Rear Differential

changingtime · **Posted:** Wed Dec 22, 2010 5:16 pm

when changing the rear differential...and the cover is pulled off...how do you get the old material off before you put the sealant on?

What do the bolts get torqued too?

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 22, 2010 5:22 pm

a plastic paint scraper works to get the old stuff off, if, it doesn't just come off with your fingers

FSM for the stock 8.25 cover says 30 ft/lbs, imo that's too high, put them in evenly at 15ish then retorque to 25 after the rtv has cured a bit

changingtime · **Posted:** Wed Dec 22, 2010 5:25 pm

what type of RTV do you use?

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 23, 2010 1:48 am

ultra grey or black

pretty much any of them will work, orange, red-brown, i've even seen blue make it an interval without leaking

but.. stick to ultra-grey

LibertyCRD · **Posted:** Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:12 pm

I use a Dremel tool with the wire brush attachment to clean all the old silicone off. It's much faster. I got tired of the putty knife method after years of that crap.

infernicus · **Posted:** Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:20 pm

You can always go this route.
Lubelocker Reusable gasket.

http://lubelocker.com/products/products/view/5/12

I don't have it, but I hear good things.

CIMARRON13 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 23, 2010 9:26 pm

infernicus wrote:

You can always go this route.
Lubelocker Reusable gasket.

http://lubelocker.com/products/products/view/5/12

I don't have it, but I hear good things.

I had no luck with my lube lockers on my Rubicon. Front and rear leaked after install. Got the front to finally seal but threw the rear away after two attempts. Never again. RTV is a little messy but I know it seals and I don't waste gear oil redoing it.

infernicus · **Posted:** Fri Dec 24, 2010 7:10 pm

I apologize. Apparently they aren't that good.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=57751

flman · **Posted:** Fri Dec 24, 2010 8:17 pm

changingtime wrote:

when changing the rear differential...and the cover is pulled off...how do you get the old material off before you put the sealant on?

What do the bolts get torqued too?

I just scraped off what I could, then sprayed some MAF cleaner on it to get rid of the oil residue. Leaving a little of the old stuff on is not going to hurt a bit, it may even help with the thickness. When I put the cover back on, I put the bolts finger tight, then did other maintenance on the Jeep while it set up a bit. Then I just torqued them to what felt right and filled it back up.

dgeist · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 4:45 pm

infernicus wrote:

I apologize. Apparently they aren't that good.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=57751

Wow, already being quoted... To be fair, I don't know that it's the lubelocker leaking on mine. It's never leaked before and I DID change the diff cover to aftermarket, so we'll see.

Dan

MACKJ · **Posted:** Sun Dec 26, 2010 6:37 am

dgeist wrote:

infernicus wrote:

I apologize. Apparently they aren't that good.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=57751

Wow, already being quoted... To be fair, I don't know that it's the lubelocker leaking on mine. It's never leaked before and I DID change the diff cover to aftermarket, so we'll see.

Dan

Dan,
I have been using a lubelocker gasket on my OEM rear diff cover for two years or so, changed the fluid in between with no leaks whatsoever.
I think they are great. Wish they made one for the tranny but the OEM pan is not designed properly for this type of gasket with too little sealing surface width, or at least that is my opinion.

europachris · **Posted:** Mon Dec 27, 2010 2:10 pm

I worked in a quick-lube all through college and have done countless rear diffs and trannys. We always used the tranny pan gasket that came with the filter kit (for better or worse - depending on the make/model and filter kit manufacturer), but the rear diffs were always RTV sealed, and for the life of me I can't remember what we used for sealant.

Either way, the trick we had (especially on tranny pans) was to sit the pan facing up on some 2x4s on edge. Then take a ball peen hammer with the ball end over the bolt holes and tap it with a medium sized dead-blow mallet. The intent is to take the bolt holes that look like this from the side ___/ \____ and turn them back to _____ _____ or slightly -----\ /---- so when you torque them down you compress the gasket properly before the pulled-in bolt hole contacts the transmission housing and causes you to reach torque before proper gasket compression.

The torque was only like 15~20 ft.lbs., and proper torque wouldn't deform the pan holes much, if at all. But the ya-hoos beforehand would get in there with the 1/2" impact gun and blast all the bolts down and squeeze out the gasket and then the customer would have a big dripping mess to bring in to us, usually after a big vacation towing the camper so we'd have a dripping burnt fluid mess. 20 years later that stench is still burned into my brain, along with some of the funkified, petrified, putrified, and Kentucky Fried oooze that would come out of rear ends posing as gear lube. :dead:

arengant · **Posted:** Mon Dec 27, 2010 9:48 pm

I'll be trying my lubelocker this week, let you know if it holds up...

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:24 pm

I like "The Right Stuff" from Permatex. Comes in tubes and cheese whiz like dispensers. Has worked great for me so far. Cleans up very easily and quickly.

arengant · **Posted:** Sat Jan 08, 2011 2:58 pm

so far so good on the lubelocker gasket, installed with no mess too :BANANA:

dgeist · **Posted:** Sat Jan 08, 2011 4:58 pm

I re-did the job last week with ultra-grey and realized why the leak was there. The grease-monkey (I respect some mechanics, but not this guy), squeezed the lubelocker tight enough to comply with the RTV instructions (i.e. till it starts to ooze out the corners). I don't know what the torque setting was, but the LL was completely pancaked and distorted and I had to peel it off, so no surprise it leaked.

Goes to show you, high-tech products require (apparently) high-tech instructions. Considering the PITA I had this time, I don't think I'll ever pay someone else to use a lubelocker for me unless I KNOW they know what they're doing...but I'm glad I was able to pay them 60 bucks to change my oil badly and bolster the economy.

Dan

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:21 pm

ya handed them the lubelocker with the instruction sheet in the packet and everything? the instructions are pretty barney lol

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:22 pm

My Crane cover has the stock gasket held on with red RVT just on the one side ( to hold the gasket in place on the cover.
The guy who did my rear gears installed that way
so far had it off twice and reinstalled and no leaks at all
he installs all of them this way and said he has never had a problem
I don't go by torque but by feel, I know whats too tight and whats not enough.

I would bet that 75-80% of all diff covers are tightened too tight, people tend to think tighter is better, .....on diffs, on diffs :wink:

Lube lockers....not impressed at all

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Sat Jan 08, 2011 11:37 pm

lube lockers front and rear, no leaks. trans pan always gets ultra copper because i've never had a leak using it.

audiboy86 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 09, 2011 2:01 am

I don't hate RTV but i hate to have to use it especially for a gasket Felpro gaskets all around. Atleast until i change it this next time i will be going Lube Locker.

Rear Differential

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