MAINTENANCE : Jeep JK Wrangler Differential Fluid Change Write-Up

[RonG]

Just Did Mine

2015 Sahara Unlimited with stock axles and diffs with about 30K miles.

I used Valvoline 80W90. It was not synthetic but it did say it was for limited slip differentials. I assume it had a friction modifier in it (which I didn't need). It was $6.99 a quart compared to $20+ for the synthetic (which I also didn't need).

When I removed the fill plug, oil started running out but I had been driving and the oil and diffs were hot, so I wasn't surprised. The old oil in the back was much blacker than the front. There was only grime on the drain plug magnets. It took just under two quarts in the back and just over one in the front. I had bought a pump at the store to help get the oil in the front. It turned out to be a cheap POS and leaked badly. It made more of a mess than the rest of the job (if you don't count the three time I dropped things into the dirty oil catch basin).

It was quick and easy and certainly not worth paying the dealer $300+ to do it.

Thanks for the write-up.

Transfer case is next.

 

[wayoflife]

Glad to hear my write-up helped you out

 

[Desertman]

Done my 2015 rubicon 3 times now. Due to the inconsistency in the supply of oil in the local market here I get my oil at the dealership in Mopar bottles. It an easy Saturday morning job. Just get the bottle pump from Amazon and you will have no problems.


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[notnalc68]

Bumping this great thread. Just did mine, following this write up!




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[mrjoe90]

Done my 2015 rubicon 3 times now. Due to the inconsistency in the supply of oil in the local market here I get my oil at the dealership in Mopar bottles. It an easy Saturday morning job. Just get the bottle pump from Amazon and you will have no problems.


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If you have an LSD, did you dump the entire bottle of modifier in the rear then top off?


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[WJCO]

If you have an LSD, did you dump the entire bottle of modifier in the rear then top off?


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When I used to have LSD, I would use the gear oil quarts with the pointy cap, fill the diff with about half a quart of it, then pour the friction modifier into the gear oil container and squirt the rest of the total mixture in the differential. Then top off the differential with another quart of diff oil until it was full. The dealership will have the exact fluid quantity specs of how much friction modifier is needed.

 

[Ed243]

I've got a 2013 JK Rubicon. I pulled the drain and fill plugs and it looks like there is a whitish-tan pipe dope on the threads. After cleaning out the plug threads, what's everyone using on the threads?

 

[JeepFan]

I've got a 2013 JK Rubicon. I pulled the drain and fill plugs and it looks like there is a whitish-tan pipe dope on the threads. After cleaning out the plug threads, what's everyone using on the threads?

I use Teflon tape on the plugs. Works good.

 

[WJCO]

I use Teflon tape on the plugs. Works good.

Ditto. ^ This is what I've always done as well.

 

[BobNH]

I use Teflon tape on the plugs. Works good.

Ditto. ^ This is what I've always done as well.

This is interesting. I have never, ever used tape, but diffs and t-case are all pipe threads, and the nv3550 in my tj was too. I never thought about it. Thanks for this tip.

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[WJCO]

This is interesting. I have never, ever used tape, but diffs and t-case are all pipe threads, and the nv3550 in my tj was too. I never thought about it. Thanks for this tip.

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I fold it in half and then put it on the middle of the plug. Doesn't need to be excessive, just needs to create a seal.

 

[wayoflife]

I would recommend that you use the yellow teflon tape as it is chemical resistant and made for gas and oil. It will do a better job than the standard white.


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[BobNH]

I fold it in half and then put it on the middle of the plug. Doesn't need to be excessive, just needs to create a seal.

I would recommend that you use the yellow teflon tape as it is chemical resistant and made for gas and oil. It will do a better job than the standard white.


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[emoji106]

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[ichthus]

Thanks for the write up.


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[Van]

Great write up! Done!

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[JoeB-JKURX]

Synthetic versus Dino Diff Oil

I'd been looking at gears from Revolution Gear and Axle and had noted that they specify dino versus synthetic. I've been using synthetic (Mobil 1) in my stock Rubi diffs with no problems and asked why they recommended dino. I got back what I thought was a pretty surprising answer.

