TB has serious flaw when off road

[Stormin08]

Another solution might be to make "banana clips" ... these are banana-shaped steel reinforcement pieces, which would be installed under the existing diff cover bolts. I had to fabricate and install a pair of these on my Rutan VariEze Lycoming engine, surrounding the Main Seal. Because these airplanes mount the engine backwards, there is a potential for the Main Seal to pop out of the case.

Are claiming the added AIR across the lip will help pull the seal out ????

 

[vezePilot]

Well, that was for an engine application, not for a Diff Cover. And for the airplane engine, it is mounted at the rear of the type of airplane I have. The engine is not at the front. So apparently there might be certain conditions where the prop could pull on the crank enough (idle power) to pop the seal. I don't see how it could happen, but I don't work on the engine, just the rest of the plane.

Also, without the engine right in front of the windshield like on a Cessna, IF the seal did get loose, you would have no warning before all the engine oil was gone. I carry a small hand mirror to occasionally look behind me ... just to see if I'm on fire. But I still wouldn't be able to see oil streaming out.

 

[Adaman7]

AEV now sells their rear differential skid plate for us lowly TB owners. https://www.aev-conversions.com/product/skid-plates-2019-chevrolet-silverado-1500-gmc-sierra-1500/

 

[Off_the_grid]

AEV now sells their rear differential skid plate for us lowly TB owners. https://www.aev-conversions.com/product/skid-plates-2019-chevrolet-silverado-1500-gmc-sierra-1500/

$389....I pass, JMHO

 

[ZR2BIZON]

$389....I pass, JMHO

Just curious. . . . What do you think a fair price point would be?

 

[GETGONE]

AEV now sells their rear differential skid plate for us lowly TB owners. https://www.aev-conversions.com/product/skid-plates-2019-chevrolet-silverado-1500-gmc-sierra-1500/

I posted about it in another thread. All the ZR2 Bison skid plates are available except the very front one due to it being specific to the ZR2 bumper, so it's only available through GM dealers. It is expensive. I think $200 or so would be better. I'm still planning on getting it because of this thread and the possibility of bending your stock diff cover to the point of all the oil leaking out. I do have an AFE aluminum diff cover that I've finally got painted and ready to go on as soon as I have a few days to be able to drain the stock fluid and replace the cover with the new one.

You can also find their stuff on ebay under seller name aev-conversions

 

[Stormin08]

you stock diff cover is a far better option than the AFE flatback.

 

[mrcolieman]

Working on my own... Slow going and still in the mock up phase but I'll post updates when I start working in steel... It will attach around the axle housing with 2 grade 8, 1/2" U-Bolts and at the pinion with a 2 piece steel clamp I'll need to make. Probably 1/4" steel at the mounts and 3/16" for the skid plate itself. We shall see what keeps the cost down.

 

[GETGONE]

you stock diff cover is a far better option than the AFE flatback.

AFE is NOT flat on the back. Yes I've seen Gale Banks' video on his and other diff covers.

 

[cgazzolo]

This is a great thread. I'm also in the group of people concerned about my rear diff and am really considering the AEV rear cover.

PHXPHOTOG or mrcolieman, if you dont mind me asking how does the $400 price tag for the AEV cover compare to what you spent/are looking at for a diy job, please? Thanks.

 

[mrcolieman]

This is a great thread. I'm also in the group of people concerned about my rear diff and am really considering the AEV rear cover.

PHXPHOTOG or mrcolieman, if you dont mind me asking how does the $400 price tag for the AEV cover compare to what you spent/are looking at for a diy job, please? Thanks.

I think including paint I'll spend somewhere around $100 in materials. Of course I may have 20 hours or more into building my own so there is something to be said for buying one out of the box. I know Boron steel is crazy tough stuff but I also know the terrain I can go through and at 2.5mm (less than 1/8") I would worry about the AEV skid plate more than a 1/4" mild steel one I make myself. Either way is cheap in comparison to losing all your diff oil in the middle of nowhere!

 

[vezePilot]

So while installing a Diff skid plate is truly a good idea, I would like to point out that it may not be necessary. My Diff does not have the cover overhang that caused PHXPHOTOG to post regarding it. I have wheeled on rocks, scraped the diffs, and bent two different sets of step rails. Inspect the underside of your truck ... getting it up on jacks/ramps to do oil changes yourself is a good time to do this regularly. Check to see if your diff cover is in a potential problem or not.

 

[cgazzolo]

Thanks for the super fast replies, guys. $100 seems like a worthy investment, I hear ya on the time habing value too though.

vezePilot, my 21 AT4 does indeed have the overhang--good thinking though, I didn't bother to actually check it myself... duh.

 

[PHXPHOTOG]

This is a great thread. I'm also in the group of people concerned about my rear diff and am really considering the AEV rear cover.

PHXPHOTOG or mrcolieman, if you dont mind me asking how does the $400 price tag for the AEV cover compare to what you spent/are looking at for a diy job, please? Thanks.

I found a young man who works as a welder to fabricate mine in his garage for $250.00 worth every penny. Before I found him three different fabrication shops turned me down for the job. The whole process was a hassle. In my opinion if your truck goes off road the 400 dollars AEV wants is a critical investment considering the consequences of the potential damage. I could not use my truck the way I use it without it. And it did not peel back on the extreme stuff. Any rock high enough to make contact and scape the bottom of the diff will pull it back and it leaks badly.

 

[PHXPHOTOG]

So while installing a Diff skid plate is truly a good idea, I would like to point out that it may not be necessary. My Diff does not have the cover overhang that caused PHXPHOTOG to post regarding it. I have wheeled on rocks, scraped the diffs, and bent two different sets of step rails. Inspect the underside of your truck ... getting it up on jacks/ramps to do oil changes yourself is a good time to do this regularly. Check to see if your diff cover is in a potential problem or not.

Are you sure you don't have it? I posted pictures at the beginning of this thread that show the lip is only 1/8 to 1/16 below the differential housing. The cover is the lowest point and it peels back when scraped. These rear-ends where all retooled in 2019. I don't understand how your 21 could be different than my 21?

It is super easy to check it. Run your fingers across the bottom of the diff from front to back, you will feel the lip. The cover is the lowest point.

Steve