Rear diff fluid / maint

[PO-Dan]

My 1998 XJ Sport (2wd) has 154k on it and has never had the rear end fluid changed or anything else done to it. I have decided to keep the Cherokee, and was wondering what, if anything, should I do for the rear? I have changed the brake fluid and power steering fluid recently. I change the transmission fluid like every 50k.

Should I just drain and refill or should I take off the cover and clean it out or what?? I bought some Mobile 1 gear oil for it, since I use Mobile 1 in the engine already.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[katarn444]

Take off the cover and clean all of the sludge out of the bottom of the housing. The only way to get it out without taking off the cover is to pump it out. Have some RTV on hand to seal the cover when reinstalling.

K

 

[Kejtar]

My 1998 XJ Sport (2wd) has 154k on it and has never had the rear end fluid changed or anything else done to it. I have decided to keep the Cherokee, and was wondering what, if anything, should I do for the rear? I have changed the brake fluid and power steering fluid recently. I change the transmission fluid like every 50k.

Should I just drain and refill or should I take off the cover and clean it out or what?? I bought some Mobile 1 gear oil for it, since I use Mobile 1 in the engine already.

Any help would be appreciated.

Do you have trac loc in the rear? If unsure, raise the rear diff, put transmission into N and spin one tire: if the opposite tire spins in the same direction you have it, if it spins in opposite you don't. If you have trac loc, go to the dealer and buy a bottle of friction modifier ($10) and add it into the diff when changing the oil.
Also take the cover off to change the fluid as you can't get all the crap out of the diff by using a pump.
Lastly, consider buying a replacement rubber fill plug ($2 or so at the dealer). At 150K miles yours is probably dried up and hardened and if it doesn't leak now it will when you remove it and reinstall it (also you might have a fun time removing it ).
Oh yeah, Mobil 1 is fine: 75-90 for regular use, 75-140 for towing/heavy use.

 

[tweekedknee]

Ijust changed my rear end fluid. and used the mobil 1 75-140, i figured since i have the bigger tires and do alot of highway driving i might as well. But that stuf is expensive, i payed $15 a quart at autozone, where as the regular 75-90 i got for the front axle was like $7