Sewer pipe cap diff cover writeup

[bronko]

Well I was on a logging road trying to keep up with a quad when a rock "jumped" up out of nowhere and pushed int he front diff cover along with putting 2 holes into it. The bad news that it wasn't my buggy, but my sisters DD. The carnage:



So I decided to pipe cap it. What your looking for is a 8" diameter industrial pipe cape cover, they are around 3/8" thick. They can be found at most industrail supply centers and can range from $20 to $35 so if your a cheap bastardo shop around.

First, disassemble your front end and pull out the 3rd member. If your installing a locker/gears I would do this at the same time. Next, cut off your front diff cover. I used a torch but you can use what you got. Here's a pic of the cover getting torched off and it's hard to tell but the diff fluid inside is on fire:



But it isn't just that simple, your going to have to modify your new sewer cap. First your going to have to cut off around 3/4" of an inch from the bottom. This will allow you to clear the panhard rod and still give you proper ring gear clearance. You can cut it down with a sawzall, torch, plasma, mill or if your masochistic a hack-saw. Here is the 3/4" your going to have to take off:



Ok, now it's time to install the diff plug. Your going to have to first cut out your old diff plug. You can use a torch/plasma or a hole saw will work too. Once you have the old one cut out line up where the new hole will be placed in the sewer cap and make the same sized hole in the cap. Now just weld up your new bung hole and your plugged




Hold on for part 2...

[bronko]

Here's a pic of the new bung all welded up from the inside:



Next is your going to have to make two bend tabs for ring gear clearance. This step is best left for when you cut off your old cover and can line it up with the ring gear notches in the housing (this is easily understood once you cut off your existing front cover). Basically make two slits about 1-1/2" long and bend the tabs up with a BFH. Once you get the tabs bent up check for clearance with the the 3rd member installed. I actually had enough clearence with just one tab, but I made two just to be safe. Here's one of the tabs:



And your cover up to this point:



Ok now its time for a last test fit with the 3rd member installed. Spin it to make sure the ring gear isn't touching the cover. Also check for clearance with the front panhard. Your now ready to weld the cover up. Make sure both surfaces are grinded clean and flat and tack it up. Again check for all of your clearances, if you want you can cycle the suspension up and down to make sure it doesn't hit the panhard. Now weld her up, along with the slits and enjoy your new bullet proof front diff cover.

[darkstar]

Nice tech! You get extra points for doing it in the dirt

[D110pickup]

Great write up!

There have been a lot of questions about the sewer cap installation through the years.
Mike

[tobbjo]

Thank's for tech.
And from me the extra points go for torching and welding in sandals

Tobias

[wilsby]

Nice, I guess it's getting time to do this.

I know the caps are readily available in the US, but has anyone managed to find them in Europe, and what is their intended use? Could be helpful in locating them...

[Bush65]

Originally Posted by wilsby

Nice, I guess it's getting time to do this.

I know the caps are readily available in the US, but has anyone managed to find them in Europe, and what is their intended use? Could be helpful in locating them...

They are use to blank the end of a pipeline. There will be hundreds of thousands (or more) of them in use in Europe.

[tobbjo]

In Sweden they are available at e.g. Dahl, a plumbers store. More expensive than US.
I have the catalog at home and will look up the number.

Tobias

[ISUZUROVER]

Originally Posted by Bush65

They are use to blank the end of a pipeline. There will be hundreds of thousands (or more) of them in use in Europe.

Have you bought them in OZ John? And if so, where from?

[cbass94]

Just FYI, they are sometimes called a "weld cap" in the piping business. When I went in and said "pipe cap," he started asking me different questions that I had no idea how to answer, then I said "weld cap" and he just said "yep" and went and got it for me.

[Discosaurus]

Originally Posted by tobbjo

And from me the extra points go for torching and welding in sandals

Tobias

hehehe

KC junior (or senior)...

[PTSchram]

After having to weld not one, but two weld-on diff guards yesterday, I've begun thinking about this more and more.

Might be time for me to jump on the bandwagon-all the cool kids are doin' it.

Sandals-

[bronko]

Hehe torching in sandals is no problem, welding is a little worse, it's when you drop a D44 on your foot that you wish you wore steel toed boots. Thank god it wasn't a 60 as I would have probably lost a toe. Oh and chicks dig scars

[pmurf1]

Let me be the first to ask a dumb question, because I know I'm not the only one thinking it.

Why not cut the cap in half and grind it until it fits like we do on Toyota 8" ones? Even if you had to cut the cap in half and then add a little material in the middle, it would still be a hell of a lot easier and faster than the way you did it. You can still get to the fill plug if you notch it, and you would hit your steering linkages before you ever hit the top of the diff. I've had mine on my toy buggy this way for almost five years and have never even come close to hitting the top of the diff.

[lwg]

Originally Posted by pmurf1

Let me be the first to ask a dumb question, because I know I'm not the only one thinking it.

