Front Diff and Transfer Case Oil Change Howto

East Coast Gear Supply deals with differentials more often than most of us do, and they warranty more than just about anyone, I'd trust their advice over some other dude on a truck forum

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/ft-2536-ecgs-gear-oil-recommendation.html

 

Great read, what are you running? last time i did this i paid the $$$$ for the dealership fluid which was a synthetic and that is why i wanted to stay with synthetic, unless there is no harm going to dino from synthetic? also forgot to mention my truck is a TRD off road, so NO LSD. I do live in CO so cold temps are a concern a few months out of the year.

 

Lucas Oil Products Heavy Duty SAE 85W-140 Gear Oil is what my online receipt says. I'm pretty sure that is the proper name for what they recommend. I'm not sure the cutoff for cold weather but both say good to -14F

I switched from Amsoil Synthetic which costs twice as much, so I can change my oil twice as often for the same cost. I have Nitro gears and Harrop lockers and neither have complained about the switch in the 5k since I've done it.

 

What does the dealer charge to change both diffs and the t-case? (I'm trying to justify getting a Motive Fluid Transfer Pump)

 

Not sure why, but I skipped doing the transfer case. Would it be at the same intervals as the others? Front looked black (after 30k) and rear was marginally used. No strong smells...

 

Can you use the same oil for diffs and transfer case?

 

You can and I have, but if you want to be 100% sure what you should use, check the owners manual.

I change all 3 about every 50K miles give or take a thousand or two. I used

$30 Mobil 75W-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

Mobil 75W-90 for the first one, Scamsoil 75W-110 in the second one, and just the other day I decided to mix it up. Scamsoil 75W-110 in both difs, a quart of Scamsoil 75W-90 for the T-case and topped off with 75W-110.

 

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is you'll probably get more applicable/specific answers in the 3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016+) forum. Details, also available on pp 630-632 of your Owner's Manual, include "Toyota Genuine Differential Gear Oil LT 75W-85 GL-5 or equivalent" in the Front and Rear Differentials, and "SAE 75W" for the Transfer Case. You didn't ask, but transmission requirements are listed on pg 631.

 

Didn’t ask but much appreciated

 

Yep, it went great.
I’m glad I bought the Lexus bolt to replace it.

 

Ouch... yeah mine took a breaker bar with a pipe extension to break. Surprised I didn't damage mine like you did...

 

Yeah, I tried everything I had. The chisel method was going right through it so I bailed on that idea. Breaker bar with a pipe couldn't get enough leverage under the truck. I finally used a car jack to push on the breaker bar and it finally broke it free.

 

I know exactly what you're talking about. The breaker/pipe I used flexed so much it almost took up all the leverage space between the truck and ground. I ended up removing the skid plate and managed to get just a few more inches of leverage to break it.

 

Even though I have a first GEN the process was the same.

I know what you mean breaking the torque was scary but I just put a little pipe on the Allen key and it worked. I did purchase the Lexus plug but it is interesting to note the thread depth was quite different.

 

The depth shouldn’t matter. I mean I guess you could argue that the magnet doesn’t get as much exposure.

 

this reminds me I still need to get mine out

 

Thanks for the write up! Everything went like clockwork yesterday for both diffs and the transfer case. I only recently got the truck, and it's turning up 150,000, so I was afraid of what I might find, but it looked good. The rear oil was thick, but looked like oil. The transfer case was still oil-colored but really thin; maybe it had been longer since it was changed? The front diff oil was a dark green, like antifreeze green; about 1/4" of crud on the magnet, but nothing else. Would that coloring just be from someone using a different brand of oil, or what? It was a similar thickness to the 75w90 I put back in.

 

Could I bother any of you for the P/N of the lexus plug?

 

It's been a while since I bought one, but I THINK it's 90341-24016.