by m1dadio Sun Oct 16, 2011 10:57 amBy far the single most common cause of rear differential premature wear, axle and axle bearing failure is do to incorrect gasket and /or diff cover installation.
You think: “how hard can it be!! Its only ten bolts and a simple gasket?” and you come home with your $4.95 made in china gasket and a made in china one size fits all ten bolt chrome diff cover. Then wonder why the rear end needs major work ten thousand miles later.
Many do not realize the diff cover and the gasket are a very critical part of the rear end’s lubrication system. It works like this. The ring gear rotates and throws oil onto the rear cover. That oil runs down two channels stamped in the cover to two Carrier bearing oil feed holes on the either side of the diff housing. The oil going into those holes feeds the carrier bearings, some of the oil spills into the axle tubes to flow out and lubricate the outboard axle bearings but most of that oil returns to the diff sump.
Here are the side Carier bearing lubrication holes. Another commun mistake is using silicone or some other liquid gasket maker that plugs up the lubrication ports.
These channels stamped in the biff cover are there to direct the oil splashing off the ring gear down to those side bearings threw those two 1/2" dia holes.
A factory design gasket will have "controlled Sized openings" specifict to that rear ends design to allow the oil to feed at the correct rate. (not too much, not too little)
Here is an example of the one size fitts all 10 bolt chrome diff covers some sales person might tell you is the correct replacement because his sales list says so. Notice it does not have the oil feed channels, thats because its cheeper to make without them.
Here is that $4.98 gasket with no oil conrol holes punched because its cheeper to make. This will garrantee the side bearings will prematurly wear , get loose and cause the gears to wear and become noisy. And this gasket will prety much garrantee no lubrication to the axle bearings.
You can get good aftermarket chrome diff covers that are built properly for the the rear end you have. But its up to you to know what your buying.
M1D
You think: “how hard can it be!! Its only ten bolts and a simple gasket?” and you come home with your $4.95 made in china gasket and a made in china one size fits all ten bolt chrome diff cover. Then wonder why the rear end needs major work ten thousand miles later.
Many do not realize the diff cover and the gasket are a very critical part of the rear end’s lubrication system. It works like this. The ring gear rotates and throws oil onto the rear cover. That oil runs down two channels stamped in the cover to two Carrier bearing oil feed holes on the either side of the diff housing. The oil going into those holes feeds the carrier bearings, some of the oil spills into the axle tubes to flow out and lubricate the outboard axle bearings but most of that oil returns to the diff sump.
Here are the side Carier bearing lubrication holes. Another commun mistake is using silicone or some other liquid gasket maker that plugs up the lubrication ports.
These channels stamped in the biff cover are there to direct the oil splashing off the ring gear down to those side bearings threw those two 1/2" dia holes.
A factory design gasket will have "controlled Sized openings" specifict to that rear ends design to allow the oil to feed at the correct rate. (not too much, not too little)
Here is an example of the one size fitts all 10 bolt chrome diff covers some sales person might tell you is the correct replacement because his sales list says so. Notice it does not have the oil feed channels, thats because its cheeper to make without them.
Here is that $4.98 gasket with no oil conrol holes punched because its cheeper to make. This will garrantee the side bearings will prematurly wear , get loose and cause the gears to wear and become noisy. And this gasket will prety much garrantee no lubrication to the axle bearings.
You can get good aftermarket chrome diff covers that are built properly for the the rear end you have. But its up to you to know what your buying.
M1D
