Dana 60 Diff cover

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Here's the last one I made the other day.  Donated it to Centex Offroad for their BBQ raffle.Used a oxy/acet torch, grinder, drill and Lincoln 180hd.  Made from 1/4" plate.Also made one for a 14bolt rear axle a while back. This one has 1/2" around the ring gear. Pic is upside down, sorry.Hopefully one day I'll have a cnc plasma table at my disposal...
Reply:How thick are OEM covers again for those of us who came late to class? City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Wicked looking!... nice job there.Curious...  How do you make sure that the holes are drilled 'exactly right' and that the bolting surface is nice and flat so it makes a good seal?Cheers,Miller Diversion 165120 amp Buzz BoxVictor Oxy/Ace Oxy/LPGSmith "Little" Oxy/LPGHypertherm Powermax 30Lot's of Misc. tools n' crap....
Reply:Usually stock diff covers are pretty thin, especially on rear axles. Using 1/4" make them around 2-4 times thicker than factory, depending on the axle. These work great for offroading especially rock crawling. I make the mounting rings and then drill the holes to match the differential. Takes some time to make all the holes right. The dome part is mocked up on the mounting ring and then it is taken off and welded up solid. Once it's done then I clamp down the ring and weld the dome onto it. It keeps it pretty straight. I also skip weld around to help keep it from warping. Haven't had one yet that wouldn't seal up.
Reply:You should make an extra mounting ring with the holes drilled in it and keep it for use as a template if you are going to making more of these. Looks really good though!Sure, I can fix it... I got a welder!!!
Reply:I use a stock cover to line up where all the holes go. I've made a few of these, mostly for other members of CenTexOffroad. I've got patterns made for all the pieces for a few different axles now. Just something I like to do in my spare time and it makes a few bucks to buy more steel for other projects.
Reply:Very nice ! What wire size/speed ? gas type?
Reply:Wire size is .035 with the machine set on 4.5 and E using 75/25 mix.
Reply:Dang thats nice! Do you hand drill those holes or use a press?Last edited by Blazin; 03-10-2011 at 01:55 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by WTFabWire size is .035 with the machine set on 4.5 and E using 75/25 mix.
Reply:i would have totally seen if a drain plug was possible, but they look awesome!
Reply:Originally Posted by jmanWicked looking!... nice job there.Curious...  How do you make sure that the holes are drilled 'exactly right' and that the bolting surface is nice and flat so it makes a good seal?Cheers,
Reply:Wow, lots of questions. I have used a drill press for the holes and I've done it with a hand drill. I usually use the step bits from HF as they are cheap and fast.I know the machine doesn't recommend 1/4 " in a single pass,  but the way the pieces are assembled together it is basically like a V groove. I tack everything pretty good in all the corners and then weld up the inside and then the outside. Even if there isn't 100% penetration in all the welds, they aren't going anywhere. I mostly weld the inside and outside to make sure it won't leak at all.As far as a drain plug goes, I've thought about it alot. I feel that if you need to change the fluid in the diff, it's a good idea to check out the condition of the gears, locker, and bearings especially in a vehicle ttat is driven hard enough to need a stout diff cover for protection.Thanks for all the replies everyone.
Reply:Oh yeah, and I fully test out what I build. The diff covers I build on my jeep have been taking a good beating for a few years now and show no signs of giving up anytime soon.
Reply:Nice work and nice Heep.I get sick every time a CJ passes me lately. I've got to get my azz in gear and put my '76 '5 together enough to drive. It's setting SOA on an early 30 spline D44 rear w/ARB and the broken (from getting hit, not wheeling) D30 front. When it got hit it ruint (sic) the front springs, front axle housing, front steering box and linkages, and shoved the driveshaft back enough to bust the D20 T case.Oh yeah it mangled the LH fender, too. But pffffft who needs fenders on a CJ, I'll fix them with the ol' BFH.I've been scrounging parts and have most or all of what I need, depending on how I decide to put it back together.Currently waiting in the basement for me are a t176 and a D300 and a set of scout axles. The crappy part is that the scout was and early model with a D30 front. I can't complain since it was free, but I was really hoping for a set of D44's front and rear. Then I could use the ARB from my narrow track D44 in the new front axle, and Lincoln lock the rear. But like they say, "want in one hand and s*** in the other..."Brian LeonardAppalachian Ironworks L.L.C.434 Long Branch Rd, Marshall, NC 28753828 649 9966828 702 [email protected]
Reply:Nice work. Those look solid. I could use one for my 60. I bashed the stocker quite a few times at winter on the rocks down in St. George, Ut about a month ago. Those look like they can take a beating!!!
