guys
gunna change the rear fluid and looking for a cool rear cover(have a cheesy chrome unit now)any opinions would be good,thanx 67RAT member #199

On the inside of some of the rear end covers, there is a ridge that looks as if its for added durability. Well, it may be, but the main function of that ridge is to direct the gear lube from one axle tube to the other. So look for one with this ridge. My 0.02.

------------------
Jeremy J. Bennett
Team Chevelle #298
www.chevelles.com/showroom/72CHEVELLE1.jpg (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/72CHEVELLE1.jpg)

Jeremy is right on (another loyal Super Chevy reader?)with the lube info.If your stock cover is ridged,why not have it ultragloss silver coated (like HPC or similiar).I have seen suspension parts done and it looks very nice.Some food for thought.

They make trick aluminum covers that strenghten the rear end and make it look cool. Not sure who makes it but they advertise in most car magazines. They go for a 150 bucks or so.

Im with crazy. Nothin' says "Beefy" like an aluminum rear-end girdle. They arent TOO much, they add strenth, they often have the drain plugs on them and they look just plain COOL!

------------------
66 Big-Block Chevelle Houston, TX ACES#3321

Summit has a dif cover w/girdle for $139.00
Jegs has an Embosssed one w/girdle for $149.00

I keep looking on Ebay for the Mr. Gasket ribbed aluminum diff covers for my 12 bolt. I think they're discontinued now, but they look SO cool! I'll probably end up keeping the original cover that's on my 70 SS now, because it adds a little 'history', I guess. It always looked a little ripply and banged up to me, and this summer, when I overhauled the entire rear, I popped off the cover and there was tons of welding on the inside surface of the cover, as if someone had blown a ring gear at one time. And the gears weren't original -- they were Richmond units. Unfortunately, that's about all the history I have on my car! I think those kind of things, even reminders of past mishaps, are cool to keep on the car.

Rat, yeah go with the girdle ones if you can afford it ( you big titted b&&ch you!), otherwise the tip about the V groove it right on I just read that myself. ( Super Chevy). The girlde type covers I've seen are supposed to thighten up the area around the dif bearning caps and some even look ike they load the area to stop deflection.

As far as coatings, I'll tell you that I simply hit my 75 Nova alum cover( Mr. Gasket finned) with clear ( matte ) and I think it's still oxidation free, so clearing it works .

But Rat your ride is all go and IMHO a stock black diff cover would be fine and I think they look OK too. Cheezy chrome ones are a no-go beacuse chrome usually sucks at sealing anyway.

If you;re gonna use a gasket ( guys say they don;t use them anymore, just RTV ) and need one, just email me with your address. I've got like 6 of them in my garage.

See ya.

[This message has been edited by Gene Chas (edited 12-17-99).]

[This message has been edited by Gene Chas (edited 12-21-1999).]

Hey 67Rat, since we aren't able to post images here right now, go to the following link...
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/wescolby8.jpg

It's not a good shot but it should give you some idea of how it looks. I run a fuel cell in the trunk so with no gas tank in the way, there is some additional viewing room...expect to see a lot less with the gas tank in place. Think I got if from Summit for around $145.


------------------
1970 Malibu - 383 'Fog Fed' Stroker! Houston, Texas...Gold Member #39
Now looking for a 70' ragtop to... "Drop a Gear and Disappear!"

[This message has been edited by Wes Colby (edited 12-17-99).]

Be careful of the chrome ones from Mr Gasket.They're not deep enough. I Had to double up on the gaskets just to get the ring gear to keep fromrubbing against the inside of thr cover. Eventualy the ring gear wore a hole in the cover. When I poped off the cover there was metal fileings everywhere.
I wish I kept My original.

Jeff

I've always liked a stock cover that was painted body color. Adds a little to the underside, and chrome ones really leak bad. The aluminum girdle style are tuff looking. Just installed one of those on a 71 chevelle a few weeks back. Looked cool.

Anyway, if you still have the stock one laying around, try to paint it body color and see what you think.

------------------
70 & 1/2 RS Camaro
SB406 & M20 4spd
9" Rear
70 Malibu
SB350 & TH400

Gold Member # 103

wes
Thats the one I was lookin for,do you know brand name?btw--your chevelle looks tough from the rear,probaly the only view I would get to see!
I dont understand this chrome cover leaking problem,had mine on for 18 years,changed the fluid many times,no leaks!with no silicone!
Thanx guys--67RAT member #199

You can get a top quality Chrome cover from GM performance parts for about $30 bucks. Got it from our good friends at Ground UP. This baby is the same thickness as stock steel but adds the beauty (IMHO) of chrome. Rib is there. (I saw the Super Chevy article too http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif ) I went for chrome bolts too.

--Andy--

Hey 67Rat, I found that support cover from Summit and its' under their own brand name...but not sure who actually makes it for them. It looks better IMO than the piece from Jeg's. Cost is $139.99 and includes a new gasket. One tip though...when you get ready to install it, be sure to find or use a torque wrench capable of measuring less than 10ftlbs.. The instructions tell you what torque value (i think it was only 8ftlbs) to use when setting the differential bearing cap preload.

------------------
1970 Malibu - 383 'Fog Fed' Stroker! Houston, Texas...Gold Member #39
Now looking for a 70' ragtop to... "Drop a Gear and Disappear!"

