PML Diff Cover/Deep Tranny Pan

CATCRD · **Posted:** Mon May 15, 2006 7:34 pm

oldnavy wrote:

I think you need to go back to page 3 and see what we are talking about, there is only about one inch between the the new finned housing and the fuel tank. With my measuring of difference in sizes of the rear end cover I would have somewhere between 3/8 to 5/8 inch wiggle room between the fuel skid and PML differential cover.

I've been following the thread the whole time. What I'm saying is that there's 5 whole inches between my mounting flange and skid plate for the full width. You are talking about your measurements, and others may vary, so they should measure before they drop the extra money on milling. It's a skid plate after all, right? If the diff happens to move back a whole inch (unlikely) it will scrape the plate. Big deal.

onthehunt · **Posted:** Mon May 15, 2006 7:37 pm

If your diff moves back an inch the cover hitting your skid plate will be the least of your worries!!!

RFCRD · **Posted:** Mon May 15, 2006 9:25 pm

New PLM Differential cover was on my door step when I got home from work today. Have to compliment to the chef, impressive piece of hardware! I know what I'm doing tomorrow.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 1:45 am

oldnavy wrote:

So Mitch are you saying we don't need the milling done? I have both skid and OEM trailor hitch on our Liberty and would not like to have to loosen up the fuel tank to try and slide it back with both of those on the Libby.

I don't either, and even if it had enough clearance once installed, I wouldn't want to have to pull that blasted skid plate off just to get the PML cover on.

That's one other item to look at. While even just 1/2" of clearance might be OK once it's on, it might make it next to bloody impossible to even get the thing on without dropping the skid plate.

On mine, when measured at the bottom of the skid plate, I can get 5 inches from gasket surface to skid plate as well. But the skid plate curves up and toward the diff, such that at the top lip of the skid plate, about 2/3 of the way up on the diff cover, it's only 4 1/2" on the passenger side and 4 3/8" on the drivers side. If I measured from the top dead center of the diff to the skid plate, I could also get 5 inches that way.

The points of least clearance are on each side of the diff, before the skid plate makes a slight inward curve directly behind the diff. That's where you'll run into trouble, at the outer edges of the cover, at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions. Remember, the PML cover is 4" deep for the full width and height of the cover.

In the end, for each person it's your vehicle, your measurements, and your decision. But IMHO, if you've got skid plates and want to CYA to make sure you have enough clearance, get the cover milled down. That $25 or even $40 will seem cheap if it doesn't fit and you have to send the bloody thing back, or have to spend half a day with a flat grinder hacking off the fins.

Goglio704 · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 6:09 am

I'm assuming this cover is cast aluminum? If so it won't grind worth a flip. Aluminum clogs the disc and generates enormous heat. It files well though if you've got the patience. :wink:

RFCRD · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 6:40 am

Goglio704 wrote:

I'm assuming this cover is cast aluminum? If so it won't grind worth a flip. Aluminum clogs the disc and generates enormous heat. It files well though if you've got the patience. :wink:

Yes, will be PITA to grind down. If you need the clearance would get it already altered. The bus garage where I'm doing my work has a very powerful pneumatic disk sander and a sandpaper that looks like it has gravel glued to it. Access to commercial tools a definate plus and will make short work if it if I need to shorten the fins. Looking at this cover (on my desk now), don't see where it would gain much, maybe 1/2 inch clearance?

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 9:06 am

I think I remember Brent saying it was 3/8" that would be removed. I am going to have the Jeep this afternoon and will remeasure and eyeball things a little closer, then call Brent at PML again for either stock unit or the milled unit. As of Friday I was the only one who has placed an order for the milled version. :roll:

RFCRD · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 4:33 pm

oldnavy wrote:

I think I remember Brent saying it was 3/8" that would be removed. I am going to have the Jeep this afternoon and will remeasure and eyeball things a little closer, then call Brent at PML again for either stock unit or the milled unit. As of Friday I was the only one who has placed an order for the milled version. :roll:

Sounds like you have nominated to be the lab rat on this one. Just got done with mine, it's a squeeze without the skid plate. About the thickness of my hand for clearance to the tank. Looks like the tank is slightly wider at the top than the bottom (slight taper). Hard to tell how much space you need, have to bottom out the suspension to measure.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 4:53 pm

I just measured my tank and it was only 2" of room between the tank skid and differential and the tank is snugged to the skid pan. The fuel skid is a pan about 6" deep on 4 legs attached to the frame, and I could see no front to rear adjustment on the skid legs.

RFCRD · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 5:08 pm

oldnavy wrote:

I just measured my tank and it was only 2" of room between the tank skid and differential and the tank is snugged to the skid pan. The fuel skid is a pan about 6" deep on 4 legs attached to the frame, and I could see no front to rear adjustment on the skid legs.

If the skid is snug against the tank, you should be OK even with the fins left on. I had both covers on the floor next to each other for comparison. PML's cover is @ 1 inch deeper overall, mostly due to the thicker flange, cast case and fins. Do you need a height measurement from the factory cover?

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 5:24 pm

RFCRD wrote:

oldnavy wrote:

I just measured my tank and it was only 2" of room between the tank skid and differential and the tank is snugged to the skid pan. The fuel skid is a pan about 6" deep on 4 legs attached to the frame, and I could see no front to rear adjustment on the skid legs.

