It should be listed in both sources, under the driveline/differential section.

From the factory service manual, it's 30 ft lb torque, for the rear diff cover bolts.

 

Most every guide I have seen shows roughly 30-35 lb torque for most diff covers. I haven't used a torque wrench on a diff cover since probably the 1970's. I do it pretty much by feel. It is not the specifics of the torque that is the issue, it is the the way it is done. I hand snug all bolts down, the I use cross patterns and snug them all down a little, and do it all over again, and again, till I have them all down to where I want them. I have never had a leak on a diff cover in 40 years.

 

OP - choice of gasket material is up to you, factory or a gasket maker like the Right stuff. Just don't use both together. As mentioned earlier, the spec is 30 ft lbs.
Gently snug all the bolts and then torque in a criss cross pattern. The correct torque and correct method are extremely important.
Make sure the threads in the diff and on the bolts are clean and dry as wet threads could allow over torquing and bolt breakage.

 

OP - choice of gasket material is up to you, factory or a gasket maker like the Right stuff. Just don't use both together. As mentioned earlier, the spec is 30 ft lbs.
Gently snug all the bolts and then torque in a criss cross pattern. The correct torque and correct methodhttp://Fastenal.com are extremely important.
Make sure the threads in the diff and on the bolts are clean and dry as wet threads could allow over torquing and bolt breakage.

I disagree with the 30 to 35ft lbs for differential cover bolts.
Looking up grade-bolt size- torques it shows a clean lubed (never sieze or rtv) gr 8 -5/16-18 bolt torque at 295in/lbs which is around 24ft/lbs. A grade 5 bolt is even lower. Personally I'm happy with 18 to 20 ft lbs on my bolts though I pushed them to 24ft/lbs. No way 30 to 35 even on old OEM bolts.
RE chart on www...

Fastenal.com

Most every guide I have seen shows roughly 30-35 lb torque for most diff covers. I haven't used a torque wrench on a diff cover since probably the 1970's. I do it pretty much by feel. It is not the specifics of the torque that is the issue, it is the the way it is done. I hand snug all bolts down, the I use cross patterns and snug them all down a little, and do it all over again, and again, till I have them all down to where I want them. I have never had a leak on a diff cover in 40 years.

Mine leaked when the cover rusted through.

 

Thanks for all the responses. I'm quickly learning a lot on this forum, both about the truck and general "wrenching" technique.

 

I disagree with the 30 to 35ft lbs for differential cover bolts even though that's the spec. It's too high for even a gr8 bolt..
Looking up grade-bolt size- torques it shows a clean lubed (never sieze or rtv) gr 8 -5/16-18 bolt torque at 295in/lbs which is around 24ft/lbs. A grade 5 bolt is even lower. Personally I'm happy with 18 to 20 ft lbs on my bolts though I pushed them to 24ft/lbs. No way 30 to 35 even on old OEM bolts.
RE chart on www... View attachment 942302 Fastenal.com

 

On differential cover gasket just like any gasket, I go old school and use rtv ONLY if you have 12 to 24 hrs to let rtv dry before you torque part.
RTV works best when a bead is applied and part assembled with bolts gently so the parts have a stuck together uniform gap about 1/8" to 3/+6". Let it dry 24 hrs and then evenly tighten bolts and torque. Now the rtv is compressed like an o ring. No gasket but perfectly clean and decreased surfaces.
On my engines, since 1974, I've applied 3m or loctite weatherstripping adhesive to the removable part and glue the gasket on and place face down on a flat surface or install thither permanently #1 hardening or #2 non hardening on gasket face going onto the engine ect.. nonhardeng is good for vibration areas.
This is old school and works on well my applications.
You can use spray purple or spray copper cote as it is also a contact cement.

 

why are you bumping the year old thread again that you bumped after 7 years

 

Right!