Differential Cover -- Newbie Question

[Rileysowner]

I am going to order a new differential cover. I could not find one locally yet, so I thought of ordering from Summit as all I want is a plain cover and they have the closest thing to that in a chrome one for $24.99 with shipping coming to about $35.

What I want to make sure of before ordering is that I have the right cover in mind. The diff on the Safari is a GMC 7.5" 10 bolt correct?

Oh, and if someone knows of a Canadian supplier that would be nice too

[thevalleyboy]

You should be able to get a chrome one from "Newfie Speed and Sport" AKA Canadian Tire, or their Parts Soucre Stores. All they should need is the make/model/year and they should be able to get it right. I had a friend who got a new diff cover for his Camaro there and it was no problems, not sure about the price however....

[safarirod]

Just got one from Summit, and instaled on my 93 Safari part number SUM-730302. 24.95. It is a very high quality cover, I was really suprised.

[Rileysowner]

You should be able to get a chrome one from "Newfie Speed and Sport" AKA Canadian Tire, or their Parts Soucre Stores. All they should need is the make/model/year and they should be able to get it right. I had a friend who got a new diff cover for his Camaro there and it was no problems, not sure about the price however....

Called C-tire, they could not get it according to the parts person. Then again it wouldn't be the first time they got something wrong.

[thevalleyboy]

Ya - C-Tires parts people are quite often clueless - probably summer student or something - try Parts Source - heck Napa (or other auto stores) if nothing else should be able to get it.

[Rileysowner]

Napa cannot. Car-quest cannot (they had it on their list of parts they could order but it is no longer available) Rock Auto cannot (Doman doesn't make them any longer which is probably when Car-quest would have gotten them from) I will give Part Source a call, but I think I will run into the same thing.

[snapple]

Have you tried a dealership? It won't be chrome,but it should be cheaper.Even though it's the stealership!

[thevalleyboy]

I wonder if a place such as National 4 x 4 (or other offroad aftermarket place) would have such a cover for jacked up trucks.... just a thought....

[Rileysowner]

Dealership is $34, basically the difference in ordering from Summit is I would get a chrome cover for extra cost of the difference in exchange and the danger of getting hit with a customs brokerage charge that would double the price. Having said that, the dealer has them in stock and I can just go pick one up rather than wait for however long it takes to arrive from south of the border. I will probably go with the dealer, but I have to say I wish they were cheaper.

[Smiliesafari]

I'm not sure you need a new cover. Why not try a reseal first. Just make sure everything is clean. I even use Q-tips to clean the bolt holes. And use carb cleaner the wash all of the oily residue off of everything.

[GEJ]

I'm not sure you need a new cover. Why not try a reseal first. Just make sure everything is clean. I even use Q-tips to clean the bolt holes. And use carb cleaner the wash all of the oily residue off of everything.

Really,you could run a tap down the bolt holes to clean them out.Form-A-Gasket is the material I have used in place of a gasket in the past.It's blue in color.If your not careful and you use too much,it will hold the cover from making a good seal and leak.Could that is what happened here and you don't need a cover at all??.

[Rebel]

And use carb cleaner the wash all of the oily residue off of everything.

Another product that's good for cleaning parts is oven cleaner but make sure there isn't a breeze blowing toward you when spraying part. Just hose off after letting cleaner do it's thing.

Here's an Ebay store I ordered a braided oil dipstick from. Also good prices on dif. covers.
http://stores.ebay.com/MOTORCHROME-COM_ ... idZ2QQtZkm

[Rileysowner]

The reason I want a new cover is this one has a very deep rust spot that may not rust through in the next week, or even the next year, but I would guess on how deep the rust goes so far and the fact that the way it is it will hold the salt water in from our wonderfully salted roads, it will rust through in the next year or two, probably in the middle of the winter when changing it will be cold and painful. I would rather do it now since I will be under there anyway.