Rock Slide Engineering diff guard initial review
Thread Starter
JK Super Freak
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 17
From: Oxford, AL
Rock Slide Engineering diff guard initial review
I just thought I'd share some info on the Rock Slide Engineering diff guards. I installed these on my D30 and D44 with a basically stock suspension (higher factory coil # springs).
Pros:
I got a good price and free shipping from one of the sponsors...4wd hardware..around 110 total shipped.
Appear to be plenty beefy for what I'll encounter on the trail (not an avid rock crawler)..3/16 steel I believe.
The lower bolts on the front cover are nicely recessed to avoid damage on the tail.
I think they look good installed.
Cons:
Didn't ship with ANY hardware, I had to source it myself, which was a pain. The stock bolts looked like they would be too short, didn't chance it. Good luck finding appropriate bolts for the recesses on the front...again a pain.
The front cover was silver (looks like paint) while the rear was black (powdercoated). I figured they would both be the same.
The front cover was a good tight fight fit while the rear sits a little to far away from the stock cover IMO and will potentially cause clearance issues with the tracbar, at least at or near stock height.
Finally some installation notes:
As mentioned, factory tracbar was making very slight contact with the guard when I cycled the suspension with my floor jack. I took the grinder to it to clearance it a bit. I'll have to see how it does tomorrow after an offroad outing.
I shot the rear cover with some metallic silver to match the front. Unnecessary but makes me happy
The bolts I had to get were 5/16" course, 1" long if I remember right, I can double check. Could get away with a little shorter 7/8"??
BOTH my front and rear diff covers started to drip fluid with all the bolts removed. I tried to just reinstall the front cover with guard and snug it back down to no avail, still leaked. Be prepared to pull them clean them up and reinstall with new fluid. (lost 10,000 mile old royal purple in the rear
)
When doing the above, do yourself a favor and use "The Right Stuff" gasket maker from Permatex...costly but works. Period. I've used it for years and have never had anything leak. I have no experience with the LubeLockers but I'm sure they'd be great too for a little more money and reusable.
Other than that its an easy job...lol..pretty happy overall.
Pros:
I got a good price and free shipping from one of the sponsors...4wd hardware..around 110 total shipped.
Appear to be plenty beefy for what I'll encounter on the trail (not an avid rock crawler)..3/16 steel I believe.
The lower bolts on the front cover are nicely recessed to avoid damage on the tail.
I think they look good installed.
Cons:
Didn't ship with ANY hardware, I had to source it myself, which was a pain. The stock bolts looked like they would be too short, didn't chance it. Good luck finding appropriate bolts for the recesses on the front...again a pain.
The front cover was silver (looks like paint) while the rear was black (powdercoated). I figured they would both be the same.
The front cover was a good tight fight fit while the rear sits a little to far away from the stock cover IMO and will potentially cause clearance issues with the tracbar, at least at or near stock height.
Finally some installation notes:
As mentioned, factory tracbar was making very slight contact with the guard when I cycled the suspension with my floor jack. I took the grinder to it to clearance it a bit. I'll have to see how it does tomorrow after an offroad outing.
I shot the rear cover with some metallic silver to match the front. Unnecessary but makes me happy
The bolts I had to get were 5/16" course, 1" long if I remember right, I can double check. Could get away with a little shorter 7/8"??
BOTH my front and rear diff covers started to drip fluid with all the bolts removed. I tried to just reinstall the front cover with guard and snug it back down to no avail, still leaked. Be prepared to pull them clean them up and reinstall with new fluid. (lost 10,000 mile old royal purple in the rear
)When doing the above, do yourself a favor and use "The Right Stuff" gasket maker from Permatex...costly but works. Period. I've used it for years and have never had anything leak. I have no experience with the LubeLockers but I'm sure they'd be great too for a little more money and reusable.
Other than that its an easy job...lol..pretty happy overall.
JK Newbie
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Rockansas
Dredging up old threads today. 
Been looking at these RSE diff guards.
Look to be pretty solid 3/16ths steel. How have they held up?
Sucks RSE forgot to include the bolts. Their CS and Tech guys have been top notch whenever I've contacted them.
Been looking at these RSE diff guards.
