YouTuber @Brandon24v Calls This Mod a "Game-Changer" for Tow Rigs
If you own a heavy-duty truck, you live by a simple code: performance and reliability are everything. Your truck is your workhorse, your daily driver, and your pride and joy. But as any real enthusiast knows, stock parts often have their limits.
This is exactly the situation truck builder and YouTuber @Brandon24v found himself in with his 3rd Gen Cummins tow rig. He relies on his truck every single day and, as he says, "I like my stuff to run immaculate and perform." One of the most glaring weak points he identified was the stock differential cover. So, he got one of our SPELAB differential covers and documented the entire upgrade.
His verdict? It's a game-changing upgrade that every serious truck owner should consider.
About the YouTuber: @Brandon24v
For those who don't know, @Brandon24v is a die-hard Cummins enthusiast and a master of monster truck builds. His channel is packed with hands-on content, from engine swaps and fuel system installs to creating some of the wildest lifted trucks on the platform. He isn't just a reviewer; he lives and breathes diesel performance. When Brandon puts a part on his daily driver, it's because he trusts it to withstand serious abuse.
The "Horrendous" Problem with Your Factory Diff Cover
Before the upgrade, Brandon pointed his camera at the stock rear axle and didn't mince words. He called the factory diff cover "horrendous" and highlighted problems every truck owner can relate to.
- A Nightmare to Service: "The factory ones don't have a drain plug," he explains. "In order to change the diff fluid on a stock Cummins, you got to take the whole cover off, reseal it. It's a headache."
- A Ticking Time Bomb: He suspected the gear oil in his truck was ancient. "The diff lube was probably from 2007," he guessed, pointing out that the rusty stock cover "was probably about to just blow itself out."
- Zero Cooling Capability: For a truck that tows, heat is the enemy. The stock stamped-steel cover does nothing to dissipate the intense heat generated under load, putting your gears and bearings at risk. Understanding the real-world performance trade-offs is key for any owner.
The Ultimate Solution: The SPELAB Aluminum Differential Cover
After installing the SPELAB rear axle diff cover, the difference was immediate, both visually and functionally. This isn't just a shiny part; it's a piece of purpose-built engineering.
"You no longer have that ugly stock factory diff cover on the truck. Now, the advantage with this diff cover is it's all aluminum. It has like cooling fins in it that like help the heat get away from the axle."
4 Game-Changing Benefits Brandon Couldn't Stop Talking About
1. Maintenance Becomes "Just Like Changing Your Oil"
This was the feature he kept coming back to. The sheer convenience is a massive upgrade over the stock setup. Making routine service easier is one of the most practical upgrades for any vehicle.
"With this one, like I was saying, you have a fill plug, you have a drain plug... All you got to do is take that bottom drain plug out, drain your fluid, put your new fluid in. It's just like changing your oil."
2. Superior Cooling When You Need It Most
For Brandon, who hauls extreme loads, this was a critical performance gain. He explained exactly how it works:
"When you're driving, the air is flowing and hitting your diff cover from underneath the truck... That actually cools it down. Your axle will stay cooler, the fluid won't boil, especially when I'm hauling the trailer with two of my monster trucks on it across the country." That's the kind of real-world protection every truck owner needs. For those interested in improving their vehicle's entire thermal management, understanding the role of an oil cooler is equally important.
3. Check Your Fluid Level in Seconds
No more guesswork or pulling a fill plug just to check your fluid. The integrated sight glass provides instant peace of mind.
"It is pretty awesome that there's a sight glass on it as you guys can see... to see your fluid level at any given moment."
4. Built to Last and Look Incredible
The visual transformation is undeniable. It takes your truck's undercarriage from an overlooked, rusty area to a showcase of quality parts. This upgrade is a core part of building a truly reliable, high-performance truck.
"It's going to look a lot better because we're going from whatever is going on with that," he said, pointing to the old rusty cover. The result is a clean, professional look that matches the performance.
The Verdict: An Essential Upgrade, YouTuber-Approved
Upgrading your differential cover is a small investment with a huge payoff in reliability, performance, and convenience. It's one of the smartest mods you can make, and as @Brandon24v proved, it delivers on every promise.
Click Here to Shop SPELAB Aluminum Differential Covers for Your Truck!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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How do I know which differential cover fits my exact truck model?
Finding the right fit is easy. On our website, simply use the Year/Make/Model selector at the top of the page. This will filter all products to show only the ones guaranteed to fit your truck, whether itโs aย Ram, Ford Super Duty, or Chevy/GMC. -
What comes in the box besides the cover itself?
Our goal is to provide a complete, bolt-on solution. Each kit includes the aluminum differential cover, a new high-quality gasket for a leak-free seal, and a full set of new high-grade mounting bolts. You won't need to run to the parts store halfway through the job. -
What kind of gear oil should I use, and how much more does it hold?
We always recommend consulting your truck's owner's manual for the specific gear oil weight (e.g., 75W-90 or 75W-140 synthetic). Our covers are designed to increase fluid capacity, typically by 0.5 to 1 quart depending on the model. This extra fluid helps absorb more heat and further improves cooling performance. -
Is this upgrade really necessary if I only tow occasionally?
Absolutely. While the cooling benefits are most apparent during heavy towing, the maintenance advantages benefit every owner. The first time you change your diff fluid in 15 minutes without making a mess, you'll know it was worth it. Plus, the added protection is great peace of mind for those times you do push your truck hard. -
How difficult is the installation? Can I do it myself in my driveway?
Yes, this is a very DIY-friendly project. If you're comfortable with basic hand tools like a socket set, a torque wrench, and a drain pan, you can easily complete this installation in about an hour. It's a straightforward, bolt-off, bolt-on process.
About the Author: The SPELAB Team
At SPELAB, we're not just a company; we're enthusiasts, just like you. We are a team of engineers and truck lovers dedicated to creating high-quality, affordable diesel performance parts that solve real-world problems. We've been running these products on our own trucks for years because we believe in what we build. As Brandon mentioned, he's been happily using our parts for about 2 years on multiple trucks, and we're proud to have earned that trust.
