Clearance issues after installation of ECGS Ford 8.8 rear end

Cristian Di Filippo

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Oct 12, 2020
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New Jersey
Hello everybody, I recently installed a ford 8.8 with a truetrac from East Coast Gear Supply. I was going to refabricate the 8.8 myself but was shocked to find that my third party warranty was willing to pay for it to be done professionally. Besides the point, after the installation it's evident that the much larger differential in the 8.8 is causing clearance issues with the gas tank skid plate. They're in direct contact with one another.

I purchased the jeep a few months back at 66,000 miles with a lift that appears to be a skyjacker 3-4." It's a comfortable height with 33s but the shocks and leafs are definitely worn. My proposed solution to the new clearance issue is the RC 4.5" x series lift. I already have an SYE installed so I would not use the included t-case drop. I'm curious if you guys have any input as to other solutions, lift kit recommendations, or opinions on the RC 4.5".
 
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Hello everybody, I recently installed a ford 8.8 with a truetrac from East Coast Gear Supply. I was going to refabricate the 8.8 myself but was shocked to find that my third party warranty was willing to pay for it to be done professionally. Besides the point, after the installation it's evident that the much larger differential in the 8.8 is causing clearance issues with the gas tank skid plate. They're in direct contact with one another.

I purchased the jeep a few months back at 66,000 miles with a lift that appears to be a skyjacker 3-4." It's a comfortable height with 33s but the shocks and leafs are definitely worn. My proposed solution to the new clearance issue is the RC 4.5" x series lift. I already have an SYE installed so I would not use the included t-case drop. I'm curious if you guys have any input as to other solutions, lift kit recommendations, or opinions on the RC 4.5".
I just installed a D489 from ECGS with an OX locker, and was advised I may also have that issue, but I didn't.
I've just got a 2-1/2" Rough Country lift.
The only solutions I can think of are some adjusting to skid pan with a heavy object, or replace the tank and pan with aftermarket.
I know there are some out there that are designed for stretched rigs.
 
An aftermarket skid for the tank that will gain you some clearance. This would require some research.

A new gas tank and skid that is built for a stretch. Such as some of the offerings from Genright.

A more low profile diff cover. The factory cover probably being the lowest profile, but also the weakest.
 
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We had that problem on a friends YJ many years ago. He had a Tomken Machine skid plate over his gas tank. We just dropped it in his driveway when he ran the gas real low in it and used a large pry bar to "bend" it in a little where it was contacting. That was done more than 15 years ago and never a problem since the "modification" to the skid plate. You can't even tell it was done when re-installed except there's no more rubbing noises.

RR
 
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We had that problem on a friends YJ many years ago. He had a Thompson Machine skid plate over his gas tank. We just dropped it in his driveway when he ran the gas real low in it and used a large pry bar to "bend" it in a little where it was contacting. That was done more than 15 years ago and never a problem since the "modification" to the skid plate. You can't even tell it was done when re-installed except there's no more rubbing noises.

RR
Nice. How easy was it to bend the plate?
 
Not real difficult to bend. The same guy had another YJ with a 9" rear axle that needed some massaging of the Tomken skid on that Jeep. We removed the skid plate and applied a little force to bend it in slightly on the front side, (side towards the axle facing front of vehicle) and it cleared just fine also no sweat. While it was off, we wire brushed and cleaned it to repaint. It had been under the Jeep since the mid 1990's and was plenty scraped up over the years of wheeling. If you take the skid off, you'll have more professional looking results than trying to bend it while it's still mounted.

RR
 
Not real difficult to bend. The same guy had another YJ with a 9" rear axle that needed some massaging of the Tomken skid on that Jeep. We removed the skid plate and applied a little force to bend it in slightly on the front side, (side towards the axle facing front of vehicle) and it cleared just fine also no sweat. While it was off, we wire brushed and cleaned it to repaint. It had been under the Jeep since the mid 1990's and was plenty scraped up over the years of wheeling. If you take the skid off, you'll have more professional looking results than trying to bend it while it's still mounted.

RR
Thanks for this! I was hoping I would not have to drop my gas tank and fiddle with all of those old bolts and tubes. But it sounds like there may be no way around this. Any advice? Let me know. Thanks!
 
It depends on how bad the interference is. On one we dropped the skid to refresh it mainly. The other, we bent it with a big pry bar I had on a Jeep run in the field. You'll have to check it.

RR