Front and rear differential service maintenance schedule

[askibum02]

What is the maintenance interval for the front and rear differential?  I am coming up on 45K on my '17 and I'm going to be doing my transfer case and transmission fluid. 

 

Untitled by Brett Valentine, on Flickr

[TXGREEK]

Depending on your driving characteristics and whether you tow. I do mine every 10k Miles, a bit excessive but it’s very easy to have done and cheap. Many do it every 20-30K miles. Your owners manual will be at the max.

 

 

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[askibum02]

My truck is mainly a commuter.  I drive about 100 miles a day round trip at hwy speed for most of it.  I tow and haul occasionally.

[Logan Lanfear]

Id say replace it now while youre doing all that other work.  Use nice fluid if you plan on letting them go for 45 to 50k

[ducklawyer]

Manual says 45k on “severe”. You’ll be surprised at the amount of shavings on the magnet.


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[ducklawyer]

Scratch that - you’re doing those things... I would follow same for diffs.



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[DustinZ71]

For those that have had these maintenance items done before, what is the approximate cost for changing diff fluid, transmission fluid, transfer case fluid etc? Im coming up on 45k and want to plan ahead $$ wise. Thanks in advance.

Edited March 18, 2019 by DustinZ71

[Black02Silverado]

As for the front and rear differentials. 

I change mine out early from the start to AMSOIL Severe Gear 75w-90.  I did this on my 2002 at 1,000 miles on the truck and then again at 72k.  Then again at 162k and the fluid had 90k miles on it and the UOA showed great and to extend it out to 120K.  I tow about once a month a 5k, 10x20 box trailer. 

 

I just changed out the fluid on my 2019.  Not as easy on the front since there isn't a drain plug like on the K2's and the fill plug is a tight fit between it and the electric power steering. I was only able to suck out a little over a qt of fluid.    The back is the same as the K2's.  Reusable gasket and all.

 

Cost is what the fluid would be if you do it yourself which is easy.  My 2019 took a little over 5qts to do both diff's.   My 2002 takes 2qts for the front and a little over 2qts for the rear.

 

The transfer case is easy as well. It holds about 2qts for the AMSOIL ATL fluid.

 

The transmission I had the dealer do mine at first.  16qts of fluid and they charged me $80 for labor. 

Edited January 12, 2022 by Black02Silverado

[Jacoby]

The manual recommends a lighter fluid in the rear, that's odd.  Since Im getting new gears put in on the 27th I'll get fresh fluid installed then and then again after 500 miles of break in get the fluid changed again.  I'll be right at 18k miles when that goes down.  I'll be using Redline gear oil

Edited March 18, 2019 by Jacoby

[mookdoc6]

On 3/16/2019 at 7:51 PM, TXGREEK said:

Depending on your driving characteristics and whether you tow. I do mine every 10k Miles, a bit excessive but it’s very easy to have done and cheap. Many do it every 20-30K miles. Your owners manual will be at the max.

 

 

Sent from above

 

I do my oil every 10K?  I have never heard of anybody doing Diff's @ 10K.......CRAY..CRAY

[TXGREEK]

I do my oil every 10K?  I have never heard of anybody doing Diff's @ 10K.......CRAY..CRAY

Wait! You get oil changes every 10k??

Yeah, I know. That’s nothing, my 16 Z71 DMax, it got a rear diff change every time I towed a 5th wheel which was every two months. Must be an OCD thing with me, another reason why friends line up when they hear I’m thinking of selling my trucks.


Sent from above

[swimmer55]

I just got a quote from the local dealer for the front/rear differential 45,000 mile service 

533.00! 

seems a tad high……

[Black02Silverado]

7 hours ago, swimmer55 said:

I just got a quote from the local dealer for the front/rear differential 45,000 mile service 

533.00! 

seems a tad high……

Think that is high, they wanted $500 to change out the thermostat on my 2016 Suburban.  $35 and 10 minutes of my time and all done.  Crazy what they charge.

 

I did my own fluid changes on my 2019 differential.  Had to suck the front out since no drain plug.  GM in their infinite wisdom decided to get rid of it for some reason.  It wasn't hard to do on the back but the front the electrical harness for the power steering is right there kind of in the way but not.  AMSOIL's Easy Packs make changing less messy that is for sure.