Dealer wants $660 to change differential fluid

[CarbonSteel]

i just passed 13k on my 2018 JLUS. didnt realize i should have done a break in change for the diff oil. i did for the engine oil.

i have the LSD/M220 rear. should i use the factory spec of 75w-80 or jump to a 140. i do offroad it and am on 35s. took it out this past weekend.

i see 4wp around the corner from me has Dana Friction Modifier in stock. from what ive read online, theyre pretty much all the same. sound accurate?
https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/dana-...iction-modifier-additive-43161/_/R-FSGR-43161

I would up the viscosity in the rear to 75W-140 and the front to 75W-110 (which was the upper viscosity that 75W-90 used to be before the SAE J306 tables were updated some time back). The CRAZY thing (at least on my axles) is that I have the towing package on my Rubicon and an M220 rear axle, yet it was filled from the factory with 75W-90. I also added temp gauges for the front and rear and have seen 202°F in the rear axle driving at 75ish in 90 degree weather. Because lower gear ratios (higher numbers) generate more heat than higher gear ratios (e.g. 4.88 creates more heat than 4.10), larger tires increase the load on the axle as does towing, and considering the small capacity of the M220 (1.6QTs) and M200 (1.3QTS), I would not use anything other than synthetic oil.

I recommend Amsoil Severe Gear oil as it has the LSD additive already in it and is arguably the best gear oil on the market today--but with that said, there are plenty of oils out there that give great service life. I would not hesitate to use Castrol, M1, Valvoline, Red Line, Royal Purple and the list goes on...

Hope this helps!

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[rickinAZ]

Most cars don't have drain plugs so you have to remove the rear diff cover or pull out the third member ("pumpkin"), depending on brand. Pulling the third member means pulling the wheels, axles, driveshaft. Then you have to clean the thing up and put on another gasket, put it all back together, then put the new fluid in. So you see how big of a favor they did for you by giving you a drain plug.

I've run ARB covers, and they are simple on/off. Pulling the axles & driveshaft would now make $660 seem cheap, but I've never heard of diff covers that require all that extra work. Who would ever buy them unless they were unaware of the process until after they purchased them?

 

[CarbonSteel]

Looks like clutch material from LSD clutches.

My last few 4x4's had ELD and have not had LSD, but that looks like a fair amount of clutch material (if that is what it is) and makes me wonder if that is why there have been a number of LSD axle failures reported here. Here is what the oil in my M220 (electronic locking differential) looked like at 5K miles. Lots of metal in it:

 

[CarbonSteel]

I've run ARB covers, and they are simple on/off. Pulling the axles & driveshaft would now make $660 seem cheap, but I've never heard of diff covers that require all that extra work. Who would ever buy them unless they were unaware of the process until after they purchased them?

Ford 9" rear ends come to mind and could explain why many of them never had an oil change :P

 

[1quick1]

Nationally known gear shop here in the area charges $60 per axle and they use Lucas oil. I'm starting to wonder if OP was either trying to drum up a discussion or misplaced a decimal because there is no way in the world any shop would think of charging that amount.

A few years back on my JK they wanted to replace my rear axle fluid at 30k miles and quoted me the same price ($330) so wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Pig-Pen]

I would up the viscosity in the rear to 75W-140 and the front to 75W-110 (which was the upper viscosity that 75W-90 used to be before the SAE J306 tables were updated some time back). The CRAZY thing (at least on my axles) is that I have the towing package on my Rubicon and an M220 rear axle, yet it was filled from the factory with 75W-90. I also added temp gauges for the front and rear and have seen 202°F in the rear axle driving at 75ish in 90 degree weather. Because lower gear ratios (higher numbers) generate more heat than higher gear ratios (e.g. 4.88 creates more heat than 4.10), larger tires increase the load on the axle as does towing, and considering the small capacity of the M220 (1.6QTs) and M200 (1.3QTS), I would not use anything other than synthetic oil.

I recommend Amsoil Severe Gear oil as it has the LSD additive already in it and is arguably the best gear oil on the market today--but with that said, there are plenty of oils out there that give great service life. I would not hesitate to use Castrol, M1, Valvoline, Red Line, Royal Purple and the list goes on...

Hope this helps!

the highest ive seen in my brief online shopping has been 75w-90.

 

[CarbonSteel]

the highest ive seen in my brief online shopping has been 75w-90.

Lots of companies make 75W-140 (https://www.google.com/search?q=75w...ome.1.0l7.4854j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8); only a few make 75W-110.

 

[txj2go]

I've run ARB covers, and they are simple on/off. Pulling the axles & driveshaft would now make $660 seem cheap, but I've never heard of diff covers that require all that extra work.

Not all solid axles have removable diff covers. I don't know about Jeep axles throughout the years. Maybe the shop didn't know if a diff cover was involved. If they should have known then they should have quoted a more appropriate price.
I've dealt with other trades that always quoted a flat rate no matter the circumstances. I had a plumber that would come to my house and do 2 jobs for just a little more than one job, because they were already there. Another plumber insisted on the full book flat rate even if they were there and didn't have to make a separate trip.

 

[Pig-Pen]

Lots of companies make 75W-140 (https://www.google.com/search?q=75w...ome.1.0l7.4854j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8); only a few make 75W-110.

sorry i meant as far as 75w-110. Found plenty of 75w-140

 

[CarbonSteel]

sorry i meant as far as 75w-110. Found plenty of 75w-140

Gotcha. There are only 3 that I know of:

Amsoil - https://www.amsoil.com/p/severe-gear-75w-110-svt/
Ravenol - https://www.amsoil.com/p/severe-gear-75w-110-svt/
Red Line - https://www.redlineoil.com/75w110-gl-5-gear-oil

 

[OregonJeepGuy]

Did my rear diff today: 2 qts Royal Purple 75W-90 at $20 per qt; an oil catch pan from Walmart at $2; a couple of wraps of yellow Teflon tape on the drain and fill bolts; an hour of my time (first time or it probably would have been less). A $288 savings right there!

 

[Kraty1]

What's up with the milky red-brown stuff? You been in the water?

Some of the black rear oil was leftover in the drain pan, the front was very clean and mixed in with it, giving it the milky look

 

[mgroeger]

A few years back on my JK they wanted to replace my rear axle fluid at 30k miles and quoted me the same price ($330) so wouldn't surprise me.

Wow I am seriously scratching my head at this. I don't even know how they would come up with a price that high.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Wow I am seriously scratching my head at this. I don't even know how they would come up with a price that high.

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