ARB Diff Covers -- do they rock, or suck?

tengland

tengland

New member
About to pull the trigger on a pair of ARB differential covers for dana 44's on a 2016 JKRHR with stock suspension and wheels. They look great, sound like they can take major abuse, I like the drain hole, and sounds like there won't be any clearance issues.

Any strong opinions one way or the other?


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J

JKDream

Guest
tengland said:
About to pull the trigger on a pair of ARB differential covers for dana 44's on a 2016 JKRHR with stock suspension and wheels. They look great, sound like they can take major abuse, I like the drain hole, and sounds like there won't be any clearance issues.

Any strong opinions one way or the other?


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Pretty much any of the aftermarket covers are significantly stronger than the OEM one, and more than sufficient. Pick the one you think looks the best. I went with a Dynatrac cover in the rear to match my PR front.

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tengland

tengland

New member
Awesome feedback, guys -- appreciated!

I saw the wayalife write up about installation, where RTV was recommended. I'd prefer to use an old fashioned gasket instead but perhaps there is a tangible benefit of using The Right Stuff RTV. What might that benefit be?

Thanks again for the discussion...


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WJCO

WJCO

Meme King
tengland said:
Awesome feedback, guys -- appreciated!

I saw the wayalife write up about installation, where RTV was recommended. I'd prefer to use an old fashioned gasket instead but perhaps there is a tangible benefit of using The Right Stuff RTV. What might that benefit be?

Thanks again for the discussion...


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It's fast, RTV doesn't leak if done right, compared to prior tube RTVs, the one minute gasket dries quickly, you can pretty much put fluid right in afterward, and the pressurized trigger can keeps you from having to squeeze a tube. I've always found RTV to be a better sealant than paper/rubber gaskets on diffs and trans pans.
 
mudmobeeler

mudmobeeler

Caught the Bug
tengland said:
Awesome feedback, guys -- appreciated!

I saw the wayalife write up about installation, where RTV was recommended. I'd prefer to use an old fashioned gasket instead but perhaps there is a tangible benefit of using The Right Stuff RTV. What might that benefit be?

Thanks again for the discussion...


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Even with a paper gasket, you will usually want to apply a slight layer of rtv as you will a lot of times still have some leaks.


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D

Dirtysocks

New member
Also the dipstick on the ARB covers makes it easy to check gear oil levels if you ever need to do that.

That might also help to check the oil for any water contamination after water crossings.

Have had ARB covers on both diffs for a couple of years now & they have been great.


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RanchoRubi

RanchoRubi

Caught the Bug
I have dynatrac on front(part of pr44) and ARB in rear. Both are great and have taken abuse. The arb drain plug and fill are definitely a plus. The fill makes checking condition and level of oil easy. Also the arb fill has a magnetic dip stick. If shavings are happening you will get a sense of something earlier so you can maybe prevent something worse.


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tengland

tengland

New member
You guys have hit all the main reasons why really like the ARB's. It's good to hear this feedback from folks who own them.

I also liked the suggestion of using a little bit of RTV even if I go the standard gasket route.

Ok, only decision left is whether to order from Amazon or Extreme Terrain or somebody else...


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jagrubb99

jagrubb99

New member
I would not recommend Extreme Terrain. They have shady business characteristics and have ripped off the owners of this forum multiple times. Amazon would work.
 
W

webejeepin

Member
WJCO said:
It's fast, RTV doesn't leak if done right, compared to prior tube RTVs, the one minute gasket dries quickly, you can pretty much put fluid right in afterward, and the pressurized trigger can keeps you from having to squeeze a tube. I've always found RTV to be a better sealant than paper/rubber gaskets on diffs and trans pans.
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^ great response thanks, I too learned some things from this post.
 
mudmobeeler

mudmobeeler

Caught the Bug
Jkzinger said:
Get lubelockers and you will not have any issues. Been using them for years.


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I've heard from multiple people that those will still leak. I've also heard that if you pull your covers off and reinstall a lot that they will eventually crush down and not properly seal anymore. Which makes since and I've seen that first hand with a similar type gasket on other things. So while I like the idea behind them, I believe I would skip the lube locker gaskets and run some RTV. When properly applied, I've never had issues with RTV and never heard of any issues.


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DMF

DMF

Active Member
Run ARB covers front and back and learning how to off road i dragged my diff over many rocks and it held up. I use to just use RTV but it's such a pita to clean. My razor would always snag on the edges of the diff making it hard to clean. I just use a lube locker now.


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benatc1

benatc1

Hooked
I ran an ARB cover on the rear of my 2 door. Really liked it and it was beefy. Only downside is how it hung a little low below the pumpkin and would easily "get caught" also the dipstick was mostly worthless after I changed the angle of my rear pinion. Held up well though!


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10frank9

10frank9

Web Wheeler
They are worth the price tag IMHO. I have them front and rear. Once I banged my front. OEM diff cover on an invisible rock ;) and it crumpled like an aluminum can, I upgraded and have not regretted it. Price hurts at first but once you install them you'll be glad to have such solid armor.
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