Attn:MountaineerTom 99Z71

y2kz71 · May 9, 2001

What did you use to clean the gears in your rear differential? Did you put any additives with the new gear lube? My truck has 4.10 gears with the locking differential and I am going to service mine this weekend (and clean the engine). Also, if you changed the front lube what did you use and any tips?I appreciate you posting those pictures, the timing was perfect for me. Thanks for your continued help.

MountaineerTom · May 10, 2001

y2kz71,

I just used some brake cleaner in a spray can that I had. It worked really well and evaporated so I didn't have a bunch of fluid and junk left over. Before I used it though, I sopped up as much oil as I could with a rag. I didn't use any additives, just the Valvoline Synthetic. From all that I've read, you don't have to use any additive with the synthetic oils. It's working great.

I havn't done the front yet. I have the oil, regualr Valvoline 75w-90 (or whatever weight the manual calls for, I can't remember it off the top of my head). Here's a tip on refilling. Again, I can't remember off the top of my head, but the manual says to refill it to within 1 5/8 to 5/8 of an inch from the BOTTOM of the fill hole. I thought "how in the #### am I going to know when it's at that level?". I measured the short end of a few allen wrench/hex key, or what ever else you may call it, and found one that fell into that range and dipped it into the hole, pumped oil in, and rechecked it with the allen wrench until it was up to the level it should be.

I was planning on doing it at the same time, but ran out of daylight and havn't got around to it yet. It's my understanding that the front is as simple as drain it and refill it. I have a Haynes manual, but havn't looked it up in there yet. There is not cover on it though, which you may already know.

No problem for the pics. Glad it helped someone. I take it you seen my message over at the Pacific forum on cleaning the engine? I think I posted a similar message here too, but can't remember.

Good luck and feel free to contact me for any more info.

(Edited by MountaineerTom 99Z71 at 9:16 pm on May 9, 2001)