ARB Diff cover change front and back, fluid level way off on the 2014 Rubicon?

Rubiwho

New member
OK, just put on ARB diff cover front and back, followed ARB instructions and marked the dipstick to match the drain plug on the takeoffs. I put in 1.75 (.50 more) quarts in the front and 3.25 (almost 1 quart more) in the rear. Whats up? Did I do something wrong? I know it will over flow through the drain plug if I add too much. I just drove it 15 miles and no problems over flowing. Is this some thing that will slowly happen (over flow), and can I harm it if it is too full. I put in the Front 2.7 pints (1.35 quarts) Rear 4.75 pints (2.375 quarts) that the write up called for but it barley registered on the dip so I brought it up to the mark on the dip.

Anyone have any input....
 
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Moochie

Active Member
The rear always uses more oil because it flows into the tubes. This doesn't happen on the front.
 

Moochie

Active Member
They should take about this much oil. ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1378503622.531577.jpg
If you overfill them it will eventually over flow out of your breather tubes and make a mess.
 
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Rubiwho

New member
I did used this write up to referance. When I added the said fluid amount it was well below the fill plug line. I checked the fill mark and it is just above the axles. Can damage be caused if i don't take fluid out, and drive it to see if it overflows?
 

NFRs2000NYC

Caught the Bug
I did used this write up to referance. When I added the said fluid amount it was well below the fill plug line. I checked the fill mark and it is just above the axles. Can damage be caused if i don't take fluid out, and drive it to see if it overflows?

This problem is common with the ARB covers, people don't know what to trust. The fill plug is not a good gauge, since many companies move it up. Most people with ARB covers (I have them as well, but not installed yet) say that when they put in the correct amount of fluid in the diff, the dipstick shows that the oil is low. Some claim you should follow the dipstick because the ARB cover takes more fluid, some say to use OEM specs. Personally, I don't know which ones is right.:thinking: Maybe email ARB and see WTF is going on? They are a very respected company with quality engineering, so I would think they can provide the right answer. Maybe the dipstick thing they use is universal???
 

Moochie

Active Member
I did used this write up to referance. When I added the said fluid amount it was well below the fill plug line. I checked the fill mark and it is just above the axles. Can damage be caused if i don't take fluid out, and drive it to see if it overflows?

I'd drain some out so that it's closer to the bottom of the tubes. When they heat up it will come out of your breather tubes.
 

Rubiwho

New member
Let me ask this question. If I don't get any over flow, does this mean I'm good?


Sent from my iPad using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

jeeeep

Hooked
x2 drain some out so that it's closer to the bottom of the tubes. When they heat up it will come out of your breather tubes.

more is not always better
 

jesse3638

Hooked
Don't mean to hijack this thread but I'm having the opposite problem. I just changed the fluid in my rear diff and I cannot get more than 1 3/4 quarts to go in. I figured it was going to take the 2.37 quarts but before the second quart was even empty it started running back out of the fill hole. I've tried rocking the jeep forwards and backwards thinking maybe the fluid in only going in half the diff or some sort of air pocket but this just caused oil to slosh out of the hole. Any help with regards to this is much appreciated. With regards to the ARB diff cover (I'm going to install next on the front) per their instructions it says to lay the diff covers next to each other and draw a straight line from the bottom of the fill hole on the stock cover to the dip stick and mark the dip stick accordingly. I know this thread is several months old but I though I'd share the info.

Edit: Just wanted to add that the jeep is on level ground. When draining the fluid it was barely dripping out before I replaced the drain plug so I'm pretty sure it was completely drained.
 
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jesse3638

Hooked
Ok so I drove it around the block seeing if that would change the oil level but it didn't. I managed to get almost 2 quarts in there but it was try/?

Sent from my EVO using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

jeeeep

Hooked
Don't mean to hijack this thread but I'm having the opposite problem. I just changed the fluid in my rear diff and I cannot get more than 1 3/4 quarts to go in. I figured it was going to take the 2.37 quarts but before the second quart was even empty it started running back out of the fill hole. I've tried rocking the jeep forwards and backwards thinking maybe the fluid in only going in half the diff or some sort of air pocket but this just caused oil to slosh out of the hole. Any help with regards to this is much appreciated. With regards to the ARB diff cover (I'm going to install next on the front) per their instructions it says to lay the diff covers next to each other and draw a straight line from the bottom of the fill hole on the stock cover to the dip stick and mark the dip stick accordingly. I know this thread is several months old but I though I'd share the info.

Edit: Just wanted to add that the jeep is on level ground. When draining the fluid it was barely dripping out before I replaced the drain plug so I'm pretty sure it was completely drained.

Is this with stock covers?
 

jesse3638

Hooked
Well during the wayalife kick off run I noticed no extreme temperatures when I touched the diff after the highway portions. I have yet to pull the fill plug and see where the level is currently, but before I could get even two quarts in the rear it it was trying to pour back out so I put the plug in quickly as not to lose any. And no leaks from the new front cover after the run either. I plan to check the levels in both the front and rear this weekend but all seems well.
 

JEFFMS457

New member
I just installed both. Followed the instructions and ended up with 1 1/4 in the front and 1 /34 in the back.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
To be clear, the reason why companies have fill holes that are higher than stock is so you can still add in the required fluid in a rear axle that has its pinion angle set for an aftermarket drive shaft. If you have your rear pinion set, you really should run an aftermarket cover with a higher fill hole OR, jack up the rear end of your Jeep so that you can get the amount of fluid you need inside.

IF you have not set your rear pinion angle, you DO NOT want to fill your diff to the fill hole of an aftermarket cover. As mentioned, you ONLY want to fill your diff with the required amount of fluid or, till it reaches the base of your axle tubes. Overfilling your diff will just cause it to spit out gear oil out the breather tube and make a mess.
 

JEFFMS457

New member
To be clear, the reason why companies have fill holes that are higher than stock is so you can still add in the required fluid in a rear axle that has its pinion angle set for an aftermarket drive shaft. If you have your rear pinion set, you really should run an aftermarket cover with a higher fill hole OR, jack up the rear end of your Jeep so that you can get the amount of fluid you need inside.

IF you have not set your rear pinion angle, you DO NOT want to fill your diff to the fill hole of an aftermarket cover. As mentioned, you ONLY want to fill your diff with the required amount of fluid or, till it reaches the base of your axle tubes. Overfilling your diff will just cause it to spit out gear oil out the breather tube and make a mess.

Thank's for the information. Mine is all stock Rubicon. Sounds like the end results are about right then.
 
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