Check The Tightness Of Differential Fill / Drain Plug

[HenryMac]

I changed the lube in rear differential on our 2019 Ranger today. One thing I found was the drain plug and fill plug on the rear differential weren't tight?

Then I checked the front differential: the drain plug was tight, but the fill plug wasn't?

The argument could be made that they are pipe threads and that "tight" is just my personal opinion. But fact is... they weren't all tightened from the factory the same amount.

I'd suggest checking the fill / drain plugs on your front and rear differential. Snug them up.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Kinda neat they put a drain plug in them really.

For years and years if you wanted to change the oil you had to pull the cover.

 

[Dirtman]

Kinda neat they put a drain plug in them really.

For years and years if you wanted to change the oil you had to pull the cover.

Honestly if your doing the service it's better to take off the cover to clean out any sludge in the housing anyway, especially if you have a limited slip where you will be getting the oil contaminated with friction material. Putting a drain plug on it can make people lazy and they end up never opening up the case which is why I always assumed it wasn't done.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Honestly if your doing the service it's better to take off the cover to clean out any sludge in the housing anyway, especially if you have a limited slip where you will be getting the oil contaminated with friction material. Putting a drain plug on it can make people lazy and they end up never opening up the case which is why I always assumed it wasn't done.

On the flip side... the lube is more likely to be changed frequently with a drain plug.

 

[sgtsandman]

Interesting, on Hondas, the drain and fill plugs are installed by the Samsonite Gorilla. Granted, those are external wrenching plugs instead of internal wrenching but even then, the plugs on Fords were always more snug than they ahould be.

I guess they got tired of hearing mechanics bitch about needing to easy out the plugs because they were installed too tight.

 

[HenryMac]

Interesting, on Hondas, the drain and fill plugs are installed by the Samsonite Gorilla. Granted, those are external wrenching plugs instead of internal wrenching but even then, the plugs on Fords were always more snug than they ahould be.

I guess they got tired of hearing mechanics bitch about needing to easy out the plugs because they were installed too tight.

I stuck my 3/8" Craftsman ratchet in the square hole in the plug... and the weight of the ratchet spun the plug. My truck only has 7,500 miles, but I'm sure glad I changed the fluid.

I remember on my Tacoma I had to do a 180 lb chin up on 3/8" breaker bar to get the plug out.

 

[sgtsandman]

I’ll have to check mine for sure.

I take it the fluid had a lot of silver in it?

 

[HenryMac]

I’ll have to check mine for sure.

I take it the fluid had a lot of silver in it?

It had a fair amount of fine metal stuck to the magnetic drain plug. That's not really that unusual since these gears "wear in". I just like to drain and refill the rear diff. at the 2nd oil change.