Why not cut the cap in half and grind it until it fits like we do on Toyota 8" ones? Even if you had to cut the cap in half and then add a little material in the middle, it would still be a hell of a lot easier and faster than the way you did it. You can still get to the fill plug if you notch it, and you would hit your steering linkages before you ever hit the top of the diff. I've had mine on my toy buggy this way for almost five years and have never even come close to hitting the top of the diff.

I think you were the only one thinking it. So are you suggesting we don't remove the stock housing and just weld on 1/2 a sewer cap as a diff guard? If so it would take a lot of grinding as I don't think it would ever fit over the stock housing. If your saying something else I don't quite understand and would like more clarification.

BTW, I personally endorse the Sewer Cap Guard. Its one less thing to worry about for me. On the plus side it will also hold more fluid which means less fills between the leaks!

[Dave_Lucas]

Larry,

I think he is taking about cutting 1 pipe cap down the middle to make it into two diff guards.

That is what I have on my bench, they were made for my DII back in the day but I never got around to installing them. I used the same size caps just cut them in half and put a notch in so I could still access the stock fill plug.

I can post a pic later if you would like (might even be able to talk me out of one for your DII when you are picking up the sliders )

[bronko]

Originally Posted by pmurf1

Let me be the first to ask a dumb question, because I know I'm not the only one thinking it.

Why not cut the cap in half and grind it until it fits like we do on Toyota 8" ones? Even if you had to cut the cap in half and then add a little material in the middle, it would still be a hell of a lot easier and faster than the way you did it. You can still get to the fill plug if you notch it, and you would hit your steering linkages before you ever hit the top of the diff. I've had mine on my toy buggy this way for almost five years and have never even come close to hitting the top of the diff.

I honestly don't think your method would be faster. I did all of this work in an afternoon, including disassembly, fabrication and reassembly. Sure your way would work, but your still going to have to take 3/4" off and probably notch for ring gear clearance so what do I save? I guess it's really 6 of one 1/2 dozen off the other.

[pmurf1]

Pete,

In your case, you really had no choice but to do it that way or weld up the holes. The trick with this mod is to do it before you do what you did.

We toyota guys do exactly what Dave Lucas above said. Instead of one guard, you get two from one pipe cap. On toys, you have to grind a little angle around the lip and they slip right on. I don't know if the dimension is the same on Rovers, but it looks pretty close. Even if you have to then cut one of the guards in two (quarters from stock), and add a 1/4" or 1/2" of material to get it to slip right over it, you'd still be time ahead over pulling the whole front end apart and reassemling. Put four or five inch long tacks around the edges, and you won't worry about your ring gear again.

Like I said before, your case, you were screwed and had to do it this way. But if it isn't already smashed and leaking, it's an easy mod to do that doesn't take much effort or disassembly. I just weld mine on with the gear oil in them, doesn't hurt it as long as you don't get crazy with the welder.

[lwg]

Pete,
That makes sense. I thought that may have been what your saying. I think your dead on that it's easier than most diff guards, probably way cheaper as well.

[lwg]

Originally Posted by Dave_Lucas

Larry,

I think he is taking about cutting 1 pipe cap down the middle to make it into two diff guards.

That is what I have on my bench, they were made for my DII back in the day but I never got around to installing them. I used the same size caps just cut them in half and put a notch in so I could still access the stock fill plug.

I can post a pic later if you would like (might even be able to talk me out of one for your DII when you are picking up the sliders )

Dave,
Do you know if these will fit a DII with ACE? I haven't spent a lot of time looking at this yet, but I am thinking the next/last mod after sliders is some sort of diff guard for the wifes DII. Maybe I have to just grind a little to make the Kustom fit the Diffs with ACE.

[Dave_Lucas]

Originally Posted by lwg

Dave,
Do you know if these will fit a DII with ACE? I haven't spent a lot of time looking at this yet, but I am thinking the next/last mod after sliders is some sort of diff guard for the wifes DII. Maybe I have to just grind a little to make the Kustom fit the Diffs with ACE.

They should fit... Just drive the DII and you can test fit them while you are here. If you are nice I might even let you use the welder to attach them

[tobbjo]

The problem with these diff covers are not only that they are weak enough to damage off road. Even on never off-roaded trucks they leak after 12-15 years due to rust holes. The steel is SO thin.

Tobias

[PTSchram]

Originally Posted by tobbjo

The problem with these diff covers are not only that they are weak enough to damage off road. Even on never off-roaded trucks they leak after 12-15 years due to rust holes. The steel is SO thin.

Tobias

Exactly. Shopgrrl's diff rusted out, noticed right after we bought the truck. Now, I wish it had been the pinion leaking. Every time I'd hit it with the MIG, the holes would get bigger.

W/R/T merely welding the cover over the existing diff, the gap between the original cover and the sewer cap will collect all manner of corrosive and oxidizing material leading to even faster failure.

[red90rover]

8" - STD butt weld cap
ASTM A234 WPB (Forged Carbon Steel)
ANSI B16.9

Available world wide. Any industrial pipe fitting supplier.

[Bush65]

Originally Posted by ISUZUROVER

Have you bought them in OZ John? And if so, where from?

Have not personally bought them Ben. I do a lot of pressure piping design however.

Onesteel is a large supplier of pipe and fittings here.