I ordered one of those aluminum diff covers and being of a time when "you used a gasket" I did some looking around on the interwebs and found Quad4x4 that sells gasket's for our Excursions.

QU40367 DANA 60/70 DIFF GASKET $10.09

QU40400 REAR DIFF GASKET $14.05

https://www.quad4x4.com

I'll probably use a small amount of RTV to set it in place, but I thought I would share the info..

 

Did you get the appropriate hardware for the rear diff cover?

Honestly, I think most people just use RTV and don't have any problems. I just did mine this past weekend and used RTV... no issues.

 

I did order the longer bolts, ( not from ford ) because some bean counter at ford has issues! $8 a bolt? Yeaa okay...

 

Make sure you get the washers too. If you didn't, PM me... still have some left over... minimum order of 50 when I got them lol

 

I would skip the pre-made felt gasket entirely. I have changed the diff fluid in my Ex twice and used Permatex's gear oil RTV both times. They make an RTV specific for the differential (Permatex part 81182). A 3 oz. tube is about $9. I have had good luck with it; no leaks.

Gasket Makers : Permatex® Gear Oil RTV Gasket Maker

I also used the Royal Purple 75-140W syn for rear fluid. Its a little pricey but it has the friction modifier already mixed. Good luck.

 

I bought the Lube Locker reusable gaskets for my axles when I bought the new housings with 4.88 gears and added the '08 SD aluminum cover.
They cost more than a tube of RTV but they can be used over and over so maybe in the end it's a push on the cost. No leaks so far with lots of heavy towing. LubeLocker - LubeLocker Ford/Sterling 10.25"/10.5" and for the Dana 50 up front LubeLocker - LubeLocker Dana 60

 

Well, I just cancelled my order with quad and got a set of these lube lockers!

Thanks!

 

Good luck with them!
Take some pictures, I forgot to when I installed mine.

 

I'd like to replace the bolts on the front cover, can anybody tell me what size they are?

 

I'd also like to know what size bolts to get for a 2000 Excursion v10 4x4.

 

For the front Dana 50 with a stock steel cover they should be 3/8-16 x 3/4" and for the rear Sterling 10.5 with a stock steel cover 5/16-18 x 1" and if using the '08 finned aluminum cover discussed above the bolts need to be 5/16-18 x 1 1/4" (with matching washers). I used allen head stainless cap screws and washers on my alum rear cover to keep it looking snazzy.

 

Thanks - that's a big help. I'm looking into these front and rear covers from cfrperformance:

1986-UP FORD STERLING (F-250-F-350-EXCURSION) CHROME STEEL REAR DIFFERENTIAL COVER - 12 BOLT W/ 10.5" RING GEAR

Do you know if the standard bolt sizes you mentioned would suffice?

 

With them being the stock style (with chrome) steel covers the bolt sizes given above should work fine, use the shorter ones for the rear as the alum covers are a little thicker.