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Front and rear diff service on pick up

P

Paul Shuler

Member
I was reading someone else's post a week or two ago about changing the oil in the rear differential of his pickup and how bad it looked. It got me to thinking I should do mine. I have done quite a bit of tractor hauling and made two long towing trips up and over the Rockies and I have never serviced mine. I plan to haul a tractor up to Red power this June from Springfield MO so I thought I should do it. Then I opened my manual and saw that they recommend doing it at 50k miles. Ooops I have 95K on my 2008 Duramax. So I decide to do that and the transmission fluid also. When I drained the rear I was surprised that it looked just as good as the new stuff I put back in. I was wasn?t going to do the front cause if I understand it right it only turns when in 4 wheel drive and with all the mild winters we have had around here I bet I don?t have 200 miles on this truck in 4wd. But to my amazement when I drained the front diff the fluid looked awful. Looked like about half water and it had a lot of fillings on the magnetic drain plug and the rear had none that I could see. I have owned the truck since new and know for a fact the front end has never been under water so all I can guess is its condensation from lack of use and never getting warmed up. I am glad I went ahead and changed it. I may try and remember to run the 4wd on gravel roads and such once in a while just to warm it up from now on. Lol, I'm sure nobody cares about any of this but I found it interesting. The pic is the ole Duramax and my best friend.
a152071.jpg
 
Being a bit particular about automatic transmission service, I have mine done every 10 to 15k miles or once a year. I tow heavy (30k lbs) so I am really working the transmission. There is a local shop that will do it for $100 which really cheap. They adjust the bands and check the front, rear and transfer case fluids. They will not change the the differentials or the transfer case unless it really needs it. They look at the color, consistency and smell and determine if it needs changing. I have only changed the rear diff fluid once in 120k miles. I think your driving and the conditions you drive in determine how often its needed. I would think you should check the fluids once a year just to make sure you don't have a slow leaking seal. I know someone that had that happen to his transfer case. Hadn't check it in like forever, then he needed four wheel drive and the case would not go into gear. $1800 later it works fine. I believe in cheap insurance, check it often...

OTJ
 
What a cute little sweety. She is going to break a few hearts. This is a pic of one of the next door's girls. She is a real character too.
a152085.jpg
 
The transfer case and frt. axle fluid always looks nasty in those GM trucks. I used to change my drive line fluids yearly when I was driving a lot haven't since I retired. Might change the frt. axle and transfer case fluid this summer in my 2013 Chevy with 33,000 on it. Also those frt. axles vent through a hose and are fastened under the hood in the left frt. corner, seen some of those pulled off and fallen down to where they could take in some water.
 
Cute mechanic you have there, although she looks a little too clean to have changed those Diff. fluids. LOL


:>)
 
(quoted from post at 09:10:24 02/20/17) I was reading someone else's post a week or two ago about changing the oil in the rear differential of his pickup and how bad it looked. It got me to thinking I should do mine. I have done quite a bit of tractor hauling and made two long towing trips up and over the Rockies and I have never serviced mine. I plan to haul a tractor up to Red power this June from Springfield MO so I thought I should do it. Then I opened my manual and saw that they recommend doing it at 50k miles. Ooops I have 95K on my 2008 Duramax. So I decide to do that and the transmission fluid also. When I drained the rear I was surprised that it looked just as good as the new stuff I put back in. I was wasn?t going to do the front cause if I understand it right it only turns when in 4 wheel drive and with all the mild winters we have had around here I bet I don?t have 200 miles on this truck in 4wd. But to my amazement when I drained the front diff the fluid looked awful. Looked like about half water and it had a lot of fillings on the magnetic drain plug and the rear had none that I could see. I have owned the truck since new and know for a fact the front end has never been under water so all I can guess is its condensation from lack of use and never getting warmed up. I am glad I went ahead and changed it. I may try and remember to run the 4wd on gravel roads and such once in a while just to warm it up from now on. Lol, I'm sure nobody cares about any of this but I found it interesting. The pic is the ole Duramax and my best friend.
a152071.jpg
Click to expand...

Yes Paul, you are right! all cases are vented so moisture can get in and condense on the inside. It takes heat generated by use to drive it out.
 
(quoted from post at 16:49:27 02/20/17)
Yes Paul, you are right! all cases are vented so moisture can get in and condense on the inside. It takes heat generated by use to drive it out.
Click to expand...

So. , if you have lockout hubs on your rig you gotta lock them in and drive a hundred miles or so, in the summer? 8)
Click to expand...
 
(quoted from post at 17:50:17 02/20/17)
(quoted from post at 16:49:27 02/20/17)
Yes Paul, you are right! all cases are vented so moisture can get in and condense on the inside. It takes heat generated by use to drive it out.
Click to expand...

So. , if you have lockout hubs on your rig you gotta lock them in and drive a hundred miles or so, in the summer? 8)
Click to expand...

Well, essentially yes. Just as our tractors need to be worked to drive the moisture out of the cases. With the truck though I expect that it should warm up in five or so. Sure it sounds like you are being hard on equipment to drive your 4WD for five miles with it engaged so maybe you ought to just keep those bearings gears and seals stored in the oil/water emulsion. 8)
Click to expand...
 
I think my daughter had that same dress when she was that size. Now she wears her "dungarees" and helps out. I let the jack down onto the jackstands, but she rotates the tires all on her own.
 
(quoted from post at 21:11:09 02/20/17)
(quoted from post at 17:50:17 02/20/17)
(quoted from post at 16:49:27 02/20/17)
Yes Paul, you are right! all cases are vented so moisture can get in and condense on the inside. It takes heat generated by use to drive it out.
Click to expand...

So. , if you have lockout hubs on your rig you gotta lock them in and drive a hundred miles or so, in the summer? 8)
Click to expand...

Well, essentially yes. Just as our tractors need to be worked to drive the moisture out of the cases. With the truck though I expect that it should warm up in five or so. Sure it sounds like you are being hard on equipment to drive your 4WD for five miles with it engaged so maybe you ought to just keep those bearings gears and seals stored in the oil/water emulsion. 8)
Click to expand...

Whoa........I never said anything about having the 4WD engaged! All I said was to lock the hubs in to turn the bearings and ring & pinon to keep 'em lubed. If you take a drive over Engineer or Stony Pass it will get warmed up much faster as they both require 4WD most of the way BUT It doesn't take long on pavement to cause undue wear, for sure. 8)
Click to expand...
 
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