12 bolt girdle cover

[Chevy]

I have a 12 bolt (3.73 with Eaton Posi) in my 68 camaro and the cover is leaking, i think because it's bent at the bottom from being jacked up by floor jacks under the center sectoin.

I'm considering buying a girdle cover to strengthen the 12 bolt and provide a strong cover that won't be bothered by jacking the rear end of the car up using the center the section.

I've seen T/A, Moser, and Trick Flow. I'm leaning toward Trick Flow because they come with ARP bolts for the part that supports the girdle, are about the same price as the other two, and there is a vendor on eBay i can get them from with resonable shipping (i live in hawaii).

thanks in advance for your opinions.

[HILROD]

I just installed a 12 bolt Trick Flow cover, It's well worth the money, if you ask me. The only trouble I had is that the cover bolts are a hair too long. I just used some thick stainless washers, and all is well.

[big gear head]

Most of these covars are made by T/A Performance. They just put other names on them for their customers. I know that the Moser cover is a T/A, and DTS covers are also T/A. I don't know about Trick Flow.

[Chevy]

Most of these covars are made by T/A Performance. They just put other names on them for their customers. I know that the Moser cover is a T/A, and DTS covers are also T/A. I don't know about Trick Flow.

Yeah, i spoke to someone at DTS about it, the guy answered my questions but otherwise didn't do anything to convince me i should be a customer of his.

The Trick Flow one looks different, it has ribs in the casting, and IMHO looks better. Could still be made by T/A with a different casting, not sure. The Trick Flow one is about $30 less after shipping to Hawaii as well ($150 vs $180), so i'm leaning toward it unless anyone says otherwise...

[big gear head]

Let me know how it looks when you get it. I might see about selling some of them.

[ProdigyCustoms]

Never used the Trick Flow, but I have used the Moser in my street racer and it hold 900HP and 1.29 / 1.30 short times pretty well

[Chevy]

Let me know how it looks when you get it. I might see about selling some of them.

Ordered today, will let you know when i get it installed what i think and post some pics.

[Goatman]

I just bought the LPW cover. Strongest one out there by quite a bit... They have several different models for the 12 bolt. I got the "slim" one.

You guys should check out their site before you buy anywhere else.

[chicane67]

A "girdle" cover is pretty much useless.

Unless... you can correctly compensate for the multiple type's of dissimilar metals being used. And I betcha... you cant. The only thing these girdle cover might be good for is to keep the broken parts in the center section when a main cap fails. But... I dont think you'll ever hook up a chassis that hard as to induce this.

Since knowing the 'inventor' for the past 20+ years... I am sure he would want me to pass on a little thanks. But even he has admitted to it being nothing more than a revenue generator.

Its just an expensive $125 aluminum cover.

[Goatman]

I'm not sure the equipment exists to validate the covers' uselfullness, but I'd rather have it than not.


You would have to find a way of reliably putting enough stress on the caps to have them walk (in an actuall "being driven" situation). Then find a way to measure the amount of that walk. Then repeat it with the aftermarket cover to see if it improves or eliminates it.


My guess is it helps on some small level. Perhaps enough to improve the bearing life under the caps.

[Chevy]

The Trick Flow cover arrived today, i couldn't be more pleased with it (but haven't installed it yet so still reserving final judgement). The gasket and ARP 12 point bolts are included, and it has an easy drain (magnetic) and fill plug:

I agree with Chicane, these things probably don't make that much difference. I got in principally because i was sick of the flimsy stamped cover i had leaking and because i could get it on eBay shipped to my door for $150. I sell stuff on eBay all the time and had a paypal balance so it was pretty painless on the pocketbook.

I also agree with Goatman that we're all speculating since i'm sure it's never been tested properly (love to see the data if someone has it).

Regarding the LPS covers, i don't believe the test data they provide on their web site is relavent to strength of design. I'm sure the load would be transfered to the bolts holding the cover on the housing and the cover itself long before the bolt would fail in the test they provide. I don't know what bolts come with their cover, but these would likely deform and/or fail before the cap bolts fail. I'm not sure who the "competition" is that LPS sites, but the trick flow cover is ribbed all over in the direction that you would need ribbing to reinforce the caps, and it is threaded the whole way, not partially as LPS shows in their image. One last issue i have is with LPS's statement that their ultra pro covers are the lightess on the market but are also the strongest. Well, my PhD isn't in material science, but you can't have the same general form, same material, and be LIGHTER and STRONGER at the same time. If they were made from a stronger material or had reinforcing ribs or other elements of the FORM that made them stronger i might buy their argument...otherwise, thicker, therefore heavier, is stronger. I don't know what their covers weigh, but the Trick Flow piece is over 6 lbs. Presumably since they claim to be the lightest on the market theirs weighs less than that.

I'm not trying to diss on your purchase Goatman, just pointing out some issues i have with the data they present and claims they make. In the end i believe the differences sited make marginal difference in performance, especially given Chicane's original statement about their functionality.

Buy it because you like the way it looks and are tired of flimsy stamped covers that leak. Hope that it also provides some marginal protection against grenading your rear end.

[Goatman]

I got mine in today too!


No lighter and stronger? What's billet for????



Not that the LPW cover is..



I think if you'll look at them close up, you'll see that the "main" ribs, or the largest ones, are the same for both covers. Perhaps in machining the rest of the smaller ribs, LPW feels it weakens the cover more than helps.



Either way, I, like you, bought it because it's basically different, it looks good, and most people feel it adss value to the rear.




PS


I got mine for $90 on e-bay! Kid bought it for a truck and then realized it was the wrong one.

[Chevy]

I got mine in today too!


No lighter and stronger? What's billet for????



Not that the LPW cover is..



I think if you'll look at them close up, you'll see that the "main" ribs, or the largest ones, are the same for both covers. Perhaps in machining the rest of the smaller ribs, LPW feels it weakens the cover more than helps.



Either way, I, like you, bought it because it's basically different, it looks good, and most people feel it adss value to the rear.




PS


I got mine for $90 on e-bay! Kid bought it for a truck and then realized it was the wrong one.

Killer deal Goatman! Let's both post here our impression after installation.

Regarding billet, the advantage is, as i understand it, that the material is forged into billet, then machined. This of course provides the same material property advantage of a forged vs cast crank. It's also generally a different alloy, one that doesn't flow well into molds for casting, but that is perfectly suitable to forging. So it would fall under my different material caveat above.

PS How much does LPW cover weigh? Curious to know with all of the claims they have on their site.

[Goatman]

I have no idea on the weight. I just brought it down to my garage, so its there for good! If I had to guess, I'd say 3 lbs....

It will be quite some time (years) before the car is running.

This isn't the first cover I've had like this. My old low 10 second 70' GTO had one too. I think it was a Jegs or Summit cover with no name on it...


3400lb car with a stock suspension, welded axle tubes, detroit locker, C-clip eliminator axles pulling 1.37 60' times and its still being driven (although now on the streets of ENGLAND) with the same cover on it. So I was and am happy with it...

[Chevy]

I installed the cover from Trick Flow today and it went on flawlessly, it is a real quality product IMHO. Fit and finish is very good and this is a very solid product for anyone looking at these covers i would look at the Trick Flow one for sure. Thanks everyone for the lively discussion.

[hotrdblder]

you might wanna clear the cover or powder coat it, the alum will look like crap after street driver as it will love to suck up oil etc.looks good

[dhardison]

you might wanna clear the cover or powder coat it, the alum will look like crap after street driver as it will love to suck up oil etc.looks good

Or paint/powder coat it black and use polished stainless bolts. Gives it that 'stealthy' look from the rear.