2017 Front Differential

I’m not an “off-roader” but living in Northern Colorado I use my 4WD an average amount. At 60k I changed my front diff gear oil and it was pretty nasty actually nastier than I expected since right before draining it I drained the rear diff and it looked W A Y better. I really thought the rear would be dirtier than the front. So a mechanic friend of mine said change the front diff again in 10k. So I did and it wasn’t nearly as filthy as the first time but it was dirty. My questions are:

How does this grime get its way into the front diff oil?

Do Tacoma owners here change their front diff gear oil more often?

Are all synthetic gear oils specified for use in Tacomas trucks pretty much the same? (I’ve been using what Toyota recommends)

I have a camping trailer with a dry weight of 2600 lbs. should I consider using a different gear oil in the rear diff?

 

From the pic, fluid looks fine to me.


I changed fluid in my front diff at about 18k miles and it was nasty black with small metal particles, rear was like new.

Used redline synthetic fluid and won’t be touching my diffs till at least 50-60k miles or so.

FWIW I never changed front diff fluid in my ranger in 165k miles and never had issues.

 

The spider gears in the front diff are always whirring around and the capacity is a fraction of the rear diff. So, it should be changed at the same time.

 

I changed my front diff at 25k, it was a dark gray, the magnet was coated with the metal sludge, I think the front diff still turns somewhat. Remember it’s only 1.6 quarts, compared to the rear's 4.25 quarts.

 

Do they in 2wd?…I thought in 2wd the front axles were disengaged from the differential as well as the driveshaft so no gears in the front differential spin in 2wd

 

Yes. Only the passenger side shaft is disengaged via the ADD so the driver side cv remains normally engaged with the side gear in the diff.

 

I stand corrected, makes sense. And that is why there is just the solenoid switch disconnect on the passenger side and not the driver’s side…. You are right they do spin.

 

I changed all the fluids at 8000 km's. But my experience was the opposite. Rear diff was like shiny silver paint. Front diff and transfer case looked like new.
Did once more at 30,000 km's and things looks so good i will probably wait till 160,000 km's and then every 160,000 after that since that Amsoils recommendation. I don't go off road , don't tow and 4wd is used rarely and only in winter.
Used 75W90 Amsoil severe gear . I did add Stainless Steel magnetic drain plugs everywhere and replaced the troublesome Allen key drain plug in front diff with lexus part 90341-24016

 

They're turning. The only parts that aren't turning are the drive shaft, ring, and pinion. Basically, look at the CVs. They're turning. We don't have locking hubs (auto or manual). That is all done by the ADD on the right stub axle. So moving forward, the inner section of right stub axle is turning backward and the outside is turning forward.

This is why we have vibes from the diff needle bearing.

 

is the photo you posted the initial drain or after the 10k miles, second time? if the initial drain, that does not look too bad for 60K miles.

i changed mine around 15K and the front was clean and golden, the rear starting to darken in color. from here on out i feel comfortable doing them at 30K which sorta lines-up with how i use the truck in 4WD and towing.

if i were you based on your use, i'd change it before 60K.

 

2017 or 2018???? Not that it matters.....

 

They spin but don't transmit power, so the oil doesn't heat up to operating temps like the rear diff oil does.