Colorado B.S. Thread

@Wes0311 Changing the diff oil is stupid simple.

1) Unscrew plug near top of diff (fill hole)
2) Unscrew plug at bottom of diff (drain hole)
3) Wait for puddle on ground to stop getting bigger, or you could be responsible and use some kind of drain pan
4) Put bottom plug back in
5) Fill diff case with diff oil until it starts spilling out of the fill hole, you should be able to stick the tip of your pinky finger into the fill hole and touch the top of the oil (check owner's manual for oil to purchase)
6) Put top plug back in
7) Wipe off all excess oil/gunk from diff case

Drained diff oil should look like used oil, if it looks like milk/mud you had water in there.

 

You're fine. We have one way valves on the differential to act as a breather. Let's hot air/gas out, but no water in. At least on the 1st gens, we do. Don't know about the 2nd gen.

I've driven through tons of water crossings in my truck's lifetime and my rear diff fluid has always been fine.

That said, add this mod to the list of "getting around to it" projects I have on my work bench.

 

Don't know if it's different on the first gens, but the second gen diff breather is one way only. It only lets pressure out.
When the diff cools (like it would in water) a vacuum is created because the breather won't let air back in to the diff.

The problem is water being sucked in through the axle seals when this vacuum occurs, causing seal failure and water in the diff.

 

Alright. Thanks for the info everyone! Definitely helped put my mind at ease there. When the semester is over and I have more free time I'll work on those!

 

I'm staying out of this rear diff oil talk.

 

milkshake oil is great for bearings.

 

http://youtu.be/A19qEjCzFWY

 

The diff breather is just a metal cap with a spring and a rubber disc. The spring holds the rubber disc against the breather outlet. When pressure from heat builds up, it forces it's way out past the disc, overpowering the spring. When the pressure goes back to normal, the spring/rubber disc close the opening.

Where it gets fucked up is when the spring stops working, rusts away, gets jammed because the truck was run in mud too often, etc...

\If you don't have a breather, you will blow the oil seals, that's when you get a leaky pinion or axle seal.

I've heard talk of the possibility of water getting past the oil

seals, I don't subscribe to that theory though.

The breather design is the same for all vehicles, regardless of make or model. The breather on the Tacoma is the same as is found on Dana axles, aside from the screwy metric threads. They've been around for decades.

 

Go to work and leave those there so I can steal them.

 

The sad thing is he is just building tire swings with them.

 

Haha!! Nooooooo!! I'll need them in like a month.

 

I guess my first post could be here. Wife and I will be moving out to Fort Collins in a few months for her to finish her PhD. So in light of this, I just picked up a TRD Off Road access cab in barcelona red. Looking forward to the move and our first Tacoma.

 

Here she is

 

Lots of us in northern Colorado. Let us know when you get here.

 

only one? do you have to wait 4 days for 4 tires?

 

5 days? or 5 tires? at least your a smart one and actually bought 5 tires.

 

not tire related but i was at the glamis sand drags once and there was a retarded huge f350 with 42's and he got stuck. had 4 wheel drive but the 20" wheels he had hub covers. couldnt lock the front end in. i offered to hack off the dumb plastic covers for him, he said he didnt want to mess up his truck. i told him to get a jack then and take off the tires.
i left after that.