Your Differential Will Thank You

Specially engineered to minimize friction and maximize lubrication, an upgraded cover from PPE will keep your GM rear differential running cool and clean. It is made from high-quality cast A356.0-T6 aluminum for strength and optimum heat dissipation and the increased fluid capacity provides greater thermal stamina. This keeps your differential oil running cooler. The oil will keep its viscosity, which helps extend differential service life. To help keep your differential oil cleaner, this cover comes with PPE Billet Stainless Steel Drain/Fill Plugs. Each plug features high-power Neodymium magnets, which pull harmful ferrous particles out of your fluids before they have a chance to do damage. Simply wipe grit away at each service. Applies to the 2020 – 2021+ GM 1500 Series Diesel I-6. (www.ppepower.com)

Get It Out Of Your Fuel

While cleaner burning than previous formulations, ULSD (ultra-low-sulfur diesel) fuels offer less lubricity and can increase the likelihood of water contamination up to 10 percent. Desl-Shok from USA Fuel Service is the easy way to increase fuel economy, extend component service life, and reduce hard starting and engine downtime.

Desl-Shok eliminates condensation and dissolves sludge in the fuel tank—reported to be the root cause of over 70 percent of engine failures. The broad-spectrum formula cleans injectors, carburetors and fuel lines to promote a cleaner burn that, in turn, reduces carbon build-up in the motor and exhaust. It also decreases smoke and engine noise.

Regular use of Desl-Shok stabilizes and boosts cetane levels and acts as a lubricant throughout the fuel system. This is especially important in areas where temperatures drop.

USA Fuel Service Desl-Shok comes in three convenient sizes. The 8-ounce container treats 80 gallons of diesel fuel ($18.85); 32-ounce treats 320 gallons ($47.20); and 1 gallon of Desl-Shok treats 1,280 gallons of fuel ($139.60). (www.usafuelservice.com)

Shield Protection

Heatshield Products’ new Utili-Shield Sleeves protect fluid line and wiring harness junctions and couplers from heat damage.

Utili-Shields are ideal for keeping vulnerable junctions and connections safe and are an excellent alternative to sleeve-style thermal barriers, which cannot cover T-shaped and 90-degree junctions/couplers in electrical and fluid systems. The alternative is the hassle of modifying a piece of thermal-barrier sleeve to fit.

Utili-Shield Sleeves are capable of exposure up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit of constant heat and 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit of intermittent heat, since they use the same specially-formulated volcanic rock-based fibers as the Heatshield Products HD Lava Sleeve and Stealth Sleeve.

They’re also resistant to acids, chemicals and solvents. A built-in hook-and-loop fastening system makes for a simple installation, usually without disassembly of the involved components. (www.heatshieldproducts.com)

Keep Boost Contained

Ever since extreme turbo engines hit the scene, engine builders have been searching for a better way to hold intake charge pipes and other pressurized plumbing on their engines together. Traditional silicone couplers can blow apart as the boost climbs, and other methods such as welding the pipes together are no good because the welds may crack and fail as the engine flexes.

Vibrant Performance HD Clamp Assemblies securely join two pipes together in applications making up to 800 PSI of static boost pressure. The clamps are also flexible, allowing up to 12 degrees of telescopic and angular movement to withstand all the flexing and vibration your high-power mill can dish out.

Made from 6061 billet aluminum, Vibrant Performance HD Clamp Assemblies are a modular design with one pair of aluminum weld barrels with specialized O-rings that keep even minute amounts of boost from escaping; hard anodized union sleeve that joins the weld barrels together to create a leak-proof seal; hinged, quick-release clamp that wraps around the assembly to hold it together; and a stainless steel locking pin to hold the hinged clamp closed.

Vibrant Performance HD Clamp Assemblies are available to fit pipes from two to five inches in diameter in your choice of anodized blue, anodized black, and mirror polished finishes. (www.vibrantperformance.com)

Defeat Torsional Vibration And Gain More Power

Torsional vibration is one of your engine’s biggest enemies. A Fluidampr Harmonic Damper can keep torsional vibration in check to protect your diesel engine and even recover lost horsepower and torque.

Torsional vibration is the repetitive end-to-end twisting and rebounding of the crankshaft caused by internal combustion. It sounds bad, and it is. Torsional vibration will accelerate component wear, affect valve timing, and increase the risk of engine failure. If the torsional vibration frequency aligns with the natural frequency of the engine’s rotating assembly, a vibration spike will occur. This spike may cause a two-piece crankshaft or oil pump to split apart, much like a wine glass fracturing when the right musical pitch is hit.

