I'm due for an oil change in both axles. Never done this before. Can I get a list of supplies needed for this task and what weight oil I need to put in each differential?
Junior Member
it's fairly simple. use either 80-90 gear oil or 80-140w if you drive hard, tow or offroad frequently
buy two felpro paper gaskets one for each end
tube of grey gear oil permatex OR a can of the right stuff
pull the covers, wash the gears with brake cleaner and a brush.
make sure the cover and axle are spotless with no grime residue. apply a film of the rtv to each side of the paper gasket, stick it to the axle, then plop the cover on being careful to make sure you get the bolt holes lined up on the first plop. install ALL bolts then torque in sequence which is similar to a wheel, cylinder head or anything else. if you use the grey tube permatex do not add oil until the next day. right stuff you can add oil in an hour. you will also want to buy a new rubber plug if you have a chrysler rear as the OE one will be hard as a rock. fill to just a touch under the plug and you're done. if you overfill and go up to the plug you will get seepage. won't really hurt anything but it's irritating. forgot what actual spec is, think it's 1/2" under the plug....1/4" under? someone should know for sure on here
buy two felpro paper gaskets one for each end
tube of grey gear oil permatex OR a can of the right stuff
pull the covers, wash the gears with brake cleaner and a brush.
make sure the cover and axle are spotless with no grime residue. apply a film of the rtv to each side of the paper gasket, stick it to the axle, then plop the cover on being careful to make sure you get the bolt holes lined up on the first plop. install ALL bolts then torque in sequence which is similar to a wheel, cylinder head or anything else. if you use the grey tube permatex do not add oil until the next day. right stuff you can add oil in an hour. you will also want to buy a new rubber plug if you have a chrysler rear as the OE one will be hard as a rock. fill to just a touch under the plug and you're done. if you overfill and go up to the plug you will get seepage. won't really hurt anything but it's irritating. forgot what actual spec is, think it's 1/2" under the plug....1/4" under? someone should know for sure on here
Quote:
buy two felpro paper gaskets one for each end
tube of grey gear oil permatex OR a can of the right stuff
pull the covers, wash the gears with brake cleaner and a brush.
make sure the cover and axle are spotless with no grime residue. apply a film of the rtv to each side of the paper gasket, stick it to the axle, then plop the cover on being careful to make sure you get the bolt holes lined up on the first plop. install ALL bolts then torque in sequence which is similar to a wheel, cylinder head or anything else. if you use the grey tube permatex do not add oil until the next day. right stuff you can add oil in an hour. you will also want to buy a new rubber plug if you have a chrysler rear as the OE one will be hard as a rock. fill to just a touch under the plug and you're done. if you overfill and go up to the plug you will get seepage. won't really hurt anything but it's irritating. forgot what actual spec is, think it's 1/2" under the plug....1/4" under? someone should know for sure on here
Originally Posted by racebum
it's fairly simple. use either 80-90 gear oil or 80-140w if you drive hard, tow or offroad frequentlybuy two felpro paper gaskets one for each end
tube of grey gear oil permatex OR a can of the right stuff
pull the covers, wash the gears with brake cleaner and a brush.
make sure the cover and axle are spotless with no grime residue. apply a film of the rtv to each side of the paper gasket, stick it to the axle, then plop the cover on being careful to make sure you get the bolt holes lined up on the first plop. install ALL bolts then torque in sequence which is similar to a wheel, cylinder head or anything else. if you use the grey tube permatex do not add oil until the next day. right stuff you can add oil in an hour. you will also want to buy a new rubber plug if you have a chrysler rear as the OE one will be hard as a rock. fill to just a touch under the plug and you're done. if you overfill and go up to the plug you will get seepage. won't really hurt anything but it's irritating. forgot what actual spec is, think it's 1/2" under the plug....1/4" under? someone should know for sure on here
Okay thank you!
Member
There is a trick I saw in a magazine I have yet to try, but I plan to try the next time I do this job.
Get nut and section of threaded rod or cut off a long bolt or a stud and replace the top center bolt holding the cover on. When you remove all of the other bolts holding the cover on leave the stud in place with the nut at the end of the stud. The you can pry the cover loose to drain the oil and not have the cover drop in the bucket.
Get nut and section of threaded rod or cut off a long bolt or a stud and replace the top center bolt holding the cover on. When you remove all of the other bolts holding the cover on leave the stud in place with the nut at the end of the stud. The you can pry the cover loose to drain the oil and not have the cover drop in the bucket.
How much gear oil should I buy for both my axles?
Senior Member
i believe they are 1.5qt each. and i never use a gasket i just get some stuff called 1minute gasket it is tuff stuff and seals fast and good. i would recomend using it instead of a gasket .
My '87 owners manual says 1.2L of 75W90 or use 80W140 if equipped with a trailer towing package.
I filled mine up last weekend and found some on the driveway a day later. I'm thinking a seal is gone. Not sure if that's normal but I did fill it up to overflowing the fill hole.
I filled mine up last weekend and found some on the driveway a day later. I'm thinking a seal is gone. Not sure if that's normal but I did fill it up to overflowing the fill hole.
Seasoned Member
I never use any paper or cork gasket, just whatever RTV silicone I have on hand. To fill the diffs, I got a handpump from Autozone and I put it on a gallon jug of 80w-90 oil.
When removing the cover, leave the top bolt threaded in a few turns, you'll probably have to pry the cover off. I'll use a crapsman flat blade screwdriver or chisel on the machined face of the diff housing to whack the cover off. Once the seal is broken and oil starts dripping out, rotate the screwdriver and work it around to complety open it up. Once most of the oil is out, remove teh top bolt with one hand, catch the nasty cover with the other. Oh, you should have took the fill plug out first, its easier to do when the cover is bolted to the housing, and the hole is a good grabbing point.
Never heard of using a long stud, the top bolt is plenty long.
Lastly, rubber gloves FTW. You'll sweat a lot, but the sweat is like cheap hand cleaner
When removing the cover, leave the top bolt threaded in a few turns, you'll probably have to pry the cover off. I'll use a crapsman flat blade screwdriver or chisel on the machined face of the diff housing to whack the cover off. Once the seal is broken and oil starts dripping out, rotate the screwdriver and work it around to complety open it up. Once most of the oil is out, remove teh top bolt with one hand, catch the nasty cover with the other. Oh, you should have took the fill plug out first, its easier to do when the cover is bolted to the housing, and the hole is a good grabbing point.
Never heard of using a long stud, the top bolt is plenty long.
Lastly, rubber gloves FTW. You'll sweat a lot, but the sweat is like cheap hand cleaner
Yea I just got back from the store and got a gallon of 80-90 for both my axles, some brake cleaner, and some high temp rvt sealant to make a gasket. I'll do the change when I get off work tomorrow!