It’s true: the drain plug has been removed from the front diff on Rubicon

[Outrun]

Is removing the cover the best way? No. You can identify premature wear, make sure you get more fluid (but not all) out, identify potential problems, etc. by removing the cover. But not everything.

The absolute best way is to remove the axle and disassemble everything. Then measure all teeth on all gears with a micrometer, measure thickness and wear on things like bearings and clutch packs, replace common wear items and one-time-use items (like crush sleeves), and reassemble in a clean environment.

Obviously, I'm being a sarcastic here - but I don't want to be a jerk. No one is going to do all that every time. The question is cost vs. benefit. Of the thousands of people who are regularly changing their fluids, how many are going to actually find a problem? Three? Four? A dozen?

Moreover, the harder you make something to do, the less likely you are to do it. If you can do a task in 5 minutes, then chances are good you will do it when you need. If it takes you 30 minutes or an hour (buy new gasket maker, remove bolts, scrape old gasket off, clean surface, apply new gasket material, reseal pumpkin, etc.), then chances are fair you aren't going to do it as often.

Also, because it's more likely you will be changing the fluid often, the chances of any of those bad things (shavings, water, etc.) are greatly decreased. And you can always inspect your fluid that is removed for those things.

This thread was started because Jeep is getting rid of drain plugs. Well, a vacuum pump will remove just as much fluid (or more) than a gravity drain.

The only real difference between the 2 is that you might be able to drain a few ounces more fluid by removing the cover. If you leave 2 ounces of old fluid, you are going to have 97% new fluid in the diff. Considering that during an oil change you are left with 0.5-1 quart of old oil in the engine, meaning you are only getting 75-80% new oil, 3% isn't terrible at all.

But, in order to get those last few ounces out, you are introducing a lot of uncertainty - did you put the gasket sealant on properly? Did you torque all the bolts properly? To me, it's just not worth introducing those new points of failure to potentially prevent something that happens <1% of the time.

Just get a gasket that doesn't require all this extra work. A torque wrench is easy to utilize.
If somebody is too afraid of or doesn't trust themselves in the first place to do these simple things probably best to let a mechanic do the work.

Also, this is not something done often.

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[bjm00se]

I love the smell of gear oil.

I'll certainly admit that there's no other smell like it.

 

[00 Trans Ram]

Just get a gasket that doesn't require all this extra work. A torque wrench is easy to utilize.
If somebody is too afraid of or doesn't trust themselves in the first place to do these simple things probably best to let a mechanic do the work.

Also, this is not something done often.

How many people you figure: a) have a proper torque wrench, b) will use it on this project, and/or c) properly maintain the torque wrench to ensure it remains calibrated (mechanical = release all tension after every use; digital = ensure proper battery voltage to ensure proper readings).

But, I will walk back my opinion a bit, after more consideration. These aren't vehicles where if there is a failure, you just call a tow truck. We're talking pulling down a mountain with another Jeep. So, taking extra precautions is a good thing.

 

[TJJL19]

I would always remove the diff cover anyway. Seems odd to have a drain plug on something you'd want to inspect anyway, especially in the place where it is most likely to be damaged. Makes it quicker for the quicky-lube places, but not an advantage for someone that does their own work and wants to look things over.

I changed the axels and transfer case at 10,000 miles, because it was so easy, with the drain plug.
Laying on my back, on a cold driveway, makes me want to do it ASP, so thank you Jeep, for the drain plugs!
OH, YES, I am getting old!

 

[Dyolfknip74]

Fair enough, but doing that work turned into a hobby for me, and something I enjoy. I'm as likely to pull the cover as pull the plug, because I enjoy it. It's not extra work if it's not work at all. I love the smell of gear oil. But of course, everyone is different.

It's even better if you rub a little on your lips.

