Differential fluid change

I was at my Toyota dealer this morning getting some service done on my 4 x 4 Tacoma TRD Sport. The service writer comes out to me and says they recommend due to mileage I have the differential fluids changed in the rear and the front transfer case. $345 if I wanted it done. I politely said no thank you, perhaps next time I’m in for an oil change.

So my question is, is this something that is recommended and needs to be done every 35,000 miles or so as suggested by the service writer? I ask as I have racked up well over half a million miles on my previous three Toyota pick up trucks combined - all 4x4’s and I never once had differential oil/fluid changed in any of them.

 

Many of us DIY these fluid changes. Easy to do. Need only 7 quarts to do the front diff, rear diff and transfer case. $100 and some easy time under the truck is all it takes. Every 30k is a fair interval. A bit shorter if you are towing.

 

I change mine every 10k but I spend a lot of time in deep water and do it out of fear of a seal going bad without me knowing. I buy the cheap oil from Autozone and pump it in. Over and done with in under an hour for both diffs. Haven't done the T-Case in this truck yet.

 

Front differential 1.6 quart

• 10mm hex for both plugs
• $14 12157-10010 Toyota Oil Drain Plug Crushable Steel Gaskets Set of 10 OEM 12157-10010
  12157-10010 fill crush washer
• 90430-24017 drain crush washer

Rear differential 4.0 quart

• 24mm socket for both plugs
• 12157-10010 fill crush washer
• 90430-24017 drain crush washer

Transfer case 1.1 quart

• 24mm socket for both plugs
• 90340-A0003 fill & drain crush washer

 

Are you guys putting the same fluid in the TC as the diffs?

 

All service advisors "recommend". It's how they pad their paycheck. I go with what the owner's manual states.

 

Toyota calls out a single grade 75W oil for the transfer case.

SAE 75W Toyota Genuine Transfer gear oil LF or equivalent - Toyota part #

$94 Toyota Genuine Transfer Case Gear Oil LF 75W 1 Litre 08885-81080

08885-81080

It takes 1 quart to service the transfer case, it is expensive -- but then so was your truck.

 

No, I use Mobil1 75w in the diffs.

Transfer case I use Redline MT-LV

 

Did you see the sale last week? $47.00 ($46.93) a quart. I bought two, so I'm covered for a while yet. Wesley Chapel Toyota.
I got an email this morning saying that mine were shipped. So it wasn't a scam.

"Thank you for shopping with Wesley Chapel Toyota
Your order number is #9xxxxx3. The VIN provided at checkout is 5TF-- --30.
ALERT: Not all products fit this VIN.
To check the status of your order at any time, please click here. For questions about your order please call us at (813) 473-7568, or reply to this email.

Order Contents:
P/N:

$94 08885-81080 Toyota Genuine Transfer Case Gear Oil LF 75W 1 Litre 08885-81080

08885-81080
Quantity: 2
Price Each: $46.93
Description: TRANSFER GEAR OIL LF

Order Summary:
1 products , 2 items: $93.86"

 

And, I would not touch the T case fluid until about 90k. I swapped mine twice (at 7k with Ravenol and at 65k with the Toyota LF). Both times, it came out looking virgin. I'd leave it alone.


Diffs definitely need a fluid swap though.

 

id do it the first time maybe

 

Yes

 

Hold up? The guy that swaps engine oil every 1k doesn't use the factory spec in the T case? The stuff that the factory bothers to ship from Japan instead of readily available 75w-85 /

$29 75w-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75w-90. Wow.

 

be aware the Front Dif bolt is a bitch to get out due to the hex head sytle - they are very easy to may-west and then you have to resort to "options." before removing either front or rear give them (the bolts) several good whacks with a ball-peen hammer to un-seat the dif fluid heat frozen threads. There is a standard bolt head version for the front you can buy - worth every penny imo. once you get the bolts out the rest is easy.

 

same

 

Wrong it’s a 75w , not the same

 

That's a really good price on the LF stuff, although you only need one Liter of it. Both times that I did mine, 1L was the exact amount needed to get some dribbling out the fill hole.


That said, for that price, it could be worth having another on the shelf.

 

Lol I’m about to get two more cant beat half price

 

Yep. Seems like you have wrong information or guess wrong my friend.

 

And to correct your memory, I don’t swap the oil every 1k, I by-pass filter it.