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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ayoustin" data-source="post: 1933943" data-attributes="member: 28480">Just flipped 40k earlier this week. Finished up installing my Spicer diff covers last night and changing the diff fluids. Not sure if I want to wait to change the transfer case fluid when I do my first trans flush or now with the diffs. The factory fill diff oils looked pretty good actually, definitely not burned and not any concernable amount of contamination so very happy to see that.Rear cover was as straight forward as could be. Drop the spare and change it out, nothing noteworthy. I did read some guys were breaking off bolts when torquing them. I grabbed some nice zinc plated grade 9 bolts to replace the black oxide grade 8 bolts that came with the cover to give myself a bit extra peace of mind none of them would break. Used a Lube Locker gasket and noticed that I had to make a few passes to get all the bolts to 20-22ft/lbs, likely from the gasket compressing. Going higher than that felt a bit much for a 5/16" bolt so left it there. If any leaks develop I'll bump it to 25ft/lbs.[ATTACH=full]418655[/ATTACH]The front cover was a bit more involved and wasn't the most fun but certainly doable with a bit of dexterity. Removed the middle skid plate (the one under the front diff) and access panel on the front skid plate. Removed the oil drain gutter (2 8mm bolts). After that I could remove the factory cover, getting to the top 3 bolts requires some creative tool combos and patience but the other 7 are super easy to get to. Cover requires some angling and then it drops out, clean the RTV off the gasket surface.Unfortunately the Spicer cover is about 1/4" taller on the outside than the stock cover so it can't slip up onto the diff. I found dropping the diff allows for enough room to get the cover on. Dropping the diff only requires removing two 18mm bolts, one on the passenger side and one on the driver side. Get a jack under the diff first to support it. The passenger side bolt is easy to get to, plenty of space for a larger ratchet. The driver side requires a bit of creativity. I used a socket on a a serpentine belt tensioner tool (basically just a long flat bar with a 3/8" drive on the end) to get the bolt loose. The bolt can be removed and reinstalled by putting your arm up through the access panel hole in the front skid plate and reaching over the frame. Once both bolts are out the jack can be removed, the diff doesn't lower much before it rests on the frame underneath it. This gives enough space to slip the Spicer cover on, get all the bolts in and torque them. From there it's all the reverse to get it all reinstalled except for the driver side diff bolt, with the cover on the only way to get a tool on it was ~12" of extensions with either a wobble extension or u joint before the socket using the same route  to remove the bolt (through the access panel hole and over the frame). The nut it threads into is a 2 sided channel nut that I held in place with a magnet while I threaded the bolt into it (it'll make more sense when you look at it). The extensions will eat a lot of torque so you really need to put some muscle on the ratchet to make sure the bolt gets sufficiently tight. Oh and make sure you torque both fill plugs before installing the cover, neither are really accessible with it installed so you'll still use the factory fill port on the side of the diff.[ATTACH=full]418656[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]418657[/ATTACH]</blockquote>

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