Cheap effective diff armor for your rear axle (1 Viewer)

[cruisermatt]

This is more if a old-school mod, haven't seen anyone do this in years so I figured I'd show it off a bit. I busted my rear locker on the Rubicon in August badly enough to puncture the housing with the locker. Lunchbox lockers for the lose. On top of this my rear axle had been taking a beating anyways.
Anyways I ordered up a 10" pipe cap, it was about $40 to my door. 10.0 STD CAP | Steel Supply, L.P.
It's 3/8" all the way through. Cut some off the bottom so that it sits correctly. Add a fill plug and weld it all up. It looks kinda bulky in pictures but in person it has a stock look. The side profile picture should show that it keeps the same profile as original.

 

[cruisermatt]

I would like to see someone try to do this on their 80 series front axle using a 8" Cap!

 

[SNLC]

When I have done them I just cut the cap in half and didn't remove the factory cap. Then welded the half cap on as a skid.

Cheers

 

[cruisermatt]

When I have done them I just cut the cap in half and didn't remove the factory cap. Then welded the half cap on as a skid.

Cheers

Thats one way to do it, mine looked like this though

 

[Broski]

I would like to see someone try to do this on their 80 series front axle using a 8" Cap!

It may interfere with the pan hard bar, it looks quite a bet taller in the profile picture.

 

[Nj2k]

Thats one way to do it, mine looked like this though

View attachment 2480903

A rock did that? Damnnn?

 

[cruisermatt]

It may interfere with the pan hard bar, it looks quite a bet taller in the profile picture.

It’s not any taller then the original other then the 1/4” thicker material. I measured

 

[cruisermatt]

A rock did that? Damnnn?

My rear locker deciding it didn’t want to be a TEAM PLAYER did that

 

[Funner]

It may interfere with the pan hard bar, it looks quite a bet taller in the profile picture.View attachment 2480918

They’re really about 2” cut off of the base of the dome, so the diameter and depth are reduced from the original shot. Looks like a great work around.

 

[Funner]

What is this mess, field repair to limp home?

 

[White Stripe]

I honestly wish my rear diff cover was removable. Would be nice for inspection.

 

[cruisermatt]

What is this mess, field repair to limp home?

Yeah exactly. we were able to hammer the hole mostly closed and weld it on the trail. I smeared some goo on there for extra insurance. It actually didn't leak surprisingly. Drove it about 1500 miles like that

 

[thatcabledude]

Line lock for e-brake now?

 

[cruisermatt]

Yeah. I’ve got the front done already, I’ll get to the rear eventually. I’ll probably recreate the bracket and keep the cable on all hooked up just so the handle in the cab can feel good about itself though

 

[Broski]

Added benefit it looks like it well hold more Gear oil.

Are you going to add some plate to the bottom to beef it up and help protect the lower bolts that hold the third ?

 

[SoTexCruiserDoc]

Thats one way to do it, mine looked like this though

View attachment 2480903

Good lord Matt. Strangely, reminds me of a bell housing I saw this summer...

 

[cruisermatt]

Good lord Matt. Strangely, reminds me of a bell housing I saw this summer...

So the crazy thing is that those two pictures are only about 4 days apart

 

[Rifleman]

I really like the repair you made, it's nice and heavy duty, but the shape, and contours pressed into the factory center section sheet metal are there for a reason. Below is a video that shows what you're axle lube is doing when you're driving down the road, and why the factory goes to the trouble of pressing those different shapes into that cover.

 

[cruisermatt]

I really like the repair you made, it's nice and heavy duty, but the shape, and contours pressed into the factory center section sheet metal are there for a reason. Below is a video that shows what you're axle lube is doing when you're driving down the road, and why the factory goes to the trouble of pressing those different shapes into that cover.

Trust me, I've seen it, and I thought about it. It'll be fine. It still round inside

 

[Grandlooser]

Yeah, that's hardly going to be a concern. Diffs don't blow up when the cover isn't over engineered.