front and rear differential fluid change.

riptricket · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 2:45 am

I am getting ready for 30K on my KJ and am wanting to know if it is necessary to change my front and rear diff. fluids?

swyszomirski · **Joined:** Sat Oct 01, 2005 2:59 am **Posts:** 286

I think you are due, I thinks the diffs are done in 12k intervals, but I am at 50k and am now just looking to change them out. Ask a dealer, they will know for certain.

stephen

BVCRD · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:53 am

Yes you need to change it every 12,500 miles. Do you have an owner's manual?

Video Guy · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:18 am

If you drive in harsh conditions or beat up your KJ regularly, you're way overdue. If it's a highway cruiser, you can wait probably another 15K miles. Depends on whether you're following maintenance schedule A (mainly highway miles) or schedule B (mainly city driving, frequent trips of 10 miles or less, frequent towing or hauling, regularly offroad, etc.). Schedule B suggest changing diff. fluid every 12K miles. Check your service manual to see which schedule fits your driving habits.

BVCRD · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:03 am

And don't forget the temp extremmes that limit "A". We all have winter....right?

riptricket · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:08 am

i have been using schedule B, nd have changed the front and rear diff's at 12K. last time they asked me about limited slip... and there is an extra additive or something? not sure what they are talking about so maybe someone could help me out there too.

BVCRD · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:12 am

riptricket wrote:

i have been using schedule B, nd have changed the front and rear diff's at 12K. last time they asked me about limited slip... and there is an extra additive or something? not sure what they are talking about so maybe someone could help me out there too.

If you have the optional limited slip rearend, it doesn need an additive. I think it is like $12 at the dealership.

riptricket · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:15 am

i had it done at pepboyds last time and they did a great job so i guess i'll just take it to them again.

riptricket · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:24 pm

just went to pepboys today, and they said that i am good until 50K. they said it would just be waiting my money if i had it done again. i had it done at 14K previously.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:56 pm

Looks like youve been going to pepboys alot. :lol:

If you tow anything, offroad, or go through water often, I would go ahead and change it. Idk if you do that kind of work yourself, but its really not that big of a deal. You probably wouldnt need to change the fluid in the front unless you fun around in 4wd all the time. :wink:

KJ04 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:37 pm

So what makes the Liberty differentials so delicate that they need to have full synthetic gear lube changes every 12,000 miles?

My Ford Ranger 4X4 manual says that it's good for 100,000 miles with synthetic.
Does Ford have a better idea?

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:59 pm

KJ04 wrote:

So what makes the Liberty differentials so delicate that they need to have full synthetic gear lube changes every 12,000 miles?

My Ford Ranger 4X4 manual says that it's good for 100,000 miles with synthetic.
Does Ford have a better idea?

Offroading and towing puts alot more wear and tear on the drive-train. With offroading comes alot of torque, water, and dust.. So its best to change the fluid sooner. :wink:

DavidG · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:34 pm

Even with schedule B, the owner's manual requires the front and rear axle differential fluid changes at 12 K miles (for a 2005) only if used commercially or for extreme service beyond the "severe" schedule B service.

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1186971.html

At 12K miles, and not towing a trailer or using my jeep offroad, I am not sure I need that service.

riptricket · **Posted:** Fri Mar 09, 2007 1:03 am

DavidG I agree. I hardly do water-fording, since i live in OKLAHOMA. there is no off-roading really to do here, except when it rains, and it has to rain a lot for anything to be muddy. so I think that i am going to change them both at 50K.

BVCRD · **Posted:** Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:40 am

KJ04 wrote:

So what makes the Liberty differentials so delicate that they need to have full synthetic gear lube changes every 12,000 miles?

My Ford Ranger 4X4 manual says that it's good for 100,000 miles with synthetic.
Does Ford have a better idea?

It's not the diffs that are fragile. It is the fluid. It absorbs moisture from the air, and breaks down from the heat.

KJ04 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:15 am

BVCRD wrote:

KJ04 wrote:

So what makes the Liberty differentials so delicate that they need to have full synthetic gear lube changes every 12,000 miles?

My Ford Ranger 4X4 manual says that it's good for 100,000 miles with synthetic.
Does Ford have a better idea?

It's not the diffs that are fragile. It is the fluid. It absorbs moisture from the air, and breaks down from the heat.

Let me rephase the question then. Why does Ford require a change at 100,000 miles and Jeep requires a change at 12,000 miles, both with 75W140 synthetic lube. At $9.00 + a quart, you'd think it would be good for more than 12,000 miles. The Jeep manual doesn't state to change every 12,000 miles if you've had your Jeep submerged in water, off-roaded, or towed with it, it just says change it at 12,000 miles. To me, it just sounds like a gimick for the Jeep dealerships to make extra money off ya!

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:56 am

I think the original fluid would be fine up to 25-30,000 unless it gets contaminated which isn't very common even on vehicles that do water crossings. I changed mine to Amsoil earlier to avoid all the wear that the gears endure during break in. The first change is usually the worst for lube condition as you will find quite a bit of wear from the first few thousand miles. Once the gears are broken in they wear very little if maintained w/ a good lube. As for running a Ford to 100,000 miles on that original gear lube, I am sure it can be done but what will the gears look like after that many miles? I know of people that put a lot of miles over many years on original gears w/ no problems and they never changed their gear lube. I also know of people that didn't service their diffs and they experienced problems after several thousand miles. I guess it is up to everyone to decide how they want to take care of one of the most expensive parts of their vehicles. If you wheel hard or tow and you want cheap peace of mind, change it according to Some schedule even if it is 20-30K or run a quality synthetic lube that has been proven to work fine for extended service intervals and leave it in there for up to 100,000 miles. Or, follow your service manual and don't worry once you are out of the warranty period. I am sure if you experience a diff failure at 70,000 miles and you are on the original 100,000 mile fluid and out of warranty, they will fix it. ummm...Not.

I will still change my Amsoil gear oil at about 50,000 mile intervals (takes me a few years to go that far) and never worry about oil failure. I will also continue to check the diff fluid after events like Moab where I do water crossings and if I find water in the diff I will change it out. (in 3 years of Moab events w/ water crossings, I have yet to find water in any diff) It costs less than $100 to do a synthetic gear oil change every couple to few years so I feel that is cheap peace of mind and well worth doing.

blah wth blah do blah.......mumble I mumble know mumble anyhow....... Yeah I'll stfu now....

BlueFreedom · **Posted:** Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:56 am

How hard is it to change yourself? Anyone here ever do it? Special tools needed?

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Fri Mar 09, 2007 11:05 am

BlueFreedom wrote:

How hard is it to change yourself? Anyone here ever do it? Special tools needed?

Easy but can be a little messy.
Socket and ratchet for rear, RTV or gasket to seal it back up,
3/8 drive extension to remove front fill plug, 1/4" allen for drain, real easy.

I can do both in about an hour allowing time to drain, cleaning out the inside of rear diff and drinking a beer or two. If pushed I could do them way faster - the beers of course. It is rediculous what a dealer charges to do the job it is almost as easy as changing the oil.

BlueFreedom · **Posted:** Fri Mar 09, 2007 11:31 am

Thanks for the response! Are those the tools needed for both the front and rear?
Are the areas you have to get the ratchet and allen wrench into hard to reach?
What gear oil and additive do you use (I have the Trak-Lok rear on my 2003).

Thanks again!!

front and rear differential fluid change.

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