Hi i want to have a stronger cover for my differential but don't want to spend $150 to buy an alluminum one. Just wondering can i take my diff cover and make it stronger by welding support braces and extra support around it for cheaper?? Will this make any difference? Do i even need a stronger cover for my application? It is more of a cruising car than anything.

I am putting a limited slip carrier with 3.73 in to replace my open diff 10 bolt. My engine is a 350 putting out about 350+ hp. Has anyone done this? Any info would be greatly appreciated!! Thanx!

 

Welding on the cover is going to warp the crap out of it, and then it's probably going to leak. For the time and materials that you will put into it you would be better off just getting a T/A Performance cover. Just my opinion.

 

yeah i kinda figured it would, just hoping for a little luck lol...thanx for info once again!!!

 

when you put the gear in, use a solid pinion spacer instead of a crush sleeve. you might also weld the axle tubes and build supports for the axle tubes.

 

And what use is a beefed up stock cover? The gain is in the girdle and the preload bolts, just having a beefy cover does nothing.

 

But it looks good while it does nothing

I do like the look of the T/A cover, but the cost doesn't justify being the cover isn't the weakest part back there. You'll have better luck beefing up other parts of the axle if you're worried about the integrity of your axle.

 

supporting the caps is never a bad idea, especially on a 9 bolt with those puny 3/8th bolts.

 

And yet the 9-bolt is stronger than a 10-bolt. Does the 10-bolt have bigger bolts?

 

The 10 bolt has 7/16 bolts and the 9 bolt has 3/8 bolts.

 

K im thinking that it probably should be fine even if i use the stock cover...i guess i didn't know how much that actually made a difference....the torque arm is going to take most of the twisting anyway right?? Well even if it isn't the strongest, it gives me an excuse to start to save for a ford 9" or something in that direction.

i only spent $100 on a good used carrier and set of 3.73 gears so not end of world if anything bad happens. It is just temporarly untill i have enough to do it right. Better than nothing i think. I've been running my open diff with that motor for 3 months now and that is holding up. Thanx for input!!