No more drain plug?

[WXman]

Can't you just loosen all 12 bolts and split the diff cover? they all have drain plugs that way.

Of course you can but that's 12 bolts instead of one 1 plus a gasket you have to fool with. If you're somebody who off roads quite a bit and does water crossings it's so much more convenient to have drain and fill plugs.

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[ThatStinging_Jeep]

dang thats kinda sad i was just a couple months away for mines not to have a drain plug,i was still gonna weld it up shut once i rack enough money to buy back my stolen welder and do it once i weld on a truss :D

 

[Rvalas]

dang thats kinda sad i was just a couple months away for mines not to have a drain plug,i was still gonna weld it up shut once i rack enough money to buy back my stolen welder and do it once i weld on a truss :D

my July 2021 has the front bottom plug, just changed the diff oil in both pumpkins. Front was ok but the rear was burned very badly, glad I did it. Had 8500 miles and only 2 mild offroad days.

 

[Terminus33]

I suppose one could take it to a shop, machine or otherwise and have a drain plug drilled and tapped. No idea how much that would cost but it's an option since the area is still prepped and flat for one.

 

[mrmo]

You can drill and tap yourself, not that hard. Wait till lube change, pull cover, get tap w correct drill, and plug...tap carefully, check plug fit often. Pipe thread taps can be tricky

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Of course you can but that's 12 bolts instead of one 1 plus a gasket you have to fool with. If you're somebody who off roads quite a bit and does water crossings it's so much more convenient to have drain and fill plugs.

I get what you are saying but drain plugs never "get it all out", especially with water. I have always, on anything I've ever changed fluid in as far as differentials, pulled the cover (exceptions of course being the old Ford setup, no cover to pull)
I pull the cover, use a plastic spreader or squeegee to get all of the stuff out, wipe it down good inside with lint-free clothes, make sure there's no traces of water inside, and button it up.
You find things that way you'd not otherwise find, and you can never get all of the water out with a drain plug.
Just me - too much stuff left inside, and if you are concerned about water, a drain plug ain't gonna cut it.

If 12 bolts is the issue - air ratchet.......... or electric ratchet, etc.

I found this in the bottom of the differential in one of my cars a few years ago - just draining and filling would have missed the fact I had a broken axle.

 

[WXman]

my July 2021 has the front bottom plug, just changed the diff oil in both pumpkins. Front was ok but the rear was burned very badly, glad I did it. Had 8500 miles and only 2 mild offroad days.

I think all the ones I've seen without a drain plug so far were Rubicon. I wonder if wide track vs standard axle has anything to do with this? Hmm...

 

[Maximus Gladius]

I get what you are saying but drain plugs never "get it all out", especially with water. I have always, on anything I've ever changed fluid in as far as differentials, pulled the cover (exceptions of course being the old Ford setup, no cover to pull)
I pull the cover, use a plastic spreader or squeegee to get all of the stuff out, wipe it down good inside with lint-free clothes, make sure there's no traces of water inside, and button it up.
You find things that way you'd not otherwise find, and you can never get all of the water out with a drain plug.
Just me - too much stuff left inside, and if you are concerned about water, a drain plug ain't gonna cut it.

If 12 bolts is the issue - air ratchet.......... or electric ratchet, etc.

I found this in the bottom of the differential in one of my cars a few years ago - just draining and filling would have missed the fact I had a broken axle.

I do have drain plugs but found your post compelling. Are these diff gaskets reusable? It was something I had read quickly on one post but skipped over. If I were to pull off the covers, would you recommend aftermarket ones, perhaps larger capacity?? Haven’t researched benefits of aftermarket yet.

 

[WXman]

Obviously for scheduled maintenance you would pop the inspection cover, clean the magnet, look at the spider and side gears, etc. That's always a good idea.

The reason the fill and drain plugs are so nice is for those unexpected high water crossings or off road scenarios where you need to quickly change the fluid in between scheduled maintenances. It's just a convenience item, sort of like the heated steering wheel I wouldn't live without now.

 

[jac04]

FYI, Maximus 3 has a drain plug skid for the front drain plug. It looks like it might get hung up on obstables more than no skid at all, but at least ir protects the plug.

https://maximus-3.com/suspension/jl...g-skid?search_query=drain+plug+skid&results=1

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I do have drain plugs but found your post compelling. Are these diff gaskets reusable? It was something I had read quickly on one post but skipped over. If I were to pull off the covers, would you recommend aftermarket ones, perhaps larger capacity?? Haven’t researched benefits of aftermarket yet.

I see no benefit to larger capacity, but as some of us have done with performance vehicles used under stressful conditions (track/racing) - anything with cooling may help (ie more surface area)
I've not pulled mine yet - but the time is coming since I did do some non ordinary simple highway driving (nothing off-road yet, though).
One of the designs AMC sold to Dana years ago involved a large square-cut o-ring for a cover seal. That could be used multiple times in some cases. I've not delved into the specifics on these.

I understand what WXman is trying to get across - but again, if I suspected water in mine, it would not be a routine drain and refill - THAT is the exact time I would pull the cover. For routine "I want to change the fluid but I've not raced this on the Newton NASCAR track" type change - I'd drain and refill. If I suspected water - I'd want that cover off so I could literally dry every trace of water beads out of that housing. Yes, normally water settles to the bottom, but any lube when churned will create and emulsion and there will be some fluid that doesn't come out. That drain isn't perfect, some will always remain inside.
So for me - routine "time to change the fluid" means I drain and refill
but
if I went through 30" of water, it was splashing, the differentials were hot when I went in so it may have sucked water in - that is where I'd pull the cover. I want that water out, I want the housing wiped down, get that milky emulsion out of there.

That's just me - a bit paranoid, especially when I've seen the "modern" bearings used in the pinion area, etc.

 

[brianinca]

I always use Permatex for diff covers, used to use a fiber gasket as well and then quit maybe 20 years ago.

Bigger covers with cooling fins etc are always a valid option.

I do have drain plugs but found your post compelling. Are these diff gaskets reusable? It was something I had read quickly on one post but skipped over. If I were to pull off the covers, would you recommend aftermarket ones, perhaps larger capacity?? Haven’t researched benefits of aftermarket yet.

 

[Rvalas]

I think all the ones I've seen without a drain plug so far were Rubicon. I wonder if wide track vs standard axle has anything to do with this? Hmm...

since I have a rubicon I am assuming it's the same as a widetrak axle. Honestly I am indifferent one way or the other about the plug. I always do a complete field strip of the center member when I do fluids on it so a plug or not meh. Also about being an off-road vulnerability I get it but it's far easier and less destructive to shield it then weld it. Also if it breaks it's a legit plea to the boss to upgrade to something more substantial like UD 60's and 80's

 

[Rvalas]

I do have drain plugs but found your post compelling. Are these diff gaskets reusable? It was something I had read quickly on one post but skipped over. If I were to pull off the covers, would you recommend aftermarket ones, perhaps larger capacity?? Haven’t researched benefits of aftermarket yet.

The gasket on the Dana 44 front and rear from the factory is a very high quality synthetic (rubberized plastic) gasket, I would reuse in a heartbeat after a good clean inspection. only reason I opted to buy a new gasket (synthetic again) was because from the factory mine was misaligned and pinched in the threads of on of the 10mm bolts on the top side. Was rather bummed but glad again that I checked it out.

 

[whiteglad]

My JT has the drain plug. When I have a vehicle without one, I use a heavy steel cover with a 1/8" NPT bung welded near the bottom as a drain.

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