Turbo City Rock-It Rear Diff Slider

pixeldzn · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 10:17 pm

Anyone ever used or seen one of these? Looks quite interesting.

http://www.mad4wd.com/tek9.asp?pg=produ ... c=jplnjpn4

Ed · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 10:27 pm

Would that be the same Rock-It Glider that's listed on Troy's Parts website?

Quote:

Warning: Gliders are not designed to be indestructible, but they are sacrificial, that is they may be bent upon impact...

As Troy says, this seems very odd. I'd rather my skids were as indestructible as possible. Plus, it looks like it loses you at least an inch of clearance. And it's more expensive that the Poison Spyder Rock Ring that gets rave reviews.

grnd93 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2006 2:29 pm

The pupose of the slider is to allow the differential to slide over rocks and other obstacles rather than getting hung up. As a side benefit it will also help prevent the cover from getting peeled back. A rock ring provides no protection to the underside of the differential. The turbocity one looks alright, but I'd be more inclined to go with something from nthdegree mobility. You will lose a bit of groundclearance, but you make up for that with protection. I'm thinking in a KJ with very limited ground clearance anyway I'd want all the protection I could get.

Ed · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2006 9:49 pm

The main body of the diff is a very tough cast item and probably doesn't need much protection, the weak bit is the rear cover which (as you say) can get peeled back and that's what the Rock Ring will prevent. I'm thinking in a KJ with (arguably) very limited ground clearance anyway I wouldn't want to lose any of it! [see footnote]

This Rock It Glider hangs down so far that the front of the skid (from the looks of that picture) is only about level with the bottom of the diff. I'll wager that you're more likely to get hung up on the front of that Glider than you would be on the standard diff!

The nth degree sliders on the other hand tuck right up round the drive shaft and end level with the bottom of the diff, so you don't lose any clearance and the bottom surface is much smoother. Apart from the bolt holes, which are a bit of a stupid design. However, it won't protect your diff cover from peeling or damage from behind so you'll need other protection as well.

Anyway, I don't think the nth degree sliders are available for the 8.25 rear so it's kind of a moot point.

Nevertheless, here's a picture of one.

Footnote: Regarding ground clearance; we're talking about the rear diff here. The KJ has a solid rear axle so will have exactly the same clearance there as any other truck with the same rear axle and tyre size. Assuming the rear diff pumpkin on an XJ or TJ is roughly the same size as that on the KJ, in this regard the KJ is no worse of than any ofther Jeep. It's just that a lot of TJ/XJ owners fit huge tyres. Most of the KJ clearance whinges centre around the front diff. In fact because of the IFS the diff is tucked up out of the way and it has more clearance there than in a solid front axle (with the same size tyres) where the diff pumpkin hangs down. Where the KJ loses in the clearance stakes is around the lower suspension arms. These can (and do!) impede your progress in deep ruts and on rocks, but that can be mostly negated (especially on rocks) with proper wheel placement. KJs don't intrinsically have poor ground clearance and I wish people would stop saying it!

ManicMechanicJoe · **Posted:** Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:57 pm

I like how the nth degree part covers the u-joint. That would be worth getting just for that. Looks like you could fit both the nth degree skid and a diff ring (poison spyder, rock ring, rocky road outfitters/etc.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed Jan 25, 2006 10:24 pm

Looks like blue styrofoam

Ed, what is that blue piece by your wheel?

grnd93 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:54 am

It all depends on the type of wheeling you do. For me it's mostly rocks. I'd personally want something smooth that will help me slide over rocks as opposed to the irregularly shaped pumpkin that might get hung up on them. A rock ring, or other heavy duty diff cover is also an essential.

Ed · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:36 am

Yeah, I agree grnd93, those nth degree sliders look great; well built and nicely tucked up so you don't lose clearance. One of those, plus a Rock Ring and you'd be sorted. The Rock-It ones look awful though.

Tokyojoe; it's not my wheel, that's a picture off nth degree's website! At a guess I'd say it's a damper mount slider or something.

grnd93 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:24 pm

I agree the Turbo City one is not the greatest design. If you look carefully tho, that is a front D30, probably XJ or ZJ, maybe TJ. So it's designed to take a hit from the front. I personally wouldn't buy it, I'd start with a nth degree slider and add a ring or HD cover.

I'd be willing to bet the nth degree slider could be made to work with the 8.25 very easily.

ManicMechanicJoe · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2006 8:30 pm

was the 8.25 diff used on wranglers? since nth degree only works on wranglers (the founder was designer on the TJ suspension-that why all of their products are superior to everything on the market today for the wrangler). So if the 8.25 is used on wranglers and is fairly comman (which i have never seen an 8.25 equipped wrangler) you might be able to make it work. If not-buy 1/4" steel, rent a plasma cutter and cut out 20 of these. Take it to a sheet metal place and have them bend it accordingly. Sell 19 of them to pay for the pizza, beer, and rental fees you needed to do this.

grnd93 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:57 pm

I don't think they ever put an 8.25 in a Wrangler (YJ or TJ). The axles most commonly used were the Dana 30 (front), and Dana 35 (rear). That being said, there is no difference in those axles, no matter what they were put in (MJ, TJ, XJ, YJ or ZJ). So a nth degree slider designed for a D35 will fit any D35, regardless of vehicle. And since the D35 is very close in dimensions to the 8.25 it could be made to work (probably very easily) on a KJ.

Turbo City Rock-It Rear Diff Slider

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