Look to be pretty solid 3/16ths steel. How have they held up?
Sucks RSE forgot to include the bolts. Their CS and Tech guys have been top notch whenever I've contacted them.
I just thought I'd share some info on the Rock Slide Engineering diff guards. I installed these on my D30 and D44 with a basically stock suspension (higher factory coil # springs).
Pros:
I got a good price and free shipping from one of the sponsors...4wd hardware..around 110 total shipped.
Appear to be plenty beefy for what I'll encounter on the trail (not an avid rock crawler)..3/16 steel I believe.
The lower bolts on the front cover are nicely recessed to avoid damage on the tail.
I think they look good installed.
Cons:
Didn't ship with ANY hardware, I had to source it myself, which was a pain. The stock bolts looked like they would be too short, didn't chance it. Good luck finding appropriate bolts for the recesses on the front...again a pain.
The front cover was silver (looks like paint) while the rear was black (powdercoated). I figured they would both be the same.
The front cover was a good tight fight fit while the rear sits a little to far away from the stock cover IMO and will potentially cause clearance issues with the tracbar, at least at or near stock height.
Finally some installation notes:
As mentioned, factory tracbar was making very slight contact with the guard when I cycled the suspension with my floor jack. I took the grinder to it to clearance it a bit. I'll have to see how it does tomorrow after an offroad outing.
I shot the rear cover with some metallic silver to match the front. Unnecessary but makes me happy
The bolts I had to get were 5/16" course, 1" long if I remember right, I can double check. Could get away with a little shorter 7/8"??
BOTH my front and rear diff covers started to drip fluid with all the bolts removed. I tried to just reinstall the front cover with guard and snug it back down to no avail, still leaked. Be prepared to pull them clean them up and reinstall with new fluid. (lost 10,000 mile old royal purple in the rear)
When doing the above, do yourself a favor and use "The Right Stuff" gasket maker from Permatex...costly but works. Period. I've used it for years and have never had anything leak. I have no experience with the LubeLockers but I'm sure they'd be great too for a little more money and reusable.
Other than that its an easy job...lol..pretty happy overall.
Pros:
I got a good price and free shipping from one of the sponsors...4wd hardware..around 110 total shipped.
Appear to be plenty beefy for what I'll encounter on the trail (not an avid rock crawler)..3/16 steel I believe.
The lower bolts on the front cover are nicely recessed to avoid damage on the tail.
I think they look good installed.
Cons:
Didn't ship with ANY hardware, I had to source it myself, which was a pain. The stock bolts looked like they would be too short, didn't chance it. Good luck finding appropriate bolts for the recesses on the front...again a pain.
The front cover was silver (looks like paint) while the rear was black (powdercoated). I figured they would both be the same.
The front cover was a good tight fight fit while the rear sits a little to far away from the stock cover IMO and will potentially cause clearance issues with the tracbar, at least at or near stock height.
Finally some installation notes:
As mentioned, factory tracbar was making very slight contact with the guard when I cycled the suspension with my floor jack. I took the grinder to it to clearance it a bit. I'll have to see how it does tomorrow after an offroad outing.
I shot the rear cover with some metallic silver to match the front. Unnecessary but makes me happy
The bolts I had to get were 5/16" course, 1" long if I remember right, I can double check. Could get away with a little shorter 7/8"??
BOTH my front and rear diff covers started to drip fluid with all the bolts removed. I tried to just reinstall the front cover with guard and snug it back down to no avail, still leaked. Be prepared to pull them clean them up and reinstall with new fluid. (lost 10,000 mile old royal purple in the rear
)When doing the above, do yourself a favor and use "The Right Stuff" gasket maker from Permatex...costly but works. Period. I've used it for years and have never had anything leak. I have no experience with the LubeLockers but I'm sure they'd be great too for a little more money and reusable.
Other than that its an easy job...lol..pretty happy overall.
Thread Starter
JK Super Freak
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 17
From: Oxford, AL
These have held up great. Have taken hits to bottom both front and rear that could have potentially peeled the stock covers with no ill affects other than some missing paint. As mentioned in my initial post, the trac bar is close in the rear on my mostly stock suspension...with the little clearancing I did, there are no problems.