Dana 28/Ford 7.5 fluid replacement

[cubewhiz]

I have a Dana 28 front axle. The differential is surrounded by a bunch of bolts. The diff cover goes across the entire axle instead of just the diff, which is unlike axles I have worked with in the past. Do I just need to remove the bolts around the diff to remove this cover and drain the fluid?

Also, does anybody know the fluid type and capacity for the Dana 28 front & Ford 7.5 rear?

Thanks.

 

[Guilius]

if your D28 is the Twin Traction Beam like my 95, it is bolted to the Beam itself and has no drain plug. the only way to change it is to take apart both hub assemblies to remove the Axle Shafts. Remove all the bolts out of the front of the beam that go into the member. unbolt the beam from the support and lower the member down. there was also a long bolt/pin on the drivers side holding it up there to swivel out. at this time you can now clean as needed and.....my suggestion is drill and tap a hole to install a drain plug! there is plenty of room on the underside to do so.

now you can scrape the old sealer off and use your choice to reinstall. i usually use the Ultra Black RTV. a friend helps to get it back up and in without smearing the hell out of the sealer. one person can hold it up while the other threads in the bolts and lines it up.
sock it down and reattach the beam, install the shafts and hubs.

then of course fill it up with your gear oil. My 95 called for 80W90.
i know the front took 2 quarts and the rear took 3 on my 8.8 28 spline. i now have the explorer 32 spline which took 4 quarts.

 

[84stealthranger]

If u could find a small tube with a hand pump on it u can suck it out thu the fill plug in the front

 

[exbass94]

If u could find a small tube with a hand pump on it u can suck it out thu the fill plug in the front

^^This. A million times easier than pulling the whole diff off the truck. For the rear, you can of course just pop the cover off. 5 quarts should be enough for both front and rear.

 

[Guilius]

i forgot to add about pumping it out! harbor freight sells the pumps and that's how i did it the first time. good to know im a brainless idiot sometimes.

for my regear i had to pull it off, but we installed the drainplug at that time.
i must say the plug is ALOT easier than the pump too!

 

[4x4junkie]

If u could find a small tube with a hand pump on it u can suck it out thu the fill plug in the front

Yep, easiest way.

Before you do this though, lock the hubs in and drive it at road speeds (t-case in 2WD) for about 10 miles or so. This should churn up and suspend any moisture and/or debris in there in the oil so you can then suck it all out with it.

 

[cubewhiz]

yeah, i looked at it a bit further today. That's way too much work. Hand pump it is, until I find another excuse to open up the diff.

 

[holyford86]

A 1 gallon jug will do both differentials and you will have some left over, the D28 holds a little over 1 quart, the 7.5 rear holds 2.5 quarts. A word of advice for the rear axle is, make sure that the fill plug comes loose before removing the cover.

 

[cubewhiz]

I'll pick up a gallon of 80W90. Thanks.

 

[honhon]

someone on the explorer forum was saying the D28 uses atf?? can anyone elaborate on that?

 

[adsm08]

someone on the explorer forum was saying the D28 uses atf?? can anyone elaborate on that?

I'll elaborate.

Someone on Explorer forum is an idiot.

 

[honhon]

cool. so ill probably pick up some mobil 1 75w90,

but re-reading above... would 80w90 be alittler better when cold? im FL

 

[adsm08]

I have never seen 75W90.

I'd use 80-90 anyway.

 

[honhon]

my local autozone has mobil 1 synthetic 75w90, 10$ a qt... 3 qts (i.e. alittle over a qt for the front and then 2.5 qts for the rear)

i think sinse im in FL and it doesnt get that cold. i think ill go with the 75w90 to get only minute gain in efficiency...