yes thats a overload coil between my frame and axle housing. i had to torch off the factory bump stop from the factory lift block so inside the coil is a bump stop. i got them years ago for my first ranger and kept them when i traded the truck. they came from a farm & fleet store but ive also seen them in a j.c. whitney. the best thing about then is they dont touch the frame when your empty. at about 300-400 pounds they make contact with the frame. so i dont have a harsh 3/4 ton truck-like ride. i think the capacity on those overloads is 1,250 pnds. and ive got the 5040 gvwr to begin with. right now theres about 200 pounds in the back.

 

I'm no expert in metals but those rock crushers and the explorer IRS covers are all CAST aluminum and from what I have seen over the years cast aluminum cracks and chucks off surprisingly easy.

Now if they were forged aluminum that would be a different story, forged aluminum has the same heat transfer benefits as the cast stuff as well as being lighter but forged aluminum is stronger and it is malleable (they bend instead of cracking and can be hammered back into shape). Thats whey the forged aluminum Alcoa's are little gems and why people pay a premium for forged aluminum wheels.

IMO the two most important things to protect on a diff is the ring gear and the lower sealing surface lip, you peel lip back on a rock your spilling your fluid, smash your ring gear your done.

Do yourself a favor and stick with steel.

My 2 cents.

 

Another Explorer IRS cover. I agree that a thick steel cover might be better for rocks but this suits my purposes.

 

I agree about the steel over cast aluminum,even tho these cover s are rather thick and heavy for what they are.

However speaking for myself I dont think I will ever be taking my IFS truck into any rock gardens to do any crawling,pretty sure I would snap both CV's and flop it over before I broke my diff cover! For the mud,trails and sand I like to play in it is a major improvement over stock.I was stuck in a rut last year and while getting pulled out backwards a tree root punched a hole right thru my stock cover,hence the upgrade.

 

The rock crusher cover depends if its an old or new cover. They have new for 2008 alloy aluminum covers, but all the previous covers were cast steel.

 

plastic diff cover?..for real?

 

Mine had a plastic cover on it when I bought it....first thing I did was swap it for an older metal one. And that one didnt last either!

 

Here ya go. Modded Explorer Diff.

 

Here's what it used to look like...



then this happened...




so it became this...


Looking back, I wish I would've gone with an Exploder cover, but $28 bucks from the dealer for the standard cover and the fact I needed it right then and there, resorted to this one.

 

why didn't you get a beefy one?
you needed a new one and your truck sees its fair share of rocks...

 

I really wanted a Mag Tec, but I didn't have the financial means to pick it up. I'll probably buy a skid plate for the diff before too long.

 

if i get this van and toss the D60 out back with IFS front i'll sell ya my purple cranium one if you want it

 

there's mine......painted with ford blue high temp paint.

 

Holy smokes, was that damage from a hit or did your torsen carrier just blow up?
Details man, what were you doing when it blew?

 

Yep, Torsen blew up back in Nov. I had been up 4 wheeling the weekend before, nothing too hard on the drivetrain. 4 days later I took a corner on my way home from work and I started hearing a rapid ticking from the rear end. Ended up driving it home and parking it until I was gunna be able to take it to my buddy Shawn, who's a former Ford service tech. 3 miles from my house and 4 from Shawns place, I heard a loud BANG then the truck locked up. End result is what you see. I ended up finding out through various resources Torsen recalled all the units in early 2002 (my truck is a 2002 build in Nov of 01) and Ford only chose to recall the manual transmissions saying it sends more of a shock load to the differential, which is true, but the autos are also capable of the shockload. Long story short, I went with Yukon gears to replace the Ring and Pinion that got chewed up, a Ford Racing Trac Loc (tried and true) and it's better than ever.

 

I just got my locker installed and I went with a Solid diff cover. Thanks for all the pictures guys.

 

are all 8.8's the same as far as the cover? ive been considering one of those clear polycarbonate covers and the only listing in the jegs online catolog is for the 1/2 ton 8.8 i would assume the covers are all the same but dont want to be wrong about a 100 + dollar cover. my stock cover is a compostie material and hasnt had any issues, with a clear cover i could keep a better eye on fluid level. on edit: got a cover through summit yesterday, dont know when i'll get it on, i need to get a torque wrench and some oil. was pricey (150+ shipping) but it also braces the bearing caps. (like i'll need it with 160 hp, lol)

 

*bump*

 

As for those clear diff covers, from what i've heard you can only see inside the diff for a week or so, then the fluid coats the inside of the cover and you can't see anything at all.

 

i wondered about that, as much as they cost id rather invest in something a little more durable. the 8.8 is used in alot of stuff, i could always transfer the cover to another 8.8 if i wanted to.

 

Just like the clear distributer covers.

 

Thats what he was talking about...

 

Mine is dirty, but here it is, dirty and stock.
DSC_0044-1.jpg?t=1198967518

 

No. He was talking about the clear diff covers.

 

Oh wow I can't believe I did that, I even read it twice!