Looked around, maybe I missed the thread for it, but I have heard that if the differential fluid isn't maintained every 20k or so that your differential kicks the bucket? If this is the case how can I tell if it has been maintained while looking at Cherokee's when the maintenance records aren't available (like auto lots). Thanks for bearing with my n0obness!

 

You can tell if it's been done once, but there's no real way to tell if it's been maintained regularly. The maintenance schedule calls for diff fluid replacement at 30k miles. When I bought my 2000 with 70k miles on it, I could tell it had never been swapped. I'm not really worried about it. My motto is to swap all the fluids when I buy a used vehicle if you don't know how well maintained it was. You can onlyl do what you can do.

 

Yeah thats what I usually say, but now my dad is sorta uneasy/uppity about looking into it....

 

From my experience, I had a standard trans. ford ranger with 241,000+ miles on it and I never changed the trans fluid or the differential fluid. And on my XJ I didnt change the front and back dif fluid till just over 200,000 miles. So I dont know about all that.

 

Hmm...wonder if the old man can be convinced..

 

I know the old 2dr chevy capice classic 454 I dont know what rear end is in it but you were NEVER supposed to change it. But in my jeep I changed it when I got it and will do it the next time I have to tear into it but Im not to worried.

 

its good to regularly maintain everything, ofcourse. but it doesnt hurt to change it when you have been playin in the mud or water either