Rear diff: DONE!

[starrskream]

23,000 and change on the clock.
I used redline 75/140 (i don't abuse it but the added protection for off road/ towing will be handy)
ARB covers. - I hand painted the ARB logo and put on 5 coats of satin clear(rattle can)
this first pic, let me say a normal allen socket like this is far too long to fit properly between the suspension components. I cut mine short and easily had an inch or so of free space to get my tool in place. This was super frustrating trying to do with the longer version. 100% worth cutting.

fluid was a touch on the black side, felt fine very little fuzz overall.

sprayed with Electric parts cleaner(carb cleaner will degrade the plastic rubber components inside)
pic is half sprayed on top bottom is how it looked un sprayed.

Magnet was only a tad fuzzy. looks good for my mileage.

ALl done! No leaks! win!

Weird that neither, the forums, dealer or ARB could give me a straight answer on torque. 20 was the best solid answer I could get. 20 held up and no leaks!
big thanks to all of you on the forums who helped with questions.
this last bit has be concerned. is this slop normal ?

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[DylanM]

Weird that neither, the forums, dealer or ARB could give me a straight answer on torque. 20 was the best solid answer I could get. 20 held up and no leaks!

this last bit has be concerned. is this slop normal ?

The FSM calls for 30ftlb for the rear axle diff cover bolts, but it also specifies they must be replaced and not reused, so safe bet they expect some bolt stretch at that spec... the 20ftlb you used should be plenty for that size bolt.

The locker actuator slop looks normal to me.

 

[Hootbro]

Looks good. I like the satin shine vs. the glossy those covers usually come with.

I found a impact and 15mm socket zips off the four sway bar mount bolts rather quick and swings on the drag link and gives decent space to remove the rear cover and torque the bolts.

For the front diff, if you jack up under the frame behind the drivers side wheel, it will articulate the front track bar out of the way for better access.

 

[starrskream]

The FSM calls for 30ftlb for the rear axle diff cover bolts, but it also specifies they must be replaced and not reused, so safe bet they expect some bolt stretch at that spec... the 20ftlb you used should be plenty for that size bolt.

The locker actuator slop looks normal to me.

Thanks for the info on the slop.

got this image from shadowspapa. also like i said above, dealer tech of 14 years claims 20. ARB said 18-22(purely based on the bolts they use).
I do believe that the torque is more about the gasket than the bolts. the more you compress that gasket the more likely it is to leak(much like plumbing applications). When i took off the rear cover bolts i played with my torque wrench a bit just to see where they were. Since they were factory installed. one clicked at 20, one clicked at 22. I only tested two bolts on the factory cover. Yeah, they seem like crap bolts, very soft.

 

[DylanM]

What you have is correct for the front axle, but the spec for the rear axle is different than the front for some reason.

 

[Hootbro]

What you have is correct for the front axle, but the spec for the rear axle is different than the front for some reason.

Interesting, I never picked up the front cover had different specs for what is basically the same size bolt and gasket material.

 

[starrskream]

Interesting, I never picked up the front cover had different specs for what is basically the same size bolt and gasket material.

exactly, why would it be different? Like I said above, the factory tightened bolts on my cover were clicking on the torque wrench at 20 and 22 on the rear.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

I don't use a torque wrench on diff cover bolts.

Either I'm so good I don't need it or I'm a hack, I'm not sure.

 

[rharr]

FYI, brake clean will melt spray paint and ruin all your hard work.

 

[starrskream]

FYI, brake clean will melt spray paint and ruin all your hard work.

electric parts cleaner won’t do that. Which is why I used that .
also why I mentioned I didn’t use brake cleaner and what it would do if I had.

 

[Hootbro]

exactly, why would it be different? Like I said above, the factory tightened bolts on my cover were clicking on the torque wrench at 20 and 22 on the rear.

The 30 ft-lbs for the rear has always been a source of contention as being too high. Even a thread on the JL side where @Northridge4x4 tried to contact DANA for info and they never got back to them.

 

[starrskream]

The 30 ft-lbs for the rear has always been a source of contention as being too high. Even a thread on the JL side where @Northridge4x4 tried to contact DANA for info and they never got back to them.

Yeah I never heard 30. I looked, called and asked everywhere.
I test tightened them at 20 and one clicked at 20, one at 22. I figured that was good enough proof for me lol.

 

[kevman65]

Just a little hint, if you drop one end of the track bar, you don't need to modify any tools.

 

[starrskream]

Just a little hint, if you drop one end of the track bar, you don't need to modify any tools.

I was going to do that. dremeling off the tool was more fun. plus, it works very well.

 

[Blade1668]

If I remember correctly the "Lube Locker" reusable gaskets list 14 lbs to torque to. I bought them for my Wrangler Unlimited in 05 or 06 I don't think I ever used a torque wrench with them. Just snug up fill if weeping give it little more. 20 years and going.

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