfect. I even put it back on my other axle. I would say its the only piece that hasn't broke on my heep yet....lol FYI It works with ORO U-turn steering.
 
Banshee_rider95 said:
I always thought the counter sunk holes were there when u hit rocks, it didnt strip the head of the bolt out..

Anyhow.
I just cracked my housing on the bottom of my D30 when i landed on a rock (spotters falut) The RS cover was still perfect. I even put it back on my other axle. I would say its the only piece that hasn't broke on my heep yet....lol FYI It works with ORO U-turn steering.
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Sure Blame it on the Spotter! :D
 
xjtrailrider said:
With the thickness of the cover and 10 countersunk holes helping to hold the cover snug in place, the cover becomes one with the diff housing helping to prevent the housing from distorting under load thus keeping the ring gear in line with the pinion. Non- countersunk holes are OK but the countersunk holes help to keep the cover from shifting any in a load situation.
Click to expand...

Looks to me like the Riddler holes ARE countersunk. What do you mean? And how does that do anything but protect the bolt heads?


Edit: Oh I see the bolts are round allen heads so the holes grab them

normal_8.25%20closeup.jpg
 
Last edited:
by having a tapered Allen counter sunk hole it is believed to allow any movement the cover may see from the tolerances needed in the mounting holes since the cover is not threaded. Also having the Allen flush with the surface (even though Riddler does a good job on its bolt heads) hitting a rock is less likely to damage the bolt making it hard/impossible to remove with out further damage. However, with a counter sunk Allen bolt if a rock is hit in such a way to jam it self really well and hard making it impossible to get the rock out of the socket for the Allen wrench this can make the removal close to impossible (but I guess thats where the drain hole is used, and this occurrence is next to unheard off, kind of like spinning axles tubes on a C-8.25)

I like the idea that if you need even more protection you can weld (a lot easier) on extra "panels" onto the cover since its not cast. I think its Blue Torch Fab or some other diff company that does this that ends up with over 1/2 of steel around the middle and the bottom of the cover. they did a shoot out (quite literally took a gun to the covers) and I think the cover took quite a few shots from a high power rifle and a .45 Mag and just dented the cover, with that kind of "modification"
 
Magus2727 said:
by having a tapered Allen counter sunk hole it is believed to allow any movement the cover may see from the tolerances needed in the mounting holes since the cover is not threaded.
Click to expand...

not sure who believes that.
but you can't torque an allen bolt down the way you can a regular bolt. considering its friction that keeps the cover from moving (10 x gr8 bolts?) as opposed to the tapered allen heads... I would guess neither cover is going anywhere, so ring gear deflection shouldn't be a problem whichever cover you choose.

I've got the allen head cover from RS, just for the cleaner look and its less likely to get dinged the way you mentioned later on in your post.


either way, Ruff Stuff covers, great price, great customer service, bullet proof product.
 
Magus2727 said:
I like the idea that if you need even more protection you can weld (a lot easier) on extra "panels" onto the cover since its not cast. I think its Blue Torch Fab or some other diff company that does this that ends up with over 1/2 of steel around the middle and the bottom of the cover. they did a shoot out (quite literally took a gun to the covers) and I think the cover took quite a few shots from a high power rifle and a .45 Mag and just dented the cover, with that kind of "modification"
Click to expand...

Here were the ratings for the participants in that article.
The JP shootout(literally) on diff covers (caliber ratings):

Stock cover: .22 long punched clean through
Crane: .454 Casull
Dynatrac: .454
Fab Fours: .454
Rugged Ridge: .454
Solid Axle Ind.: .454
Extreme Metal: .454
Riddler: .460 Smith & Wesson
BTF: 7.62 Soviet
Great Lake Extreme Offroad: .303 British
OX: .303 British
Great Lake Extreme (up-armored version): Bulletproof
Can't go wrong with any up-graded cover, basically just get rid of your stock covers! lol

RuffStuff wasn't in there but i'm sure they'd be at least as tough to stop a .454; should anybody shoot at you. :cheers:
 
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