Rear Diff Replacement.

mackruss · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 3:47 pm

I had to replace the rear diff recently ( after 60K km's) and the guys that did it managed to find a complete second hand axle at a scrap yard.

The diff appears to be fine on the road until i get to my driveway which is fairly steeply inclined. When i pull off at the bottom of the driveway, i can hear a grinding noise
which i suspect is coming from the diff.

Could this be incorrect pinion angle - any suggestions.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 11:26 pm

mackruss wrote:

I had to replace the rear diff recently ( after 60K km's) and the guys that did it managed to find a complete second hand axle at a scrap yard.

The diff appears to be fine on the road until i get to my driveway which is fairly steeply inclined. When i pull off at the bottom of the driveway, i can hear a grinding noise
which i suspect is coming from the diff.

Could this be incorrect pinion angle - any suggestions.

No, pinion angle cannot be reset.

mackruss · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:25 am

What diff oil is recommended for the diff and friction modifier, i'd like to try this in the diff before looking at other adjustments.

Uffe · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:53 am

mackruss wrote:

What diff oil is recommended for the diff and friction modifier, i'd like to try this in the diff before looking at other adjustments.

Go to your dealer and ask for the LSD additive for your rear axle. Oils for the diff can be found in your manual

mackruss · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:07 am

I'll do that but chances are they won't even know what i'm talking about.

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:38 am

On the 06 US models we have ESP as standard equiptment and therefore were not even offered with limited slip differentials so no friction modifiers are required :wink:

So if you have ESP none is needed

mackruss · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:35 am

Thanks for that, i do have ESP so i guess i should empty the diff and use what weight diff oil then?

retmil46 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:28 pm

75W90 if you're not towing anything, 75W140 if you do plan on towing.

mackruss · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:37 pm

Thanks, could i use a hand pump to suck the oil out of the rear diff rather than loosen all of the bolts and have the oil squirting all over the place?

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:46 pm

you could but if you take the cover off you will get more of the oil out, just set a bucket under it and remove the bottom bolts and then start up the sides once youve gone a little ways you can break the seal and let it all fall into the bucket

but be sure to clean all of the old RTV off and replace it, its pretty easy to do

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:25 pm

There are gaskets available if you don't want to mess with RTV. One company's product is supposed to be reusable and very good but I'm sorry I don't know their name :cry:

bugnout · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:34 pm

Lube Locker is the brand your thinking of

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:35 am

This is what I used in my front and rear differentials on my CRD. I changed my fluid at 20,000 miles and was surprised by how dirty my front diff fluid was.

geordi · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:11 am

Other than a desire to not bathe in friction modifier and smell like arse for days... Why would the differentials need oil changes unless you were changing something? I will admit to being a neophyte on this one, but in years of owning vehicles, I have only once dealt with the rear end - when it got turned to mush by a high-speed impact to the axle. Other than that... My other Jeep (also a 4x4) has never had anything done that I know of to the differentials, and it has over 200k miles on it and still moves just fine.

Please explain what I'm missing.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:32 am

geordi wrote:

Other than a desire to not bathe in friction modifier and smell like arse for days... Why would the differentials need oil changes unless you were changing something? I will admit to being a neophyte on this one, but in years of owning vehicles, I have only once dealt with the rear end - when it got turned to mush by a high-speed impact to the axle. Other than that... My other Jeep (also a 4x4) has never had anything done that I know of to the differentials, and it has over 200k miles on it and still moves just fine.

Please explain what I'm missing.

KJ owners seem to be obsessive about changing their diff fluid, they change it about as often as I change my engine oil.

Uffe · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:48 am

Sir Sam wrote:

KJ owners seem to be obsessive about changing their diff fluid, they change it about as often as I change my engine oil.

I don't know what to make of that Sam

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:55 am

Sir Sam wrote:

geordi wrote:

Other than a desire to not bathe in friction modifier and smell like arse for days... Why would the differentials need oil changes unless you were changing something? I will admit to being a neophyte on this one, but in years of owning vehicles, I have only once dealt with the rear end - when it got turned to mush by a high-speed impact to the axle. Other than that... My other Jeep (also a 4x4) has never had anything done that I know of to the differentials, and it has over 200k miles on it and still moves just fine.

Please explain what I'm missing.

KJ owners seem to be obsessive about changing their diff fluid, they change it about as often as I change my engine oil.

It's a heat issue for the front diff,very little airflow and not very much fluid capicity leads to gear oil break down faster.Plus fresh fluid helps with mpg's you CRD guys are always hunting for,why I don't now why since you own a Jeep.

geordi · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2008 12:11 pm

Maybe because we aren't rich enough to own multiple cars that can just have a single purpose?

I needed towing ability that my Jetta didn't have, and I wanted to retain most of the mileage that the Jetta gave me. I'm sure others have a similar story.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:32 pm

geordi wrote:

Please explain what I'm missing.

My owners manual says to change our front and rear differentials every 15,000 miles under schedule B. Like I said, the front differential was pretty black for only 20,000 miles.

danoid · **Posted:** Thu Sep 11, 2008 11:41 am

geordi wrote:

Maybe because we aren't rich enough to own multiple cars that can just have a single purpose?

I needed towing ability that my Jetta didn't have, and I wanted to retain most of the mileage that the Jetta gave me. I'm sure others have a similar story.

Ditto, this is the most fuel efficient vehicle that can still tow 5000# that I know of. I too had a Jetta TDI. I wish I could have kept it for commuting to work, but...

Rear Diff Replacement.

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