After market?

[LittleD]

After taking both diff covers off on my xj, The one for the dana 30 looks really beefy compared to the one on the 8.8. Do the dana 30 ones come this thick? can anyone identify it?

[SupermanIce-J]

Most stock front covers are a little bit thicker than the rear...Back in the day guys with a 44 rear used a factory front 44 cover for a little added beef on the cheap.

[Henchman]

8.8 stock cover is like aluminum foil

[LittleD]

8.8 stock cover is like aluminum foil

I had to put it in the vice, and tighten it to get the bottom to bend back.

And if this is as beefy as people say, ill leave the front and maybe just buy a rear cover

[SupermanIce-J]

I am not saying that the front is beef... by all means GET A NEW front cover... after all it is the one that hits the rocks head on. Unfortunately I dont believe there is a front 8.8 cover that is"beefier"than stock. So you should most def either beef up the lower portion of your stock 8.8 cover or get a beef one so it doesn't peel like a banana on a rock or stump.

[LittleD]

When i went to pull the d30 cover off, i had to hammer on a socket cause the bolts were smashed so bad, but the cover has no marks on it. I deff plan on getting a cover for the 8.8, but that will be done when i paint the jeep in mid august. But how would you beef it without getting a new cover? My buddy dan bent some tube to make like a rock gaurd, but don't see how that would stop peeling?

[iant333]

Yea that's definately a stocker cover.

Ruffstuff makes some kickass diff covers, I got one for my 8.25 and it measures out to 3/8th thick and weighs like 15 pounds, or the SOLID ones are ok and half the price. Either way i'd get rid of the stock cover in back, as an experiment I hit my old rear one with a hammer and with a small ball peen hammer I could dent it all the way to the ground.

I've heard any sort of diff protection short of a new cover is a waste so i would just forget the whole "rock guard" thing and save for good full cover.

[WAD357]

Stock 30 cover holds up fairly well IMO. I mean it cant hurt to get a better one but theyre not bad.... Now the 8.8 on the other hand is tin and peals extremely easy... I learned that one on CV hill

[clean4drxj]

there's a few places that make 8.8 covers, like what other said, get your d30 cover and go for the 8.8 after or both at the same time.

[LittleD]

I've never had a problem with the 30 cover, it gets smashed on rocks every single time i wheel. The first time i got stuck, i peeled the 8.8 cover back really bad, and didn't realize it till i went to my car after school, and there was a puddle of gear oil in the school parking spot. And it just bends easily so ill prolly either make a skid plate to go from the cover to the carrier so the bottom isn't exposed.

[Pedro]

As they said, the stock 30 cover is relatively stout. Will has had the same stock cover forever without much of an issue. However, it can't hurt to get a new one. Go with Solid, Ruffstuff, or Riddler, pretty much whichever is cheapest. I got my solid cover for 60 bucks on sale for my D30.

[Ktmracer419]

if you have issues peeling over the stock covers

just trim the bottom off a little bit so it doesnt hang below the housing

[ninetysix-ex-jay]

I need a new 30 cover and i blame Andrew

[LittleD]

if you have issues peeling over the stock covers

just trim the bottom off a little bit so it doesnt hang below the housing

The thing is, a rock slides along the bottom of the case, and once it hits the cover, it peels upwards. Im gonna put a thin gauge of steel along the bottom the the cover/case to eliminate the gap that gets caught

[Ktmracer419]

or you could trim it so it doesnt hang below the housing