PADZZ

Calls for 30, torqued all my bolts to 28 in fear of them breaking. Well, I was on my last one and I could tell it was starting to go soft (breaking). I stopped. I was livid.
Anyway, I drove it around for a while real hard. No leaks. Think I'll be OK? The bolt and head are atleast in there and I figure if it woulda snapped all the way off the head would have came off.
Filled with amsoil severe gear 75w-90.

Pooter

Youre talking about the cover bolts right?


Is it on the top or bottom?

And as long as you havent seen any leaks, you should be ok....

PADZZ

Opps, ya, cover bolt. It's actuall near the bottom. Probably 3-4 to the right from the bottom center. If that makes sense.

Pooter

Just check it every now and again and see if its leaking...

It should be ok, with the clamping force of the other bolts around it, but you never know.

If not, hopefully theres enough of the bolt left to grab and twist back out.

LongRanger

It would be nice to know the size and thread of these bolts so you could find some grade 8 bolts to replace the trash that comes from the factory.

PADZZ

It would also be nice if 2 lbs less than the required 30 lbs wouldn't break the bolt.

JohnInNH

The instructions that came with my PML rear cover says "20 foot lbs" for the torque for the rear differential cover bolts.

PoorMansCat

These are 3/8 bolts arent they.....??? Even a 5/16 bolts should hold up to about 45 lbs with no problems. I wonder if the bolt is intentionally soft to prevent the reuseable gasket from being crushed?????...
I got my Mag-Tec cover in this last week, it came with stainless allen head bolts...hopefully they wont break. If they do, the next bolts going in it will say CAT on them!!!!!!

TexasCTD

This is a common problem. Definately don't over tighten those bolts. 30lbs is way to much. You may want to go ahead and drill/tap/replace it for the long term, but I doubt you will have any leaking problems.


I have added a MH cover now too (on the rear) and PML on the front....but I just snug them up and call it good. I have never had a leak from them.

PADZZ

I did do it snug with my socket, but noticed some seeping. I think I'll be OK, thanks for the piece of mind. I got my torque specs rom this site via the search button. Guess ya can't believe everything ya read on the net.

Thanks

Need95-00CTD

Thats why I run RTV instead of a gasket...no matter how many bolts you have on there, as long as it cures properly its not leaking or coming off unless you want it too...My buddy actually RTV's then Clamps the cover on his F-body on when he goes racing, it saves him a few minutes in the pits if he breaks a ring gear, which is common for a 10 bolt. I didn't think RTV could set up that quick, but whatever works for him.

Jeff in TD

Book does say 30 ft lbs for the cover bolts, and like 24 for the fill plug.

After reading about bolts breaking, I thought I was safe after the first fluid change went fine... but then on the second change I broke one of the front ones. It never came close to getting up to 30...

Anyhow, I'd go ahead and replace the one that you felt start to go.

Next change I think I'll replace all of them (if I don't go out and replace the whole truck).

gerry

I put mine down to 30 in the front and broke one off. I am wondering if the book is misprinted and they should be 30 inch pounds like the trans pan...

Luckly I put the mag hytec in the back so I had a few extra bolts..

Jeff in TD

From the size of the bolts, they should hold 30 ft lbs... To me they feel kind of cheap.

TonyB

I just installed a Mag-Hytec cover on my duallie...Their instructions call for 12-16 ft-lb. Where is the 30 ft-lb coming from?