"Hey Joseph,

After many test the "Dino" oil doesn't cause the oil to heat up as much. We have seen many synthetic oils cause gears to burn up. We have not found a synthetic oil that holds up to the needs of the differentials. So that's why we recommend the use of non-synthetic oil. It's something we can see clearly after a gear has burned up if it was caused by oil.

Brandon Brierly
16441 Berwyn Rd Cerritos, CA 90703
Pos: Senior Account Manager
Cell: 949-433-4441
Office: 844-213-4327 Ext. 102
Fax: 562-802-3177

Follow me on Facebook: Brandon at-Revolution"

As I would expect synthetic to be slipperier than Dino, I'm thinking (as was noted early in this thread) that there may be something in the friction modifier that helps t he LSD "hook up" that may also cause synthetic (or any other gear oil with the friction modifier) to heat up and, possibly, cause damage to the gears. Does that make sense? These guys have been selling gears for a while now and it would seem that they'd have a pretty good handle on the right lube.

 

[webejeepin]

Great write up, thanks Eddie. I've referenced this many time on my 08.

Doing some reading for my new 16, and compared "Manufacture suggested" fluid change at 64,000KM vs. "Dealer suggesed" 32,000KM. I error on the side of caution and support good preventative maintenance...it will be done at 32,000km.

Then I keep reading what the dealer suggest vs manufacture.....wow, shocker, the dealer doubles what the manufacture states, on just about all the work one needs to keep up on.

Clearly the service dept is a huge profit center for the dealer. Lol.

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[sittingduk]

Thanks for the write up. Changed the oil this morning. Super easy.


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[jgraz]

I'd been looking at gears from Revolution Gear and Axle and had noted that they specify dino versus synthetic. I've been using synthetic (Mobil 1) in my stock Rubi diffs with no problems and asked why they recommended dino. I got back what I thought was a pretty surprising answer.

"Hey Joseph,

After many test the "Dino" oil doesn't cause the oil to heat up as much. We have seen many synthetic oils cause gears to burn up. We have not found a synthetic oil that holds up to the needs of the differentials. So that's why we recommend the use of non-synthetic oil. It's something we can see clearly after a gear has burned up if it was caused by oil.

Brandon Brierly
16441 Berwyn Rd Cerritos, CA 90703
Pos: Senior Account Manager
Cell: 949-433-4441
Office: 844-213-4327 Ext. 102
Fax: 562-802-3177

Follow me on Facebook: Brandon at-Revolution"

As I would expect synthetic to be slipperier than Dino, I'm thinking (as was noted early in this thread) that there may be something in the friction modifier that helps t he LSD "hook up" that may also cause synthetic (or any other gear oil with the friction modifier) to heat up and, possibly, cause damage to the gears. Does that make sense? These guys have been selling gears for a while now and it would seem that they'd have a pretty good handle on the right lube.

Sorry to drag out an only comment. I was just preparing to do all the fluid changes this weekend for my first time, they have been done before.
I went with revolution gears and recently came across the same suggestion about Dino vs Synthetic. I also noticed that they recommend 85-140W for the diffs. Obviously that differs greatly from the 75W90 recommendation from Jeep. does anyone have any thoughts on this? Go with Revolutions suggested or stick with Jeep?

 

[WJCO]

Sorry to drag out an only comment. I was just preparing to do all the fluid changes this weekend for my first time, they have been done before.
I went with revolution gears and recently came across the same suggestion about Dino vs Synthetic. I also noticed that they recommend 85-140W for the diffs. Obviously that differs greatly from the 75W90 recommendation from Jeep. does anyone have any thoughts on this? Go with Revolutions suggested or stick with Jeep?

Revolution may be assuming you have an aftermarket locker. I know ARB recommends a thicker oil in colder climates for their lockers. Maybe contact Revolution and ask them why they recommend this. Or maybe Exodus Jeeps here on the forum will have a good answer, I know they do a lot of gear/axle work.