Best Diff Protection??

[NoCJ4CJ]

What is the best d44 and ford 9 skid/rock protection out there? I am looking at James Duff, sexton, etc. What are you guys running??? Good or bad?

Thanks.

 

[oleguy74]

don't hit the big rocks. just couldnt help it.

 

[br0nc0xrapt0r]

X2 don't hit rocks, skid plates just hang you up.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Run a stoc D44 front cover. They are the thickest steel. Aftermarket chrome is too thin and bends. Fancy aluminium likes to crack.

Nothing in the back, but I have thought about a Currie housing with the shaved bottom.

What are you trying to accomplish?

If you are hitting rocks hard enough to damage the axle, no bolt on protection will do anything for you.
If you are trying to play PJ and see how much air you get at the dunes, find a fab shop and have them build you a good cage first, then truss the axles second. Weld on is the only way it will be any good. And you will still have the weak point of the ball joints and knuckles. Aftermarket thick wall axle housing is the only resonable option for the rear.

 

[Tito]

I put the GLO pinion guard on mine and it has helped save my yoke and DS several times on the rocks. I have scraped up my housing plenty but no damage, I am more worried about that yoke area as my week point. I put an aftermarket cover in the front and it has taken plenty of abuse (mainly from my steering components when they got tweeked while wheeling one time). I got it from Complete Offroad.

They had a mass buy going on the guards, check over in the vendor section for info on that.

 

[broncnaz]

X3 learn to avoid hitting the rocks.
If your really concerned about it I would probalby weld a thin plate of steel to bottom and possibly the front leading edge at a angle of the 9in. Worst part about putting anything on is that you further reduce the clearnace you have and a some of the products just give you another spot to hang up on. Yokes are pretty tough If you hit something hard enough to damage the yoke you may endup breaking the case.

 

[Viperwolf1]

How about a 3 in thick layer of rubber bed liner. You wouldn't even hear the rocks hitting.

 

[66Gasgrill]

If your looking for the front I would look to Dynatrac. i have the 44 cover on mine and it has taken loads of abuse plus it has recessed bolt holes so you won't mangle the bolt heads. i have racked it back and for on rocks and it hasn't leaked yet. I think they're made out of nodular iron. For the 9" your pretty limited. Are you wanting a pinion guard or something for the housing? If it's a pinion guard the one Tito posted and the skid plate style are the only ones I've seen. I made a guard for the rear housing on mine. I shaved the bottom about an inch and replated it with 1/4". I also put in a drain plug. Then I wraped a piece of 1/4" plate about 3/4 the way up the ring gear hump. Works pretty well. I have a little more clearance and don't worry about dropping off on to a big rock.


http://www.dynatrac.com/products_diffcovers.html

 

[Mark]

Run a stoc D44 front cover. They are the thickest steel. Aftermarket chrome is too thin and bends. Fancy aluminium likes to crack.
If you are hitting rocks hard enough to damage the axle, no bolt on protection will do anything for you.

A stock D44 cover bends like a tin can - I know.
Bolt on protection can help.
http://completeoffroad.com/i-123356-trail-defense-dana-44-diferential-cover.html

BEEFY !

 

[NoCJ4CJ]

Thanks for the info...I love the "miss the rocks" advice. If you miss the "rocks" when you are "rock crawling", I think you may have also missed the trail!! It makes it easier to tell who is running fire roads after dropping the kids off at school and who is actually wheelin'! I'm Kidding...I agree, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...or something like that. I'm not perfect like most Bronc busters and the Rubicon has left a couple dings on my diffs over the last few years (along with a tie rod bent up into the cover after sliding off a boulder)...nothin big or show stopping but enough to make me think about some protection down there. I don't really need to truss her out or anything for axle strength and I definitely don't want to get hung up because of protection, but a d44 nodular iron cover and some streamlined rear skid protection sounds like the way to go.

 

[malcolmzilla]

D44 stock cover, torch bend and weld some 3/8" over the lower lip and up the center protrusion.

9" rear, same treatment along bottom and up ring gear protrustion, add a GLO guard. A good time to also drill and tap a recessed drain.

 

[Gummi Bear]

I run a Buttface on the D44, and Sunray modified my 9" with a 'panty liner' and a shave job.

http://www.baertrax.com/bf.htm

I also own a Rockcrusher diff cover from Mad4wd. Super nice folks, I intend to put it on the 76.

 

[73ny]

Got this from Dusty:

http://www.wcb4x4.com/mm5/merchant....Code=WCB&Product_Code=10108&Category_Code=DCP

 

[sprinksbeme]

I run the Crane Diff cover on my 44, and a Four Treks pinion protector on the 9''.
I think the cover that Sexton has is close to the Crane. It is at least 1/2" thick Ductile Iron and it takes a beating.

 

[tdc_worm]

arb makes a compelling argument for their diff cover, i am running this in the front:

http://www.arbusa.com/dana-differential-cover.php