Did I just waste 30 bucks and 2 hours of my weekend?

Truck is a 2007 Tacoma double cab prerunner with the mechanical LSD.
Did a rear diff oil change yesterday and was kinda pissed when the old oil drained out looking like brand new oil. It was crystal clear amber! I got about 150k on the truck and about 50k on the oil. Seems the oil should have looked darker?

 

Sounds kinda like you did...

 

Would you be happier with

?

50K miles means that oil and friction modifier doesn't owe you anything, seems to me you should be happy the oil still looked clean.

 

I wonder if what you drained is the $50+ gear oil the dealers sell. Toyota brand.

 

Nope. 3+ quarts of Valvoline 80w-90 and one tube of StaLube friction modifier.

 

Your lucky to have clean oil come out with that many miles. Mine looked horrible at 30k miles.

 

I've gone 60K Amsoil Severe Gear on my 2002. Looked pretty new when I changed it.