Front Diff and Transfer Case Oil Change Howto

If you are going to attempt this with a full All Pro Offroad skid plate package have some drip pans ready.
Rear Diff - no problems.
Transfer case - remove fill plug, remove drain plug (you should always do this order just in case you cant get the fill plug off after you have drained the oil). Drain the oil right onto the skid plate. It will flow through the drain holes in the skid. And its probably going to drip for a week.
Front diff - remove fill plug. Use a siphon pump to remove as much oil as possible. Remove drain plug and allow it to drain onto the skid plate. (I got nearly everything with the siphon pump so only 100ml or so came out onto the skid.

By not removing the skid plates I easily did this job in two hours. If I had to remove and replace them I would probably be still at it since I would have pressure washed them and stuff.

Ryan

 

Thanks BJ, kind of what I was thinking also. Just got back from a little spin in it and going to leave it sit over night on concrete. I'll find out in the morning, lol.
My conscious will probably get me though. I may clean the drain pan with brake parts cleaner along with a funnel that has a long tube and do it again. I'll just reinstall the washer then pour the fluid from the pan right into the funnel and button it all up again.
Sucks getting older, I should have caught the washer wasn't on the plug when I removed it.

 

just changed differential oil on front, rear and transfer case for the first time on my truck at 57k. I was expecting the front oil to be clean, but it came out the darkest. The rear actually came out the cleanest, almost like new oil, and I rarely use 4wd. I know the dealer told me to use 4wd at least 10miles each month (for oil to flow and lubricate the parts), which I did on the first year only. I'll probably have to do it more often. It's just annoying when making turns on 4wd, probably need to find a 10 mi stretch of road to do this once a month.

 

I was the exact same way. Front came out black and rear was clean. I changed mine after a long winter of lots of 4x4 driving

 

Front was probably so dirty because of the Front differential bearing issue.

 

Sub'd.

 

also, my truck was left in the garage for a full week. I did not drive the truck or even start the engine before I started the gear oil change, and I was able to put in 3.5 qts in the rear differential before the oil started to flow out of the fill hole.

 

I have a 2005 Tacoma. Do I have to add the additive when changing the Diff and Transfer case oil?

 

What model Tacoma? I think only the TRD Sports had the mechanical LSD back then. Does your differential have an LSD sticker on it? You can always put the additive in, won't hurt it if it doesn't need it but if you need it and don't have it you'll have issues.

 

Thanks. I'll look for the sticker.

 

Forgot to mention, I believe it's only the rear differential that needs it, not the front or transfer case.

 

this tells how to do a rear diff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LewxaVYNiRk

 

Nice write up. Sub'd

 

hopefully this will help http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LewxaVYNiRk

 

sub

 

Great writeup. I appreciate the help!

 

A removed video? Why wouldn't it?

 

SUB'D. Just what I need. I have a question. I am at 100,xxx miles and the maintenance on this truck has been poor, I am redoing everything. Aside from transfer case oil and hand pump, is there anything else I need to buy? filter/additive? Thanks

 

If your profile is up to date and you have a prerunner that hasn't been converted to 4x4 then you wouldn't have a transfer case or front diff. Just the rear diff. For that you could buy some new crush washers for the drain/fill plugs. I would just call the dealer up and they should find them for you. If you lower the spare out of the way, you won't need a hand pump for the rear diff.

I changed all my fluids in my 4x4 at close to the same mileage and reused all the washers without a problem.

 

I knew that 2WD only had a rear diff, but I didn't know that they didn't have a transfer case. So that just leaves engine oil change, transmission fluid change, and differential fluid change? Are there any other fluids that I need to do?