I have Riddlers, which come as bare metal. Outside will be primed and painted for sure, but I was wondering if there are any good reasons to paint the inside of the diff cover (or not). I'm torn between "can't hurt" and "why bother?"

Opinions?

 

no you don't want to do that-the inside will be protected with oil...

 

I wouldnt paint the inside of the diff cover because:
-It's sealed once installed, the insides of the diff cover will be protected from the elements, unless water gets in after an offroad trip - (Just drain & refill)
-There will be a lot of heat build up
-The diff fluid moving all around
-The heat & fluid may cause the paint to come apart/peel which could cause problems...

Hope this helps..

 

all of the above.

 

I would be worried about the paint peeling and either messing up the bearings(uneven wear) or meshing of the gears again uneven wear.But hey thats just me and my

 

Don't fix it if it ain't broke.

 

Lots of good reasons to not paint the inside of the cover. However, Rugged Ridge seems to take a different view:

http://www.omix-ada.com/productInfo.asp?itemNo=16595.44[

"HEAVY DUTY DIFFERENTIAL COVER- DANA 44
You won't break this cover, we guarantee it. If you do, w'll replace it (see warranty terms). Made of 3/8 inch cast steel, painted black inside and out, this heavy duty cover is designed to protect your differential and all its working parts for as long as you own your vehicle."

Regardless, I'm going to leave the inside of my Riddlers raw.

Thanks for the feedback!!