08+ factory aluminum diff cover questions.

[Mr. Black]

I bought one of these a while back off fleabay for 60 bucks.

Questions,

Are the stock bolts from the tin cover long enough to use?

If not, what bolt size would I need to buy? Metric threads?


Also, I will be replacing a pinion seal at the same time, what size is the pinion nut on the 10.5 sterling axle?

[teamcasslake]

stock bolts are not long enough. just take one of the bolts out of the top of the cover(so u can drive and not leak) and take it to the hardware store.

i put one on my 00. and if you figure the new cover is about 3/8 thicker so get a bolt thats about 3/8 longer.

i believe the bolt is 8x1.25x?? i think.

[Mr. Black]

I haven't verified yet, but through some creative google searching it would appear that the bolt size required for the thicker cover is a 5/16s -18 x 1 1/4" in length.

Hope to get that on next week while I am changing my pinion seal.

[Mr. Black]

Got this job done tonight.

Well worth the 135 bucks into it. Damn that gear oil is expensive now a days. It was more than the cover. The pinion seal was only 10 bucks. Used stainless bolts and washers.

The oil at 74k miles was nasty looking, but there was very little metal on magnet.

[Evil Eye]

Congrats on getting it done. I like how it looks and CSIPSD (Joe) has datalogged that it results in a 20* temperature drop by using the 08 diff cover. That's good enough for me.

[Galaxie]

Nice! I need to do a fluid change, guess I have to find these first! Sweet!

[Evil Eye]

Do it! I got mine a couple of years ago from the Ford dealership and bought the longer bolts at Lowe's. I swapped it out at 60k miles, when I was changing all the fluids in the truck.

[ColoradoDoug]

I did it on my Excursion about a year ago and really like it. Beside the cooling benefits, it just plain looks good.

[RRF985]

Originally Posted by Evil Eye

Congrats on getting it done. I like how it looks and CSIPSD (Joe) has datalogged that it results in a 20* temperature drop by using the 08 diff cover. That's good enough for me.

I guess that answers my question of whether it's really worth it. I'm sold. Putting it on my list of mods. I really do need to change out the diff fluid at some point.

[Mr. Black]

I would say that under normal circumstances it really isn't needed. I do however run this truck up around 19k pounds often. It is very hilly around here.

Plus it just plain looks badass. I like it better than the Mag hytec.