Did the 1992 4x4 ford rangers have fiberglass differential covers

[cowboycowboy91]

My brother owns a 1992 4x4 ford ranger with the 8.8 rear end ring gear. Anyways, he uses this little truck like a four wheeler and gets cattle up with it and it sees offroad more than on. He ran over a rock yesterday that wedged against the rear diff and it started pouring rear end fluid. I thought he might have busted the casting, but when I cleaned it off and looked this morning, it has a fiberglass differential cover that got demolished. I couldn't believe it was fiberglass. Is this factory, or did someone just stick it on there?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yea, Ford did that, fiberglass or plastic diff covers. I suspect it was because the thin stamped ones have a habit of rusting out. It's probably fine if the closest you get to off-roading is a dirt road, but that's about it. Arguably, the thin stamped steel ones aren't much better.

When the stamped steel one on my F-150 started leaking from rust, I went aftermarket for a replacement. Picked up a Solid cover and haven't looked back. If I break that, I'm probably trying too hard. I wanted it more because it holds more fluid and will help with heat because that truck is my tow rig and plow truck.


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[85_Ranger4x4]

IIRC there are fitment issues with the Solid cover on a 28 spline 8.8. The mounting surface is closer to the ring gear than the 31 spline 8.8's so you have to grind it to fit.

IMO for a beater that has lasted this long I would just find a used or cheap cover and run it.

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, that was factory on some vehicles, but I don't know what the pattern is.

Both of my 87 Rangers, and my 88 Ranger had steel covers. My 88 BII has fiber glass. I have had at various times, in my possession 4 8.8s and all of them had steel covers, but of the two I still have both could use new covers.

 

[Doofy]

It is a puzzle the way oil pans, valve covers and differential covers all rust out. Never heard about or read anything about this problem until recently. Shitty steel or what?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It is a puzzle the way oil pans, valve covers and differential covers all rust out. Never heard about or read anything about this problem until recently. Shitty steel or what?

Like anything else, steel is steel and it rusts.

 

[adsm08]

It is a puzzle the way oil pans, valve covers and differential covers all rust out. Never heard about or read anything about this problem until recently. Shitty steel or what?

No mystery here. 20 year old cover made of a ferrous metal, that lives close to the ground, and I live in PA. We used to use salt on the roads, now we use this "brine stuff" and I write angry letters to PENNDOT.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

No mystery here. 20 year old cover made of a ferrous metal, that lives close to the ground, and I live in PA. We used to use salt on the roads, now we use this "brine stuff" and I write angry letters to PENNDOT.

Haha, yea. Salt was bad enough, this new stuff is worse but PennDot doesn't care. And don't get me started on their million dollar a year advertising budget.


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[Doofy]

Well, yeah. Metal rusts. I understand that. I have just never seen anything with oil coating one side of a cover or pan rust thru. I think the metal must be thinner and less robust.

I ran a Chevy 216ci in a '59 truck for 50 years and never had a rust- out on anything. Our DOT uses sodium chloride, calcium chloride and that liquid crap. Maybe oil leaks saved me.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Leaks would probably help.

It ruts from the outside in. Oil or not there comes a point where the steel can't hold the oil in anymore.

Calcium cloride is nasty crap, it has been used for weight in tractor tires for decades and kills rims.

 

[68Mercury250Ranger]

I think the diff covers are designed to rust through so you have to pull it off and change the oil.

most people don't even check their diff oil until the rear end starts making noise or leaves a big puddle on their shiny driveway.

if people get their trucks oil sprayed here the diff covers last forever......................... we have salt or saltbrien in the winter and calcium chloride on the gravel roads for dust control in the summer! ROT ROT ROT