Diff Cover With Skid

01TJ-Blues

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So evidently the Currie or Barnes diff cover with the built in skid has been discontinued. I picked one up from @DustyCrackers a couple weeks ago and installed it and it doesn’t look like it would be too difficult to produce these.

If I did weld some of these up would it be preferred to have the lower fill plug or the higher one? I’d think higher but it was a little bit of a pain to fill it with the tie rod right in the way and with a Rubicon the airline is right behind the fill plug also which makes the depth of the plug important so the line doesn’t get damaged. If I used the lower fill plug I’d need to build a recess in the skid so access could be had to that fill plug location which isn’t a huge deal but possible.

Anyone interested in these things in case I decide to build some?

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im interested!.

Fill plug up higher would be cool but i dont mind.

what was the going rate for the barnes?
It actually looks like they are from Barnett and run $159 but you can’t get them. Not sure how old that price was/is but I’ll look at getting materials and see what time I’ll have into them to see if it makes sense.
 
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They show out of stock but if they have freshies being built then maybe there is no need then.
The problem is getting new Dana Covers. The rest is just work. Dana has always had supply issues. We were getting covers from them 100 at a time for a Superior product and even back then we couldn't count on 100% fulfillment. They would arrive in dribs and drabs and eventually we got enough but never a full order at once.
 
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Currie shows discontinued, Barnett shows out of stock with no ETA.

The problem is getting new Dana Covers. The rest is just work. Dana has always had supply issues. We were getting covers from them 100 at a time for a Superior product and even back then we couldn't count on 100% fulfillment. They would arrive in dribs and drabs and eventually we got enough but never a full order at once.

Is there anything stopping the home guy from adding on to our own covers? All can think of is keeping the cover flat.
 
Is there anything stopping the home guy from adding on to our own covers? All can think of is keeping the cover flat.
I'm not a experienced welder obviously but couldn't you bolt the cover down to something to stay flat?
 
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Is there anything stopping the home guy from adding on to our own covers? All can think of is keeping the cover flat.
Nothing at all but the fixturing you need to keep it flat wouldn't be for the casual 1 or 2 builder. You need a substantial piece of plate to bolt the upper bolt holes down to hold that flat. Then you need something to align the lower pieces of bolt sleeve and clamp down the lower half. I suspect that the bolt sleeves are slightly long, have bushings in them, bolts with washers to suck all that down and hold it centered. Then after all the welding is done, the sleeves are trimmed to the desired length and angle.

All easily done.
 
Is there anything stopping the home guy from adding on to our own covers? All can think of is keeping the cover flat.
That’s what I was going to offer next, I have two and figured maybe building those out then using cores to build more when selling the one I built. Not efficient but I’m not in it for a business just helping fill a void of people wanted them. At $159 for a new one with the skid welded onto it they aren’t making much either.
 
I'm not a experienced welder obviously but couldn't you bolt the cover down to something to stay flat?
I already have a buddy drawing up a program to built a jig using 2” aluminum he had left over from a on other job.
 
Actually after @mrblaine chimed in with his holding tool I think using studs to drop the cover, skid and tubes over, tighten with thumbscrew nuts and it could be a simple and effective holding tool.
 
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I already have a buddy drawing up a program to built a jig using 2” aluminum he had left over from a on other job.
If you have a drill press, you could already have the jig done by the time he gets the program written.

Lay the cover on top of the block of aluminum. Mark one hole and drill it 1/4" deep with a bit the size of the hole. Pull that bit, switch to the tap size bit, go back in the same hole and drill it as deep as the threads will be. Thread that hole, bolt the cover in place. Drill a hole through the cover hole with the hole size bit opposite the first hole, repeat so you can bolt that side down. When you have two holes bolted down, switch back to the hole size bit, drill all the rest 1/4" deep, and finish it off the same way you did the first two.