As the title says... I've seen these, but not necessarily for a 10-bolt. Also, I'd like a magnetic drain plug at the bottom.
Suggestions?
Suggestions?
CK5
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10-bolt diff cover with dipstick??? Where?
- Thread starter jonrpick
- Start date
readymix
3/4 ton status
get a new diff cover and weld them in.
pauly383
Daddy383
Probably not real necessary . If you don't peel the cover on rock , and if you went with new axle seals they should take a long time to leak out when flexing .
readymix said:
I don't have a welder or know how to weld...
True... but I'm not taking chances. Reportedly, according to Pep Boys
, the axle failed because of a leaking pinion seal, which caused major fluid loss. Strangely enough, after it was refilled and driven 200+ miles to get back to ATL, it showed no signs of leaking... 
Because of that, and the fact that ALL the bearings seemed fine, I'm betting it was the t-case making the noise in the driveline all along. I have a replacement case, but won't swap it until I have the axle installed and make a test drive to verify that the noise is still there.
Either way, low fluids will not beat me. I want an easy way to monitor it. Instead of pulling 10 bolts, I'd like to pull one to drain it, one in an easily accessible location (the diff cover) to fill it, and have a dipstick to monitor it.
I found one from Mag-Hytec...but it's pricey. It also has a fitting for a temp sender should I feel the need to add one (unlikely since it's a 10-bolt, open on 31's).
http://www.mag-hytec.com/store/inde..._id=33&zenid=f377d40a0ccb633f12e9e02b0360e81b
you have a level checker, its that fill plug. stick your finger in there and check level and condition. also you can get those cleargearz covers.
readymix
3/4 ton status
get one, and all the parts, and I'll weld it for free. Just ship it to me.
Flat rate should be around $10
Flat rate should be around $10
The polycarbonate gear covers are...I don't know. I'm sure they're strong enough for a street vehicle (which this will primarily be), but it just seems like it would invite people to want to look at it, or possibly mess with it.
I know about the finger trick... I don't like it. I don't like the location of the fill plug, or using a 3/8" drive to get it out. The Mag-Hytec's dipstick opening is big enough to use to fill it, and has the drain plug...
I've never seen just the dipstick parts before...
I know adding a bung and the drain plug would be fairly easy, but where to find the dipstick?
pauly383
Daddy383
True... but I'm not taking chances. Reportedly, according to Pep Boys
Manny , Moe , and Jack are cohabitating eternal flames
On my axle , I took off the pinion seal cover ( rocks break em loose ) , and run with the seal exposed . I don't leak at all , and the edges are dinged up .
readymix
3/4 ton status
Could probably fab one using parts from an oil dip stick welded into a large bolt. I am sure there are 100 different ways to get it done.
True... I'll let you know what I come up with.
pauly383
Daddy383
Drill and tap bottom of diff , use a pipe plug , will be flush or lower than flush , and easy to drain 
Perhaps you will ding the edges of the hole wheeling , but usually when you loosen something like that , it comes out and fixes itself .
Perhaps you will ding the edges of the hole wheeling , but usually when you loosen something like that , it comes out and fixes itself .
Just get some aluminum covers that have the fill plug hole AND a drain hole at the bottom.
I just opened this thread for the first time and immediately said MAG-HYTEC but you already found it.
I just opened this thread for the first time and immediately said MAG-HYTEC but you already found it.
barneybasher1010
1/2 ton status
Mudstud
1/2 ton status
You certain you ain't loosen gear oil inside the axle tubes? Please excuse me but a dip stick on a dif sounds laughable. I thought you were joking at first. Why is turning a cover plug out to check condition and level so hard? You are only going to use it a couple times to establish you either have a leak or you don't. If you do have a leak then you'll fix it rendering the dip stick pointless after that.
this reminded me of Michael(supreme70')'s bad seal.
remember the JELLO he had in his rear diff?
You don't have to use the evil 3/8 inverse square-drive that the factory provides... it's a perfectly normal pipe-thread, so you go to the hardware store and get yourself a pipe plug from the plumbing aisle. I think it's 3/8" NPT, but whatever.
Then you just take the dang thing off with an adjustable wrench 'cuz the pipe plug has a nice square head sticking OUT, stick your gloved finger into the hole (don't that just sound wrong!) ... and voila. Done, buck twenty nine.
-- A
Then you just take the dang thing off with an adjustable wrench 'cuz the pipe plug has a nice square head sticking OUT, stick your gloved finger into the hole (don't that just sound wrong!) ... and voila. Done, buck twenty nine.
-- A
Because I don't want to do that. I want a dipstick. Why is that so hard to understand?
I saw no signs of any leaks anywhere on the axle.
I think you could make what you want with JB Weld, tin snips, hack saw, hole saw, and left over tranny parts. Use a tranny drain plug kit and bolt a drain into the bottom of the cover. Then whack off the top of a tranny dipstick tube and cut tabs into the bottom of it. Bend the tabs to fit flush with the desired area of the cover. Then cut a hole there too and JB Weld the tube over it, it will be plenty strong if you do the flanges right. Then just cut the dipstick to the right length, and you can even etch in a "FULL" and "ADD" marks.
*edit* If you wanted to be slick, you could also use the locking type dipstick
*edit* If you wanted to be slick, you could also use the locking type dipstick
nad
1/2 ton status
That would look pretty goofy I think. A dipstick sticking out of a differential. I guess it could be useful though. I just look at the ground, and if there's not more than a few drops, "We're good to go!"
