Purchased my truck recently and have some weeping from the rubber differential plug. I've done some searching and seems like this is pretty common.
My question is, does anyone happen to make an aftermarket upgrade to correct this monument to Detroit engineering? My concern is that since fluid is getting out, moisture has gotten in. I have on my to-do list pulling the cover off to drain and replace the gear oil. Maybe an affordable rear differential cover that comes with a traditional pipe-thread plug? Or a bung that you can purchase and weld on to the stock cover?
If the answer is 'no' to the above, is it possible to just augment the plug with some gasket maker to make a better seal?
Thanks.
Jim

 

Just get a new plug. It very well could be that the rubber plug you have is really mushy causing it to leak. My plug doesn't leak.

 

mine weeps a little bit too...

 

Search sites like jcwhitney, 4wheelparts.com, and summit. they make heavy duty diff covers for just about every rear end. I ain't saying I know for sure that they come with better drain holes, but better covers usually mean that known problems are fixed.

 

the best thing to do is buy a new rubber plug from the dealer for about 3 or 4 bucks and it'll seal perfect

 

clean the outside of the whole cover with plug attached with some brake cleaner, really scrub it.

Then spray paint over it. It will fix the leak. Or use RTV.

 

I plan on draining and refilling my diffs, after the scare I got with the wife's truck almost burnin up the rearend, so I might look into a new cover for it then.

 

I know that when I do my diffs, I take the cover off to drain them, the fill with the fill plug on top. The only down side to this is that you really cant drive for the next 12-24 hours after if you use RTV to make a seal.

 

how often should this be done? i've noticed mine is leaking from that plug a little as well. i figured when the time came to change it out, i would replace the plug and gasket.

 

i let mine sit an hour and she was good, gone offroading many times since...no water....


but my plug has recently started to weep as well, get a new rubber plug, its the best bet.