2024 trail Boss rear differential fix

[El Jefe]

2024 Trail boss, 3.0 Duramax, 10 spd automatic and 4WD (G80 SU7 Differential)

I started looking thru all the old posts on issues Trail Boss Members had and found one that stuck in my head from PHXPHOTOG on a misadventure in Moab concerning rear diff problems. I too will travel to Moab this fall.

His original fix was a custom skid plate setup. Then later posts this summer noted that the AEV skid plates were now available for the Trail Boss.

I found my local Desert Rat shop and ordered up a AEV#56060004 AA. Which turned out when attempting to order on AEV’s site did not exist, but when found on amazon, we were sent to the Same AEV website and part number and photos popped up…………..Ah technology and search engines.

I figured I would pickup a ARB or AEV nodular diff cover to go with the new AEV Skid plate to add just a bit of overkill…………….and this is where my search started. No one listed a nodular iron cover for my 2024 Trail Boss.

I was asked which diff I had, My RPO said G80, had to scan the decal QR on drivers door sill area to get that. Then the question was a SU7 or 8? That was not in the QR scanned codes……………visited my dealer, they told me I had a G80…………….never heard of the SU7 or 8.

Called my local 4x4 folks , nope G80…………………Finally found Jay, the tech at Yukon , who pulled up my Vin #, found the Su7 code, explained the difference between a GM 9.5/9.7 G80 Eaton and a AAM 9.5/9.7 Eaton…………
View attachment 17105

FYI, Still haven’t found a nodular iron cover for a SU8 GM built diff





I ordered up a nice nodular Iron Yukon cover Part #YHCC-GM-9.5 12B, a gasket, 3qts GM factory diff fluid and set about install all the parts today.

Cover was a breeze, The AEV skid plate fit fine but the front bracket at the driveshaft area needed some minor grinding to fit the casting and the U bolts needed some clearance at the wire loom carriers to fit without pinching.

View attachment 17106 View attachment 17107

View attachment 17108 View attachment 17109


All in all a worthwhile addition to the Trail Boss and definitely solved the problem with peeling the stock cover on the slightest rock or tree limb!

Took longer to find the parts than the 1hour to install.

Ready for some trail rides.

View attachment 17110

Ranger
I narrowed my rear differential cover to the same as yours. Jay helped me acknowledge that I also have the AAM SU7. This was all before seeing this thread. Now I’m trying to find a replacement cover with a drain for my front differential.

 

[Sly]

Hey guys curious if anyone has removed the front diff cover to service and change oil and replaced the gasket? If so how hard was it? I've only been able to find 1 video on Youtube that showed how to do it. The front is so tight and not a lot of room to service and clean out old oil and sludge. The rear looks 10x easier than the front does. I've seen more guys on Youtube just extract the front diff oil. But that really doesn't get the gunk out that well. I know when you go to Jiffy Lube or Valvoline they just extract the oil to and don't really service the front and rear that well.

 

[El Jefe]

2024 Trail boss, 3.0 Duramax, 10 spd automatic and 4WD (G80 SU7 Differential)

I started looking thru all the old posts on issues Trail Boss Members had and found one that stuck in my head from PHXPHOTOG on a misadventure in Moab concerning rear diff problems. I too will travel to Moab this fall.

His original fix was a custom skid plate setup. Then later posts this summer noted that the AEV skid plates were now available for the Trail Boss.

I found my local Desert Rat shop and ordered up a AEV#56060004 AA. Which turned out when attempting to order on AEV’s site did not exist, but when found on amazon, we were sent to the Same AEV website and part number and photos popped up…………..Ah technology and search engines.

I figured I would pickup a ARB or AEV nodular diff cover to go with the new AEV Skid plate to add just a bit of overkill…………….and this is where my search started. No one listed a nodular iron cover for my 2024 Trail Boss.

I was asked which diff I had, My RPO said G80, had to scan the decal QR on drivers door sill area to get that. Then the question was a SU7 or 8? That was not in the QR scanned codes……………visited my dealer, they told me I had a G80…………….never heard of the SU7 or 8.