Reply:Nice, I just made one too! I made mine out of 3/8 and I plan on running my hydro assist ram off the cover. Attached ImagesHTP Invertig 201Lincoln Idealarc SP250Miller 180 AC StickBy farmall:They should have held the seagull closer to the work, squeezing evenly for best deposition.
Reply:Did you put any kind of fill plug in it?
Reply:Here's one I did the other day for a D44 axle.  I changed the way I mounted the fill plug to make it a little cleaner looking.  Thinking about adding a 1/4" drain plug mounted the same way at the bottom since so many people are asking about drain plugs.
Reply:Originally Posted by WTFabAs far as a drain plug goes, I've thought about it alot. I feel that if you need to change the fluid in the diff, it's a good idea to check out the condition of the gears, locker, and bearings especially in a vehicle ttat is driven hard enough to need a stout diff cover for protection.
Reply:Nice job on the diff cover! How about a diff cover with cooling fins?  Alot of guys upgrade to mag hytec, PML or Oasis for the larger fluid capacity and cooling fins.I definitely echo the drain plug.  It's nice to get the fluid drained out without a mess.  Plus you can use a magnetic drain plug to help capture metal gunk.  I agree with checkin out the gears.  But on windy days with flying dirt and debris, it's a real PITA.  Or even just a quick fluid swap from running in water.Lincoln AC225 and CartLincoln WeldPak HD and CartOne hand
Reply:I am from the old school for pulling the cover to change fluid.   How about figuring out a way to set the fill plug to the proper height dependent on pinion angle???  Or set the plug on a top face and use a dip-stick??? BTW:  Nice looking cover.
Reply:Im gonna put a drain plug in the D44 diff cover and see how it works out.As for setting up the fill plug for proper height depending on the pinion angle.... Well all the covers that I build hold more fluid than a stock cover so I doubt it really matters much unless you have a massive amount of pinion angle and that would be a whole different problem in itself as you would have way to much lift to be functional imo.I'll post some pics when I add the drain plug as well.
Reply:Originally Posted by WTFabDid you put any kind of fill plug in it?
Reply:Yep, all cut by hand with O/A torch then cleaned up with a grinder.Well that looks really good. I finally got an O/A setup and I cant wait to build my 14 bolt cover next. More like a 13 bolt though. HTP Invertig 201Lincoln Idealarc SP250Miller 180 AC StickBy farmall:They should have held the seagull closer to the work, squeezing evenly for best deposition.
Reply:also wondering how you get all the pieces lined up, you have a jig or something ?
Reply:No jig, I don't make them enough to warrant making one. I just use the same cardboard templates to trace out before I cut the pieces and they fit up pretty close to the same each time. I couldn't compete with the big guys and their fancy water jet tables and laser cutters by doing it this way. I mostly build them for friends and built two at a time when I make them. I've sold a few on Ebay as well.
Reply:Originally Posted by WTFabNo jig, I don't make them enough to warrant making one. I just use the same cardboard templates to trace out before I cut the pieces and they fit up pretty close to the same each time. I couldn't compete with the big guys and their fancy water jet tables and laser cutters by doing it this way. I mostly build them for friends and built two at a time when I make them. I've sold a few on Ebay as well.
Reply:A big drain plug would add a significant amount of $ to making one of these. Ballistic fab sells a fill plug and bung for around $5 w/o shipping that is 1/2". I haven't found any larger ones really, nor do I want to put a bigger one in. I buy the 1/2" plugs for about a buck and buy a three way pipe  'T' and cut the threaded ends off to make the weld in bungs I use. It costs less than $2 total for each fill plug doing it this way. Pretty simple really.I don't buy to many pre-fabbed parts as I can make pretty much everything I need usually. I like the enjoyment I get out making something myself that works well and saves me money as well. I enjoy working with my hands and seeing what I can accomplish if I try. This is the main reason I got into welding.