Last Updated on Tuesday, 09 March 2010 14:23 Written by Matt Decker

Quetion 1: Why should I pay extra money for a LubeLocker gasket?

Answer: If you like beating your differential cover with a hammer to change the oil, spending a half hour trying to getting all the old RTV off the housing and the cover, picking all the little flakes off the ring gear, making a mess trying to position the cover on the RTV, cleaning the fingerprints and excess RTV off the axle after you tighten the bolts, and then waiting for the RTV to setup before you add the gear oil...well, then you really should just pick up that tube of RTV.

Quetion 2: Paper gaskets are much cheaper--why not just use one of them?

Answer: Wicking. Paper gaskets are more of a controlled leak than a seal. By slowly soaking in the oil they expand and fill all the voids in the mating surfaces. To do this the oil has to soak through the paper. The problem is the oil doesn't know when to stop. When it reaches the outside edge it tastes freedom and goes everywhere...and it really likes driveways.

Quetion 3: I followed the torque direction on your label and I broke a bolt off in my housing, why do you have such a high torque spec.

Answer: The torque specifications on the packaging is based on the information in the factory service manuals. Since many vehicles that end up using our gaskets are using the factory hardware it seems appropriate to follow those specs. Factory bolts often use a serrated head that "digs" into the cover a bit, so extra torque is needed to overcome that. If we used a lower spec that was friendly to Grade 2 hardware there would be a lot of emails about leaking differentials

There are an infinite number of aftermarket combinations that we simply cannot plan for. When in doubt, start first with the maximum torque for the fastener you are using. If you have leaks, try upgrading your faster and try a higher torque value.

Quetion 4: Are there any differential covers that this gasket will not work with?

Answer: Yes. If the cover you are using has a raised area between the bolts, the elastomer beading will not be able to make contact and achieve a complete seal.

Quetion 5: Is this gasket reusable?

Answer: Probably a few times. We will not endorse reuse. We will tell you that people have done it and it has worked. We will not tell you how many times. It depends greatly on the application, interval between disassembly, and "environmental factors".

Quetion 6: My gasket is leaking what should I do?

Answer: In the event you have a leaking gasket first re-torque the bolts in a criss-cross pattern, from one side of the cover to the other. Many times this will fix the leak. If that does not help inspect the sealing surfaces very closely. Flatness is very important to the success of the seal. Machining marks should not be a problem. Lastly check the gasket itself for any imperfections. Flattened beading should not be a problem as long as it goes back on the same way it came off.