Called my local 4x4 folks , nope G80…………………Finally found Jay, the tech at Yukon , who pulled up my Vin #, found the Su7 code, explained the difference between a GM 9.5/9.7 G80 Eaton and a AAM 9.5/9.7 Eaton…………
View attachment 17105

FYI, Still haven’t found a nodular iron cover for a SU8 GM built diff





I ordered up a nice nodular Iron Yukon cover Part #YHCC-GM-9.5 12B, a gasket, 3qts GM factory diff fluid and set about install all the parts today.

Cover was a breeze, The AEV skid plate fit fine but the front bracket at the driveshaft area needed some minor grinding to fit the casting and the U bolts needed some clearance at the wire loom carriers to fit without pinching.

View attachment 17106 View attachment 17107

View attachment 17108 View attachment 17109


All in all a worthwhile addition to the Trail Boss and definitely solved the problem with peeling the stock cover on the slightest rock or tree limb!

Took longer to find the parts than the 1hour to install.

Ready for some trail rides.

View attachment 17110

I agree with your assessment/purchase and went with Yukon Hardcore rear differential cover also. The Ranchos are also gone and replaced with Bilstein as you can see.

 

[El Jefe]

Hey guys curious if anyone has removed the front diff cover to service and change oil and replaced the gasket? If so how hard was it? I've only been able to find 1 video on Youtube that showed how to do it. The front is so tight and not a lot of room to service and clean out old oil and sludge. The rear looks 10x easier than the front does. I've seen more guys on Youtube just extract the front diff oil. But that really doesn't get the gunk out that well. I know when you go to Jiffy Lube or Valvoline they just extract the oil to and don't really service the front and rear that well.

I watched that video also and decided to just pump out the old fluid rather than unbolt steering and pull the cover off.

 

[BigBlackie_'25TB]

2024 Trail boss, 3.0 Duramax, 10 spd automatic and 4WD (G80 SU7 Differential)

I started looking thru all the old posts on issues Trail Boss Members had and found one that stuck in my head from PHXPHOTOG on a misadventure in Moab concerning rear diff problems. I too will travel to Moab this fall.

His original fix was a custom skid plate setup. Then later posts this summer noted that the AEV skid plates were now available for the Trail Boss.

I found my local Desert Rat shop and ordered up a AEV#56060004 AA. Which turned out when attempting to order on AEV’s site did not exist, but when found on amazon, we were sent to the Same AEV website and part number and photos popped up…………..Ah technology and search engines.

I figured I would pickup a ARB or AEV nodular diff cover to go with the new AEV Skid plate to add just a bit of overkill…………….and this is where my search started. No one listed a nodular iron cover for my 2024 Trail Boss.

I was asked which diff I had, My RPO said G80, had to scan the decal QR on drivers door sill area to get that. Then the question was a SU7 or 8? That was not in the QR scanned codes……………visited my dealer, they told me I had a G80…………….never heard of the SU7 or 8.

Called my local 4x4 folks , nope G80…………………Finally found Jay, the tech at Yukon , who pulled up my Vin #, found the Su7 code, explained the difference between a GM 9.5/9.7 G80 Eaton and a AAM 9.5/9.7 Eaton…………
View attachment 17105

FYI, Still haven’t found a nodular iron cover for a SU8 GM built diff





I ordered up a nice nodular Iron Yukon cover Part #YHCC-GM-9.5 12B, a gasket, 3qts GM factory diff fluid and set about install all the parts today.

Cover was a breeze, The AEV skid plate fit fine but the front bracket at the driveshaft area needed some minor grinding to fit the casting and the U bolts needed some clearance at the wire loom carriers to fit without pinching.

View attachment 17106 View attachment 17107

View attachment 17108 View attachment 17109


All in all a worthwhile addition to the Trail Boss and definitely solved the problem with peeling the stock cover on the slightest rock or tree limb!

Took longer to find the parts than the 1hour to install.

Ready for some trail rides.

View attachment 17110

I had to send the AEV skid plate back for a full refund. I could not get it to fit. The front bracket at the driveshaft would not fit the casting and the U bolts seemed as though they needed to be a bit longer. I was not expecting to have to do any "individual fabricating" of the skid plate.