Differential Covers

[LakeBeard]

How many of you have swapped out stock covers for after market? Does it really help that much? I have a 2016 Chevy 5.3 2 wheel drive. My trailer is about 5k, tow it from OC to Havasu several times a year. is it worth the $250? This is what I'm looking at, is this the one to get or is there a better option?

https://www.amazon.com/Mag-Hytec-GM...show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews

 

[rvrrun]

It will help it look better.

 

[02HoWaRd26]

I have the Mag-Hytec it has the port for a temp sensor to see if it helps cool the differential fluid, i didn’t put a sensor in mine or a gauge cause the simple pan made the truck look cooler instead lol

 

[dribble]

More oil equal better but I really think the fins are for looks. The cost to benefit ratio is out of line.

 

[WillyWonka]

They look better and make it easier to service (drain plug and fill hole). They typically hold another 1-2 qts of fluid. If your truck isn't lifted, you may have clearance issues with the spare tire.

I bought an Outlaw cover. I think they used to be called Oasis Diff. Their cover looks similar to the Magtech, but are less expensive and don't have the plate logo in the center.

If you feel like spending money, get one. Are they really that necessary and offer a cost benefit down the line? I don't think so.

 

[Ziggy]

The real benefit would be more if you tow or haul bigger loads. I have one cuz I use the truck to haul a toybox 5th wheel. More oil to cool the internals under heavy loads.

 

[Albert]

Just glue some silver fins on your stock one

 

[pwerwagn]

They look cool...thats about it. You'd have a hard time quantifying any functional difference.

 

[DWC]

So, they’re similar to a drive shower?

 

[KENDOG689]

The gear oil no matter how much you have stays the same temp.Better gear oil would be a better buy.

 

[bk2drvr]

I just installed one on my 2018 Sierra 1500. See pic.

I had one on my previous Silverado that went 193k miles with no diff issues.

With that said I think they do more for looks than function. Lol...

 

[Ziggy]

The gear oil no matter how much you have stays the same temp.Better gear oil would be a better buy.

Ok. I'll keep my diff full and you run yours with 8oz. You have roadside assistance, right?

 

[H20 Toie]

So, they’re similar to a drive shower?

Except that a drive shower does help a lot, the benefits of the diff covers are more for looks than anything else.

 

[KENDOG689]

Ok. I'll keep my diff full and you run yours with 8oz. You have roadside assistance, right?

Run good gear oil and you should never have a problem.235mls on my beat up old s10 and not a problem.My last four trucks have been solid too.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

The gear oil no matter how much you have stays the same temp.Better gear oil would be a better buy.

Ok. I'll keep my diff full and you run yours with 8oz. You have roadside assistance, right?

Run good gear oil and you should never have a problem.235mls on my beat up old s10 and not a problem.

Precisely, as long as there is enough oil to correctly libicate the gears and bearings, adding more won't help anything really. There isn't much heat generated in a differential during road driving. Off road would be a different story with the reduced traction on one wheel to the other, etc...

That said I have an ORU diff cover (back when they were still around) on my 01 1500. I got it mostly cause the stocker looked like shit and I got it for sure cheap.

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[JDKRXW]

Ok. I'll keep my diff full and you run yours with 8oz. You have roadside assistance, right?

More oil is not necessarily better in any gearbox. This is one case where it pays to follow the manufacturers recommendation.
Ive seen many applications where a little extra oil makes the gearbox run hotter.

 

[LHC30]

If you do get one don’t powder coat it. Seems a common mistake that keeps heat in

 

[ElAzul]

Adding a drain plug is a nice perk if you don't have one. One of the companies (can't remember) sells one that offers some sort of support or load against something but cant remember what. Other than that not much gained.

Wonder if the oring seal is better for getting submerged? Kinda doubt it but could help I guess

 

[t&y]

Thought about doing this on my F250... They just look cool

 

[Yellowboat]

They generally have drain plugs and are easier to get the gasket too seal correctly compared too sheet metal ones. That is it, unless you have some balls too the wall set up.

 

[pronstar]

How common is a failed diff?
Not very.

But I ran one on my CTD anyway [emoji4]


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[Dalton]

get a chrome one with a hint of surface rust

 

[rrrr]

More oil is not necessarily better in any gearbox. This is one case where it pays to follow the manufacturers recommendation.

Ive seen many applications where a little extra oil makes the gearbox run hotter.

I don't have a reason to run an aftermarket differential cover but I do have quite a bit of experience running dry sump engine oil systems in racing vehicles.

More lubricant volume will always lower the total lubricant temperature. More volume also results in better lubrication, because there's more of it to perform the function. If you run a ten quart oil pan instead of a five quart, the oil realizes a 50% reduction in its duty cycle through the engine.

The friction of rotating parts heats the differential lubricant, and if there's more of it, it takes more time to heat it. The added surface area of the larger differential cover then dissipates the heat of this larger volume more efficiently, resulting in a lower overall system temperature.

Think about it this way. You can boil water in a two or a five quart saucepan with the same heat setting on your stove, but the five quart pan will take longer to boil.

The exception to this statement is that running more lubricant in a wet sump system without increasing the capacity of the reservoir will result in higher temperatures. The lubricant will be in greater contact with moving parts, that and the increased turbulence in the lubricant will raise temperatures.

Fins on a lubricant reservoir will always lower lubricant temperature. This is simple thermodynamics. The increased surface area provided by raised fins will dissipate more heat to the lower temperature ambient air.

I have no idea what this means in measurable reduction of the lubricant temperature in a differential. I would guess the 75% increased lubricant capacity and added 60 square inches of fin surface area of this Mag-HyTec cover for Dodge trucks would most certainly lower lubricant temperature. A 20 degree drop from the stock 180-200 degree range generated by heavy towing seems easily obtainable.

m

 

[sml]

I have the mag-hytec transmission pan and rear dif cover on my f350 dually. I also have temp ports with gauges. At any ambient temp when towing, the rear diff fluid runs about 130-180 depending on load. Not towing the needle on the gauge will barely move.

I am using all amsoil fluids also.




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