Wes is right as I have one of these from Summit on my car. Looks great and is definately heavy duty. The cover comes with a gasket and the required bolts as the cover is around 3/4 inch thick where it bolts to the rear housing so longer bolts are required. Although it comes with a gasket I believe the directions recommend installing the cover without the gasket and just sealer. Something having to do with deflection or something with the preload bolts. It has a drain plug at the bottom and a fill plug too that is higher than the stock one in the housing so you can add more fluid than stock also if you like. The ultimate in covers in my opinion. In the current Summit catalog (November-December) the part number is SUM-730812 for 12 bolt passenger car and is 139.99.

Hey Wes, that cover looks like one that was sold many moons ago by a company called Geis or Gies, spelling! It was supposed to help with the main caps on the rear, it had studs that put pre-load on the bearing caps. I don't think that baby is still around but it looks like the cover is from your picture. I think you need bigger tires on the back!



------------------
Wally
Gold #67
67 Malibu "Small Block"
90 SS454
71 Malibu "Small Block"
93 torch red vette

Yea Wally, that cover is super thick, as 68ss396 posted and the bearing pre-loads' are supposed to prevent any torsional flexing within the carrier. Since it came as unfinished aluminum, I hit it with several thin coats of high-temp semi-gloss clear. Bigger tires? http://www.chevelles.com/forum/eek.gif No thanks Wally! I think I've managed to stuff enough rubber under there without having to tub her. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif

------------------
1970 Malibu - 383 'Fog Fed' Brute Force Chevelle. Houston, Texas...Gold Member #39

It's been said in the forum once and I guess I'll say it again. There IS a reason you should use a gasket to seal the cover. Ever notice the little slots in a stock gasket? That's to help aid in the lubrication of the axle bearings. Please don't use just silicone to put the cover on. Spend the $3 or so and buy a Felpro gasket for it. If you can't find them let me know and I can send you one.

J.J. Fig

------------------
MCC member #256
http://www.clark.net/pub/chevelle/mcc.htm

Fig, I used the gasket they supplied even though they didn't reccomend it. I am not sure I understand how the gasket aids in axle bearing lubrication. Without the gasket the passage way is even larger. Seems to me the gasket restricts flow in that area, but I don't have a setup in front of me to look at. Can you enlighten me, now I'm curious.

well,thanx guys
ordered a cover with the supports,169.95 bucks,what the hel,have it tommorow.thanx wes for the tip,and those tires look just fine,they even look like they have wear,good sign!get on it much?if you have any advice for a 427 with n2o,e-mail me.with 4-speed,any tips would help,feel im down on power(600 h.p. at flywheel)I NEED MORE!and dont want to touch the motor,its fine!guess I dont need more,I WANT MORE! I would only use it in 4th gear.
gene,you gonna pull that thing again?
yea,roller cam,I made the mistake of the soild thing,Id go roller but dont want to disturb it!the dam rat sounds like a dry machine,tickin and whinin,its bad when your motor is louder than your exaust!But cool!
next trick is slicks on rallys,with a painted red line,and the chrome.
stock look,all business,that -y-I like your rides wes and gene,stock lookin,race underpinnings,and might stomp most tubbed rides,nothing like a wolf in sheeps clothing!
hey,thanx,67RAT member #199

[This message has been edited by 67RAT (edited 12-22-1999).]

Camaro the problem is that when you use silicone there is the high chance that the silicone will actually fill in that hole. Therefore the passage gets clogged. Yes the gasket restricts it some but when compared to what silicone will do... You make the call butfeel free to look up the previous posts on this subject.

J.J. Fig

------------------
MCC member #256
http://www.clark.net/pub/chevelle/mcc.htm

Fig:
I undertand your reasoning on this, but the cover actually has little dimples in it that allow the fluid to go through the holes in the housing. When silicone is applied correctly, it allows full flow through these holes, rather than the limited slit in the gasket. Also, not all gaskets have these slits in them. I work in a driveline shop and we do many, many Chevy 8.5 10 bolt rearend overhauls, (as well as 8.8 Ford) and we never use a gasket, and also never have problems. The ones that come in with gaskets on them usually have been leaking, and the ones that come in with silicone have not been leaking, so again, you make the call.

I'm not totally against gaskets on rear diffs, but have no faith in them sealing properly. I also have no faith in the average silicone user, either. I see so many examples of silicone overuse that I swear to god Permatex has some kind of arrangement with certain repair shops to see who can use the most. It is disgusting to see silicone oozing out of every orifice, and covering every bolt head. This is the example you raise, and the reason for using a gasket, and I agree with you. If a person doesn't know how to use silicone properly, DON'T USE IT !

When we use silicone, we only use the ultra-blue, or ultra black and we run a small bead between the bolt holes, then smear the silicone (with a finger) along the gasket surface of the cover, to simulate a gasket, and only about as thick as a gasket. when the cover is installed, if any silicone is oozing out, you used too much. Again, I have never had a comeback in all the diffs I have worked on using silicone in this manner, but when gaskets are used (usually a customer request), we get comebacks with leaks.

OK, now it's up to everyone else to determine what they like better.

------------------
70 & 1/2 RS Camaro
SB406 & M20 4spd
9" Rear
70 Malibu
SB350 & TH400

Gold Member # 103
Driveline Technician




[This message has been edited by Scooter (edited 12-22-1999).]

Thanks Fig and Scooter. The overuse of gasket sealer is a whole other post. I don't know if its abuse or could go as far as molestation but I have seen some bad sealer jobs. I think some people think the more sealer that squirts out or ends up inside whatever your sealing the better.

Well,got the cover,the supported one,gonna stick it on next week,no gasket,they say!wanna see what santa brings----gears?
dont think so but ya never caaaaan tell!
any advice for a 427,4-speed,nos set-up!
any thing would help that i dont know allready!

67RAT member #199