Ford Performance diff cover

[The Last Ranger]

I have a 21 Lariat and I'm guessing there is a drain plug but I still ordered the 1st cover, M-4033-BR.
I wanted to fill and drain from the rear, just a preference, not a big deal.

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[LawnMM]

I like the idea of a drain and fill plug and like the look of these.

The second one "if" you have a drain plug

When was it? Sometime in 22 they deleted the drain plug in the casting on the side of the diff housing?

My 23 Tremor doesn't have it, even though you can see the impression where it would have been. The stupid cover plate doesn't have it either, so when I go to change the fluid it's getting that Bronco plate that even Ford admits now is compatible with the Ranger so next time around I won't have to pull the skid plate and the cover plate to drain and fill ?

 

[Cmar]

You don't need drain plugs - Ford tells us here that the fluid is good for 240,000 Km. You may never need to change it.
I believe them, I also believe that cars are better made now than ever before, that EV's will save the planet, along with wind and solar farms, that coal mines and oil rigs are the devil incarnate, that our unemployment rate is going down, and the economy is improving, that there is no real housing shortage, and eating cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens is bad for the planet. Governments love people like me.

 

[HeavyDuty]

Wha????

 

[LawnMM]

What's a KM?

 

[HeavyDuty]

I'll have to check the manual. No fluid service for rear diff for 150k miles....that must be general road use not severe or offroad use.
But still seems a bit too long to not service or at least check "level"

 

[Cmar]

What's a KM?

240,000 Km= kilometres = 150,000 miles = way to long!

And what happens if you have to drain after taking on a bit of water after a deepish cheek crossing. Even with the extended breathers the Rangers have (well ours do anyway) it's still possible to suck water past a pinion seal if the diff is hot enough and the water cold enough. Seals really are designed to keep stuff in, they don't work as well the other way around.

 

[redone17]

Anyone use the Dana suggested 75W-140?

 

[LawnMM]

It's ordered, not sure it'll work with my skid plate but it's worth being able to service my Diff easier and RCI makes a plate for the Bronco Diff that may work if my plate is a no go with the new diff cover.

We'll see.

 

[JimG_AZ]

My Ranger is a 2021 that was built in 12/21, so it does not have the rear diff drain plug. So, I ordered the Ford Performance diff cover from Levittown Ford (M-4033-BR) so I can get the drain plug. The cover looks to be well made, but I did have some excitement installing it. The instructions call for the cover bolts to be torqued to 29.5 ft-lb and the bolts tightened in a cross pattern. I took my time with this gradually tightening down with the ratchet and then finally torquing with the torque wrench. 11/12 bolts were fine. The 12th bolt snapped. Was I pissed! If anybody else has this happen to them, here is how I got the broken bolt out. My bolt broke even with the differential. I ran to Lowes and picked up a 1/8" cobalt drill bit and some JB weld (it turns out I didn't need the JB weld). (1) I took the differential cover off. (2) Wrapped the open differential in plastic and tape to make sure metal fragments from drilling didn't get in. From looking back on this, I probably should have put the original Ford diff cover back on to protect from metal shavings getting in. (3) Made a dimple in the middle of the broken bolt with a punch and hammer. (4) Drilled through the center if the bolt. BTW, this was pretty easy with cobalt bit. (5) hit the hole with a shop vac to pull out any metal shavings left from drilling. (6) Took a hex key that was slightly larger than the drilled hole and tapped it in with a hammer. (6) Easily backed the broken bolt out. If I had used a smaller hex key, I am sure I could have JB Welded it in the drilled hole and easily backed the bolt out.

It turns out the new bolts that came with the Ford Performance Differential Cover are the same bolts as the original Ford differential cover bolts. So, I reused the original bolts, put some blue Loctite on them and torqued then to 23 ft-lb. time will tell if this is tight enough. If not, I will start gradually going up in ft-lb. I am terrified of going back to 29 ft-lb.

 

[RangerBill]

My Ranger is a 2021 that was built in 12/21, so it does not have the rear diff drain plug. So, I ordered the Ford Performance diff cover from Levittown Ford (M-4033-BR) so I can get the drain plug. The cover looks to be well made, but I did have some excitement installing it. The instructions call for the cover bolts to be torqued to 29.5 ft-lb and the bolts tightened in a cross pattern. I took my time with this gradually tightening down with the ratchet and then finally torquing with the torque wrench. 11/12 bolts were fine. The 12th bolt snapped. Was I pissed! If anybody else has this happen to them, here is how I got the broken bolt out. My bolt broke even with the differential. I ran to Lowes and picked up a 1/8" cobalt drill bit and some JB weld (it turns out I didn't need the JB weld). (1) I took the differential cover off. (2) Wrapped the open differential in plastic and tape to make sure metal fragments from drilling didn't get in. From looking back on this, I probably should have put the original Ford diff cover back on to protect from metal shavings getting in. (3) Made a dimple in the middle of the broken bolt with a punch and hammer. (4) Drilled through the center if the bolt. BTW, this was pretty easy with cobalt bit. (5) hit the hole with a shop vac to pull out any metal shavings left from drilling. (6) Took a hex key that was slightly larger than the drilled hole and tapped it in with a hammer. (6) Easily backed the broken bolt out. If I had used a smaller hex key, I am sure I could have JB Welded it in the drilled hole and easily backed the bolt out.

It turns out the new bolts that came with the Ford Performance Differential Cover are the same bolts as the original Ford differential cover bolts. So, I reused the original bolts, put some blue Loctite on them and torqued then to 23 ft-lb. time will tell if this is tight enough. If not, I will start gradually going up in ft-lb. I am terrified of going back to 29 ft-lb.

Not sure where the 29 ft/lbs came from.

The cover bolts are to be torqued to 177 in/lbs and then an additional 20 degrees. Here is the shop manual on this. 177 in/lbs = 14.75 ft/lbs.

 

[JimG_AZ]

Not sure where the 29 ft/lbs came from.

The cover bolts are to be torqued to 177 in/lbs and then an additional 20 degrees. Here is the shop manual on this. 177 in/lbs = 14.75 ft/lbs.

The 29 ft-lb torque came from the instruction manual that came with the M220 (M-4033-BR) differential cover.

 

[RangerBill]

The 29 ft-lb torque came from the instruction manual that came with the M220 (M-4033-BR) differential cover.

I would say that the instructions are wrong.

 

[JimG_AZ]

I would say that the instructions are wrong.

I would agree!

 

[Frenchy]

I would say that the instructions are wrong.

It may be a little different with the other cover. Also with the 20° extra you will probably be close to 29 ft lbs of torque

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