 

[MSparks909]

What a bunch of whiners. Jeep puts a drain plug on the ‘18-21s, people whine. Jeep takes it away, people whine…Not rocket science or that difficult to yank the cover to change the fluid. If it concerns you that much, pay someone to do it or just don’t ever change it like 98% of society until you have an eventual axle problem. Glad it’s gone, one less failure point to worry about

 

[omnitonic]

I never had a vehicle with a diff drain plug before, and I like it. Removing the cover isn't hard, but cleaning up the mess after gear oil goes everywhere is a chore I've always hated. Then you get oil in the lower bolt holes, and you can never get it all out, no matter how many cans of carb cleaner or other degreaser you shoot in there, and no matter how many times you blow the holes out. Same problem with the axle flange holes on a Dana 70. It's just a bitch keeping gear oil out of these areas, or getting it out once it gets in.

Get a little gear oil in the hole, and your torque wrench is useless as tits on a boar hog. I've been lucky that the times I was a dumbass and didn't realize what was happening, I was actually able to extract the headless bolt after I snapped it right off with my torque wrench. Sad to admit, I did that at least two different times on a Dana 70. I don't think I ever snapped a diff bolt.

So I'm in the drain plugs are good camp, but I can deal with not having one. It certainly wouldn't affect my buying decision one way or the other. That's why I have a custom made brass gasket scraping chisel thing, and two good arms full of elbow grease.

Plus, come to think of it, the holes on these axles go all the way through, so they would be easier to clean out. Pretty sure that wasn't the case when I changed the diff fluid on that old Dana 70, but maybe it was true there too. Maybe I'm just focusing on the axle flange hole problem, which isn't relevant to these axles anyway.

 

[four low]

Re-useable gaskets, and a tiny bit of initiative sure beats having a smashed plug, and fractured diff housing.

 

[TJJL19]

Well, maybe they can't get the plugs, just like GM can't get chips for heated seats?

 

[DanW]

Of course, this is the argument for removing it:

Another argument is to put synthetic 75w90 or even 75w140 in there and leave it alone. The front diff doesn't endure enough stress to worry about changing it. I don't think it would hurt a darned thing to call it lifetime fluid and just leave it alone.

 

[DanW]

How many people you figure: a) have a proper torque wrench, b) will use it on this project, and/or c) properly maintain the torque wrench to ensure it remains calibrated (mechanical = release all tension after every use; digital = ensure proper battery voltage to ensure proper readings).

But, I will walk back my opinion a bit, after more consideration. These aren't vehicles where if there is a failure, you just call a tow truck. We're talking pulling down a mountain with another Jeep. So, taking extra precautions is a good thing.

For those that don't have a torque wrench, I'd suggest either buy one or take it to the dealer or an indy shop and let them do it.

But again, if mine were like this I'd just change it out at maybe 100k miles and not worry about it before then. I have never seen front gear lube come out of my YJ, JK, or JL that looked even remotely spent. I remember changing the YJ's front fluid at close to 100k and it looked fine. The rear gets most of the work and wear. The front has a pretty easy life, even when used off road a lot.

 

[AcesandEights]

I never used a torque wrench on the diff covers. I've got a couple torque wrenches, but it never occurred to me to torque the bolts properly, just tight enough that nothing leakt.

 

[Jtphoto]

Dana/Spicer messed up on the design here. The JKD30/D44 had the drain plug tucked upon the side of the housing out of harms way. Easy to access, easy to drain and of course the magnet on the plug would always provide you with an indication if anything was wrong inside. I tend to change Diff oil more often then An inspection would be required. Of course the simple solution for those without a drain plug is simply buy ARB cover that has a drain plug.

SIDE NOTE: Does the XR have a heavier diff cover then a regular Rubicon and is the regular JL Rubicon diff cover heavier then the D44 Diff cover on a JK Rubicon.

 

[John VonJeep]

Not rocket science or that difficult to yank the cover to change the fluid.

Literally nobody here said it's difficult.

 

[AcesandEights]

Literally nobody here said it's difficult.

I'm not sure that's entirely true.

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