Torsional vibration also steals power from your engine. That’s why adding a harmonic damper to control torsional vibration will allow your engine to run more efficiently and make more torque and horsepower. Most stock engines use a harmonic damper that uses bonded rubber, or elastomer, between the damper’s crank hub and inertia weight to control vibration. Those dampers are ‘tuned’ to absorb vibration in the engine’s normal operating RPM range. Performance modifications, particularly ones that increase torque, produce added vibration in an RPM range that the elastomer damper wasn’t designed to handle.

Fluidampr Harmonic Dampers are CNC-machined for precise fit and balance and are SFI 18.1-certified for racing use. They won’t crack or separate like rubber-based dampers, and never need to be rebuilt or tuned. Summit Racing carries Fluidamprs for most popular diesel engines. They’re the cure for the evils of torsional vibration. (fluidampr.com)

It’s Okay To Pry

You can’t deconstruct a suspension or other vehicle component without a good set of pry bars. The Summit Racing Pry Bar Sets will give you the proper bar at hand when you need it. 

SUM-900453 includes 12-, 18-, and 25.250-inch pry bars with plastic handles. SUM-900454 includes a 15-inch flat bar, a 24-inch wrecking bar, and 12- and 18-inch standard bars. Summit Racing recommends getting both sets to cover all of your prying needs. (www.summitracing.com)

Mickey Thompson Expands Baja Boss A/T Line

The Baja Boss A/T, winner of Diesel Tech’s Showstopper Award at SEMA 2021, is expanding in a big way with the introduction of 11 popular new sizes to the newest line from Mickey Thompson tires and wheels.

Offering an aggressive look and smooth performance, the asymmetric tread design of the Baja Boss A/T is optimized for reduced noise, off-road traction and on-road handling for pickups and SUVs.

The Baja Boss A/T features PowerPly XD 3-Ply construction and blends Extreme Sidebiters with a silica-reinforced tread compound for serious grip, long wear, cut and chip resistance, and all-weather performance.

The 50 percent heavier third ply delivers puncture resistance, quicker reaction to steering input and greater stability.

The new sizes include: LT265/75R16, LT285/75R16, LT265/65R17, LT265/70R17, LT285/70R17, LT265/60R18. They fit full-size pickups.

Additionally, the new LT285/60R20, LT285/65R20 and LT285/55R22 sizes provide 34- and 35-inch options for leveled pickups with premium 20-inch and 22-inch O.E. or aftermarket wheels.

For owners of lifted diesel pickups who prefer a BOLD look, Mickey Thompson now offers the 35X15.50R24LT and 37X13.50R24LT sizes. (www.mickeythompsontires.com)

Bring The Heat

When everything else fails to unstick stubborn fasteners and other parts, generations of mechanics have broken out the oxy-acetylene torch, aka, the heat wrench. As much fun as a torch can be, it’s not very precise and the open flame has a tendency to damage the areas around the component you want to remove.

Fortunately, there is a better way. Induction Innovations created tools that use induction heating to remove stuck or corroded parts. The tools use replaceable coils that generate high-frequency magnetic fields to quickly apply precise, consistent heat to electrically-conductive materials like steel and aluminum. This process also safely releases the bond of adhesives used to hold trim, glass, decals and vinyl graphics, and even spray-on bedliners to metal.

Summit Racing carries Induction Innovations induction heating tools that are ideal for home shop and professional use including the Mini-Ductor Venom and Venom HP.

The Mini-Ductor Venom and Venom HP induction heat tools are powerful enough to heat a big 3/4-inch diameter nut red-hot in seconds. Designed to heat ferrous metals like steel and cast iron, the Venom HP has an ‘Intelligent cooling’ system that extends the tool’s duty-cycle time, plus a fault monitor that automatically shuts down the tool to protect it from damage due to overheating. 

The Mini-Ductor Venom is rated at 1,000 watts and the Venom HP is rated at 1,800 watts. They come with a preformed coil to remove fasteners, a U-form coil you can shape to fit parts the preformed coil can’t, and a Bearing Buddy coil to remove parts such as frozen oxygen sensors, ball joints, and tie-rod ends. (www.theinductor.com)