Yukon Gear Steel Cover For Dana 44HD

If the stamped cover on your Dana 44HD is dented from a rock, rusted through at the bottom edge, or weeping gear oil no matter how many times you reseal it, this is the replacement: a Yukon Gear and Axle steel cover, part number YP C5-D44HD, made for the Dana Spicer 44HD. Yukon lists it for the 1996-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee rear axle, the 1985-1997 Chevrolet Corvette and the 1992-2006 and 2008-2010 Dodge Viper. It is a direct bolt-on piece, so no drilling or modification is involved.

What the cover does on a Dana 44HD

A diff cover is more than a lid. It closes off the back of the carrier housing, holds the gear oil that the ring gear throws up onto the pinion and carrier bearings, and on a Grand Cherokee it is the first thing a ledge or rock hits when the rear axle drags. On the ZJ and WJ the 44HD uses an aluminum center section, which is why the cover is a separate steel stamping and why its sealing surface matters: a bent flange will not seal against the housing no matter how much sealant goes on. A cover that leaks lets the oil level fall below the pinion bearing, and that is how a quiet axle turns into a whining one.

Signs your current cover needs replacing

• Gear oil wetting the bottom of the cover or the housing below it after every drive
• A dent that pushes in toward the ring gear (check clearance before you keep running it)
• Rust pitting along the bolt flange or a rusted-through spot near the bottom
• Stripped or cross-threaded fill plug hole on the old cover
• Whine or howl that started after a period of running low on oil, which points past the cover to bearings or gears

How to confirm before you buy

Clean the axle with brake cleaner, drive a few miles and look for where the wet line starts. If oil is coming from the cover gasket line, a new cover and a fresh seal fixes it. If it is coming from the pinion seal or the axle tube ends, the cover is not your problem. Our gasket vs RTV diff cover leak guide walks through telling those apart. If the axle is already noisy, read whine on acceleration vs deceleration before you button it up, because a cover will not quiet worn bearings.

Fitment

This cover is for the Dana 44HD only. Per Yukon's application list that means the rear axle in 1996-1998 ZJ and 1999-2004 WJ Grand Cherokee models (both 4WD and RWD), the 1985-1997 Corvette Dana 44HD, and the 1992-2006 and 2008-2010 Viper. The 2005 and newer WK Grand Cherokee rear axles are not on that list, and a standard Dana 44 or a Dana 35 from a Cherokee XJ uses a different cover. The quickest check is the tag on a cover bolt or the shape of your existing cover; if you are unsure, send us your year and VIN before ordering. You can browse more axle parts in our hard parts category.

Install notes

• Drain the old oil with the cover loosened at the bottom first, then remove the bolts and pry it off without gouging the housing face.
• Scrape and clean both mating surfaces to bare metal and wipe them dry. On the aluminum housing, use a plastic scraper so you do not cut grooves.
• Seal it with a gasket or a thin bead of gear-oil-rated RTV run inside the bolt holes, then torque the bolts evenly in a cross pattern.
• Refill through the fill hole until oil just reaches the bottom of the hole. Use 75W-90 or 75W-140 gear oil and add friction modifier if the axle has a clutch-type limited slip; see our differential fluid guide.

With the cover off, it is the right time to look at the carrier bearings and ring gear teeth. If you find pitting or play, pair this cover with a Yukon BK D44HD bearing install kit or the USA Standard ZBKD44HD Koyo bearing kit, and pull the carrier bearings with a clamshell carrier bearing puller. Our Dana 44 problems and rebuild cost guide covers what else to inspect while it is open.

Will this cover fit a 2005 or newer Grand Cherokee?

Yukon lists YP C5-D44HD for the 1996-2004 Grand Cherokee Dana 44HD rear axle only. The 2005 and later WK axles are not on that application list, so check your axle before ordering or send us your VIN.

Does this fit a Jeep Cherokee XJ or Wrangler Dana 44?

No. It is made for the Dana 44HD found in the ZJ and WJ Grand Cherokee, C4 Corvette and Viper. Standard Dana 44 axles and the Dana 35 use different cover patterns.

Should I use a gasket or RTV?

Either works if the flange faces are clean and flat. RTV is popular on axles that get opened often; a gasket is cleaner to remove later. Do not stack both.

What gear oil goes back in after the cover swap?

Use 75W-90 or 75W-140 gear oil, filled to the bottom of the fill hole. If the axle has a clutch-type limited slip, add friction modifier unless your oil already contains it.

Is the cover the cause of my rear axle whine?

Usually not. A cover only causes noise indirectly if it leaked and let the oil run low. Whine that changes with throttle points to ring and pinion or bearing wear, which should be checked while the cover is off.