Rear diff fluid
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 32
Likes: 4
From: Brookhaven, MS
Rear diff fluid
I asked the question in another thread about changing the rear differential fluid on my 1973. The best thing to do is to pop the cover off and do a full cleaning and inspection. This brings me to now asking, how much trouble is it disassembling the rear suspension that's needed to get the cover off?
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,957
Likes: 575
From: Pittsburgh PA
While removing the cover would certainly be the best, that is A LOT of work to change the fluid. I don’t think you can remove the cover without dropping the diff.
items that need removed just to access diff: spare tire carrier, exhaust, strut rods, leaf spring, half shafts, driveshaft. Then just about everyone will drop the diff and crossmember as one unit. I have removed diff and left crossmember in the car but it’s not easy. The crossmember bushings are usually stuck and take a combination of a large pry bar, puller and cursing to remove.
summary- suck the fluid out and replace thru fill hole.
items that need removed just to access diff: spare tire carrier, exhaust, strut rods, leaf spring, half shafts, driveshaft. Then just about everyone will drop the diff and crossmember as one unit. I have removed diff and left crossmember in the car but it’s not easy. The crossmember bushings are usually stuck and take a combination of a large pry bar, puller and cursing to remove.
summary- suck the fluid out and replace thru fill hole.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 388
Likes: 117
From: Tacoma, Wa
If you have excessive noise, or if the fluid you extract is full of metal, pop the cover and take a look at the wear. Buy a fluid pump for an an automotive store to suck out the old, and push in the new. I use gl-5 80w90, buy the limited slip additive from AC Delco, i pick mine up at a local dealer. Buy 2 bottles, 1 usually works but a lot of people on here use 2 to keep the clutches quiet.
