So I was putting my rear axle back together on my 1953 F100 and when i filled the differential to the point of it running out of the fill hole i put the plug in and it never snugged up and went right through the cover into the differential. after a mess i removed the cover and cleaned it up only to find that the threads where very very thin and obviously stripped. I don't think i did it but regardless i don't think this can be fixed so i need to get a replacement cover. I see DANA 44 covers are out there mostly advertised for jeeps/etc. Is it as simple as just getting one of these and i'm good to go? The only thing i see different between some of them are high vs low fill hole. Mine is low so i'm assuming it's original and should be low? Has anyone run into this?

 

I’ve repaired several covers by brazing a cast iron female pipe coupler onto the cover after cutting down to about 1/2” and using the original plug.

 

You can fix it like wellcraft17 said or get another cover. There are TONS of options for a Dana 44. Nothing wrong with a stock cover though. My Jeep buddies have high dollar armored covers. My neighbor started having axle seal leaks after putting on a new cover. I asked if he over filled it. He hadn't noticed the higher up fill hole.

 

I guess it wouldn't hurt to try to fix it. Worst case is that it's still junk if don't succeed. I have some black iron fittings lying around and a mig welder. I'll give it a try.