A can of spray paint is about $8.00. Powdercoating might run $25.00.

If it was mine, I'd go to the big box hardware store and buy a can of Rustolium spray paint with the primer in the paint.

If the cover is aluminum, just make sure the instructions on the can of spray paint state that it'll work on aluminum.

Some guys have done powdercoating of small parts at home.
You can search EBAY or Amazon for the materials and instructions. I seem to remember that they needed an oven that will reach 400*.

No matter which way you go, post some pics of the project and let us know the results.

Good Luck, L.M.

 

If you do powder coating at home, do not use the oven your wife cooks in or you may end up living in your Jeep.

 

Also, if you do powder coat, don't coat the inside. Some coatings don't react well sitting in oil and can cause problems.

I bought mine raw because I have a friend who powder coats small parts in a spare oven he has in his garage. I coated just the outside, leaving the inside bare. It's given me 50K miles of trouble free service.

In your position, I'd lean towards just painting it. Get it completely clean, hit it with a primer (self etching primer if it's aluminum) and lay down whatever color you want over it.

 

I just used high temp engine paint. Primer in the paint. Looked really good.

 

yea, but what will it look like in 6 months?

that being said, mine is from Poison Spyder and it's not aluminum. Who in their right mind would powder coat/paint the inside of their diffs? That would be like painting the inside of an engine and or tranny.

I did look at videos of doing it at home.......not gonna do it for numerous reasons.

Going the powder coating route,,one and done

 

that being said, mine is from Poison Spyder and it's not aluminum. Who in their right mind would powder coat/paint the inside of their diffs? That would be like painting the inside of an engine and or tranny.

Well, there are some people with no experience who might not know. And it's good to mention it in case any of them read this thread.

I would make sure you specify not to do the interior surface when you take it in. In the off chance the person they have do it may not know or care and they screw it up.

 

If you’re putting an aftermarket diff cover, one would assume you are going to be smashing rocks into it. So paint is the obvious answer for touch up purposes.

 

The powder coating on my diff cover has survived many rock hits. It's not pretty any more but there's no bare metal showing anywhere.

 

I'm putting on aftermarket diff covers, because I am upgrading to 4.56 gears, so while OEM's are off, might as well upgrade diff covers too.

 

I keep a can or two of Rustoleum 7777 satin black around. I grabbed a can of it and shot the outside of the covers. No overthinking needed.

 

Spray paint it whatever color you like until you find that it is starting to look questionable due to age or hitting stuff, then spray it again. Powder coat is thick and will eventually flake away in big pieces when it gets old or broken . . . hard to fill those deep gaps with spray paint which should have been used in the first place. IMO.


Semi-Gloss

 

Ruffstuff diff covers on my axles. Cleaned them with brake cleaner, then painted them with the matching color from mopar. Turned out beautiful

 

I'd paint it myself. I would clean it and degrease it, and prime it first, with a self etching metal primer. Then paint it with a spray bomb for metal, Duplicolor and Rustoleum come to mind, in the color of my choice.

 

I had my front cover powder coated when I bought it a few years ago. If I do another one I will just paint it.

 

OP,
You didn't say which covers you were getting. You might consider the ones that have a drain and a fill hole, for easy fluid changes.

 

Poison Spyders.........my days of changing fluids is over

High End Diff covers are powder coated

 

Oil based Massey-Ferguson Red, hand painted(4 coats)...now to make my appointment with an installer for my gears

 

Rattle canned my SOLID diff covers and hand painted the lettering for fun about 12 years ago. They still look way good to this day. Pic is current, never been repainted.

 

the 29th.....my 4.56's go on or is it in? $470 an axle, 4wheelparts