Fluid changes coming up - differential / transfer case

So my 2019 has over 10k miles now and i have owned for 1 year since new. As I do to all my new cars, i change the differential fluids, xfer case fluids, transmission fluid- if it's not too complex, once i feel the break-in material has more or less slowed/stopped in shedding into the fluids. Oil change is coming due too so i thought doing front diff while skid removed makes sense.


for the taco, the transmission is out of the question for me due to it seeming to be quite complex with measuring. but correct me if i am wrong.

i plan on doing the front/rear diffs:
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using redline 75w-85 gl5 which is equivalent to the toyota fluid
1.6 quarts in front, 4 in the back as I have the OR 4x4 with locker.
plugs for front seem to be internal hex 10 or 10mm.

plugsfor rear diff seem to be 24mm socket for rear drain and fill.
torque seem to be:

48/29ft lbs drain/fill for front
36 ft lbs for rear diff for both fill and drain



transfer case:
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xfer case takes SAE 75w oil which i have got redline ltlv ordered which is equivalent.
ordered 2 quarts and takes 1.1 i think.
torque there is 27 ft lbs for fill and drain.


seems pretty easy all around. i due have a hand pump that i have used on my other trucks. easy access for taco it seems.

am i missing anything besides making sure the fill plugs come out first?

thoughts/comments on the torque/size of tools needed and fluid chosen?

 

That's it. The rear diff eats a lot of fluid so I'd suggest having 7-8 quarts to make life easy. Helps not having to fight with getting out the last bit of fluid when your hand pump is nearly empty.

 

Here's a real good guide:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-manual-transmission-6mt-fluid-change.481719/

Also for the diffs, @MtnFisher came up with this idea:


I will be making my own for the next drain / fill.

 

FYI ... I talked with a tech at redline about what oil to use in the transfer case (2018 DCSB MT). After a back and forth conversation for a 75W equivalent, he suggested I not use their oil since it is dyed red and Toyota had not released the details of that oil spec. His worry was that if something failed, Toyota may blame the oil and void the warranty.

I ended up using 75W ravenol for my 5K fluid changes ... not sure if the MT-LV is new for redline, but will be doing the fluid change @ 30K in a few months. Did you talk with redline about this MT-LV oil? Like their products a lot and for example was really happy with the transmission smoothness after the fluid change.

 

Yes, I forget where, but Redline has confirmed the MT-LV for the tcase.

 

There is a thread around here somewhere that drilled pretty deep on the T case fluid. When I contacted RL earlier, they said that they don't have a match. But, someone in the thread contacted the same person (probably a year after I did). They said their fluid is (now?) a match.

When I did the initial swap at 7k, I used Ravenol also. It seems to work great, but afterward, I found the VOAs that show the additive package is a lot weaker than the Toyota fluid. That thread was gathering up compatible fluids and VOAs so that we can make good decisions.

Myself, esp with the 2LM and using it almost daily, I will probably go with the Toyota fluid or the Motul one if it matches up?

 

https://www.redlineoil.com/mt-lv-70w75w

It's now very first on the list of compatible fluids.

 

exactly what i got on order. if the transfer case shits the bed, due to fluid issues, i can blame redline or not and point back to toyota. unless toyota wants to give me the fluid for free, they can eat it. this redline is shown as a match. the 75w-85 as well. what is so special about toyota diffs and xfer cases that require dealer only fluid. it's stupid.

 

Diffs not so much, but the T case is a change for the 3rd Gens with different metallurgy in the moving bits. The main thing there is to not use diff lube as was done in the past.

Note that some dealers are using diff lube in the T case with the problem being that a failure is likely after the powertrain warranty is up.

 

gotcha. i just know i have read folks using

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

75w-90 which is available everywhere for the diffs and some the same for the transfer. i want to stick to oem specs and it seems the pickings are slim right now. redline seems to be the only game in town besides the ravenol stuff which isn't available around here or on Amazon when i searched..... so redline it is. and if the t-case has issues later, i will let redline and toyota fight it out becasue the redline says it is compatible with our trucks- the LF 75w fluid that is.

 

75w-85 versus

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

75w-90? Don't even worry about that. I used 90. Heck, a lot of folks are using xw-140 that ECGS is recommending.

To this point and the 3rd Gen is still really young, there has not been any T case action that I can remember other than the actuator itself, which would not be related to the fluid.

 

wonder if that will work for 85w-140...it takes forever to fill the rear diff with the bottle pump.

 

85w cold is not much different than 75w cold.

The mods that we are thinking about is getting rid of the trigger and just tucking the hose in the fill hole. From there, you would just dump any pressure when it starts to dribble.

Also, installing a pull through schrader valve for a wheel. There, a very low pressure air source could drive the fluid without any pumping.


I did mine with the handpump. It was a good workout and just took forever. Not to mention that I was refilling quart bottles for the hand pump to draw. I'm totally in on the sprayer.


Also, @MtnFisher said that it worked great on the front diff.

 

Get one of these to replace the front diff 10 MM hex nuts. Make sure your 10 MM hex key is ground sharp and clean out the 10 mm hex bolt with some brake cleaner. (Watch your eyes when you spray) I just did this hand you really need a breaker bar on the 10 mm hex. It's tight!!

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/front-diff-drain-plug-alternate-oem-part.604989/

 

awesome. I’m gonna go to Lowe’s and grab a cheap gallon sprayer then. I have a spare schrader valve laying around somewhere too. I think cutting the hose before the trigger would be ideal and just release pressure as fluid starts to come out of the fill holes.

this will save me a ton of time since I’ve got my truck and a GX to do, plus a 4th gen T4R soon too.

 

Heck ya. That should work great.

Yikes. You definitely need this.

The wife's Subaru is due also. That takes like a teaspoon each diff though. I need to check, but I think it is

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

75w-90 GL5 also?

 

I would replace the front diff 10mm Allen plugs with a 27mm hex like everything else has on the drivetrain. I can't remember the details but one from the MT or T-case will work for the fill. The drain plug is an odd beast, not sure if there is a replacement for that suckass thing.

 

got a part #?

I absolutely hate the front diff drain bolt...I've almost rounded mine out on my truck. And yes, I do use quality tools, that isn't the problem.

 

Look at my post above click on the link.

 

The other option would be to hit it with a touch of antiseize, which I forgot to do after mine snapped loose.