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leaking rear differential...from the fill plug

Old Oct 4, 2009 | 10:49 PM
  #1  
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Default leaking rear differential...from the fill plug

Hi ya'll, hope everyone is having a good night.

My rear D35 is leaking from the fill plug. I tightened it, and it just spun and spun and would not tighten. Is there a cheap way to fix this or should I just use it as an excuse to buy one of those cool heavy duty differential covers.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 10:55 PM
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I have no experience with this I'm a noob but I would use it as an excuse to buy a heavy duty one!!
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 10:55 PM
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Oh yeah get the ARB one
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 11:14 PM
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Originally Posted by humboldt2door
I tightened it, and it just spun and spun and would not tighten. Is there a cheap way to fix this or should I just use it as an excuse to buy one of those cool heavy duty differential covers.

You cant tighten the rubber fill plug.

Just go buy a new one. (fill plug that is)
Should be replaced every once in a while anyways, as rubber shrinks and drys out with time.

Unless you really want a new cover?
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 11:20 PM
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Ok, I know this IS a good excuse to buy a cool differential cover, but is there a way to fix it that is reasonable. I was looking at one of those SOLID industries differential covers, but I would rather hold out till I can afford an OX locker.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 11:22 PM
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OAS,
Cool, thankyou, I will get a new one, and put off the rear differential locker / cover for another day
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 05:09 PM
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If it's the rubber pop-in plug, it won't be threaded, and they start to get brittle and leak after a few years. Don't buy just one - buy a handful, and store the extras somewhere cool and dark until you need them.

Or, get an earlier cover from the boneyard (with the threaded hole,) and get a brass pipe plug to fit it - all years same-same cover.

I never did like the idea of the rubber plug, although I know why they did it (rubber plug costs less, cover can be stamped in one operation, no threading, ... Damned beancounters.)

Alternatively - give Dan Fredrickson at RuffStuff a call - I've not used his stuff myself yet, but reports from the field have been consistently excellent, and he's on my list...
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 05:18 PM
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JB weld it in place for the time being until you decide to upgrade your D35 with a real rear axle.
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 06:56 PM
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i've heard of people putting rtv around them to seal it up. or just buy a new one.
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