If the skid is snug against the tank, you should be OK even with the fins left on. I had both covers on the floor next to each other for comparison. PML's cover is @ 1 inch deeper overall, mostly due to the thicker flange, cast case and fins. Do you need a height measurement from the factory cover?

From sealing surface of the cover to the highest point on the OEM cover is how many inches, 3" or more? If this cover is one inch higher then the OEM cover then we really need to have the fins cut down some, like 1/2" to 5/8" to allow for movement and for ease of install.

I would be uneasy with only about half inch between tank and differential cover, I would want at least an inch for my comfort zone to be reached.

RFCRD · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 5:48 pm

Took a ruler to the old cover, looks closer to 2 3/4 inches deep. They also had that sucker glued on there good. Took a lot of prying to break it loose.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 6:34 pm

RFCRD wrote:

Took a ruler to the old cover, looks closer to 2 3/4 inches deep. They also had that sucker glued on there good. Took a lot of prying to break it loose.

Ok thanks for the measurement. Gotta love the RTV. :wink:

RFCRD · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 7:29 pm

oldnavy wrote:

RFCRD wrote:

Took a ruler to the old cover, looks closer to 2 3/4 inches deep. They also had that sucker glued on there good. Took a lot of prying to break it loose.

Ok thanks for the measurement. Gotta love the RTV. :wink:

No charge. Think you are right about the fins, cut them down. They will do nothing but get in the way if you have a skid plate.

This cover will be worth every penny in time saved. In the future will be able to drop all the fluids in a matter of minutes. Something as stupid simple as being able to fill it from the side (where you can tilt the bottle) instead of from the rear is big. The simple math on the day: @ $70 oil/fluids, $5 oil filter, $4 RTV, $175 diff cover. So it's done for $254 and 4 hours of my day off (working at a recreational pace) including a 5 tire rotation. Dealer quoted me $415 with me providing the 5W40 and no diff cover replacement.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 7:38 pm

RFCRD wrote:

oldnavy wrote:

RFCRD wrote:

Took a ruler to the old cover, looks closer to 2 3/4 inches deep. They also had that sucker glued on there good. Took a lot of prying to break it loose.

Ok thanks for the measurement. Gotta love the RTV. :wink:

No charge. Think you are right about the fins, cut them down. They will do nothing but get in the way if you have a skid plate.

This cover will be worth every penny in time saved. In the future will be able to drop all the fluids in a matter of minutes. Something as stupid simple as being able to fill it from the side (where you can tilt the bottle) instead of from the rear is big. The simple math on the day: @ $70 oil/fluids, $5 oil filter, $4 RTV, $175 diff cover. So it's done for $254 and 4 hours of my day off (working at a recreational pace) including a 5 tire rotation. Dealer quoted me $415 with me providing the 5W40 and no diff cover replacement.

See you saved enough to pay for the PML cover.

RFCRD · **Posted:** Tue May 16, 2006 9:29 pm

oldnavy wrote:

RFCRD wrote:

oldnavy wrote:

RFCRD wrote:

Took a ruler to the old cover, looks closer to 2 3/4 inches deep. They also had that sucker glued on there good. Took a lot of prying to break it loose.

Ok thanks for the measurement. Gotta love the RTV. :wink:

No charge. Think you are right about the fins, cut them down. They will do nothing but get in the way if you have a skid plate.

This cover will be worth every penny in time saved. In the future will be able to drop all the fluids in a matter of minutes. Something as stupid simple as being able to fill it from the side (where you can tilt the bottle) instead of from the rear is big. The simple math on the day: @ $70 oil/fluids, $5 oil filter, $4 RTV, $175 diff cover. So it's done for $254 and 4 hours of my day off (working at a recreational pace) including a 5 tire rotation. Dealer quoted me $415 with me providing the 5W40 and no diff cover replacement.

See you saved enough to pay for the PML cover.

Paid for it a couple of times over. Kept me busy so I went the entire day without arguing with the dealer.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Wed May 17, 2006 7:24 pm

Talked with Brent from PML and they are sending two rear covers for me to take to MI GTG where I will take pictures of both covers installed on the Liberty so we can just find out for sure if the fins need milled off or not for clearence requirement. Talk about a company bending over backwards to help, these guys at PML are first rate.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Wed May 17, 2006 11:55 pm

I haven't jumped in on this yet because I've got other priorities for my money right now, such as paying off long-term bills. UAW contract at the plant is up for renewal March '07, and I want to be as debt free as possible by then in case some of the morons they just elected to union posts forget it isn't 1950 and try to demand too much from the company and try to call a strike.

In about 2 or 3 months when the Jeep and a couple other things are paid off, then it'll be time to shop for nice to have items.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Fri May 19, 2006 9:16 am

RFCRD wrote:

Took a ruler to the old cover, looks closer to 2 3/4 inches deep. They also had that sucker glued on there good. Took a lot of prying to break it loose.

How much fluid did it require to fill the differential with new PML cover?

RFCRD · **Posted:** Fri May 19, 2006 9:21 am

oldnavy wrote:

RFCRD wrote:

Took a ruler to the old cover, looks closer to 2 3/4 inches deep. They also had that sucker glued on there good. Took a lot of prying to break it loose.

How much fluid did it require to fill the differential with new PML cover?

I went through 4 qts for both front & rear diffs. I think the rear took 2 and some change. Read somewhere I needed 5 qts for both, concerned they may be low. Haven't had a chance to go and recheck the levels since driving it.

PML Diff Cover/Deep Tranny Pan

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