Rear end oil change

[joe.dollar]

Just drained the oil out of the rear end of my 97 Ranger. I've never had a truck before where the differential cover has no gasket. According to the book you just use silicone in the prescribed way.

Just wondering if there's a specific reason for having no gasket? Has anyone made their own and put it in? I'd sure feel better if I used a gasket in there, but I don't want to put one in if it is NOT supposed to be there.

Happy newyear!

 

[4x4fun]

what was on it when you took it off

 

[Hahnsb2]

Totally unnecessary, RTV works just fine by itself.

 

[Rearanger]

Purchasing an aftermarket diff cover with a drain plug and little larger oil capacity would be a good idea. The aluminum one I bought came with a gasket.

 

[MAKG]

Utterly unnecessary, but you can get them if you look (from the dealer, or from a rear end shop).

I like to use a gasket on my 8.8 just because some types of RTV can be a bit difficult to remove the next time around.

 

[pacodiablo]

RTV is less prone to leaking than a paper gasket. Ford's mileage interval for the factory fill is 150K, and most trucks never have it changed anyway, so RTV makes sense.

If you change the fluid frequently, paper will probably be easier to deal with. You can get paper gaskets at any parts store.

I wish someone would make a reusable rubber gasket for the 7.5. There is one for the 8.8.

 

[McCormack]

There's only a relatively small amount of grease in the differential handling lubricating duties, and it gets sludged up pretty quickly, so 150k between rear-end oil changes is far too long to go. My rear-end oil is already pretty dirty at 30,000 mi, so I change mine very 30,000 mi.

And there's a much easier way to change the rear-end oil than through pulling the diff cover off... buy one of those suction thingies (it kinda looks like a grease gun) at the parts store, and use it to suck the old oil out of the diff through the filler hole. It only takes about 30 seconds to suck the grease out of the diff, and like I said it's so much easier and faster than pulling the cover off and messing with the RTV and what-not.

 

[joe.dollar]

I like the idea of a larger cover with a drain plug.

As far as sucking the old oil out, I wanted to get the best possible drainage so I took the cover off. I agree it's faster to suck it out, but I've only owned the truck for a short time and wanted to inspect the diff inside and clean out the grunge really well. It was very dirty inside, but the oil level was fine.

The cover hadn't been removed before, so it was siliconed on with no gasket.

 

[McCormack]

As far as sucking the old oil out, I wanted to get the best possible drainage so I took the cover off. I agree it's faster to suck it out, but I've only owned the truck for a short time and wanted to inspect the diff inside and clean out the grunge really well. It was very dirty inside, but the oil level was fine.

Yep, I agree with you... the first time I changed my diff oil I pulled the cover off just to have a look around in there see what was what. I'm glad I did it, because there was a bit of a grunge film on everything, so I cleaned it all up before buttoning it back up. But now that I'm getting a bunch of miles on the truck I'm happy to just get the oil changed as quickly and as painlessly as possible, so I use the suction method.

 

[joe.dollar]

I'm happy to just get the oil changed as quickly and as painlessly as possible, so I use the suction method.

Yes, after this first change/ inspection I'm sure that is what I'll do too. I am going to look for the aftermarket aluminum cover with a drain though.

Thanks for all the input gents.

 

[McCormack]

I am going to look for the aftermarket aluminum cover with a drain though.

A cover with a drain would interest me too... let me know if you find one. Or I suppose a guy could drill and tap the stock cover for a drain plug.

 

[LeftRightSplit14]

http://www.yourcovers.com/dc_9593.shtml

kinda pricey, but its what you are looking for.

 

[7.5L_STX]

i put my own drain plug on my diff cover...i just drilled a hole and welded in a threaded plug.

 

[McCormack]

http://www.yourcovers.com/dc_9593.shtml

kinda pricey, but its what you are looking for.

Thank you for the link. :>)