Rear axle severe duty maintenance

[foglght]

I always thought the rear axles didn't need maintenance except maybe 50 or 100k miles. Got really bored and was reading through the owners manual and for my 3500 it says if using for "severe service" the rear axle fluid needs to be changed every 20k miles. Does anyone else actually do this? Seems excessive, but am I in for something bad happening if I don't?

 

[Cseybert]

It never hurts to be proactive.

 

[jetrinka]

Easy to periodically pull the fill plug and check the fluid condition. Remove cover to replace as needed.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Heck no for me. I just replaced a rear axle seal on my work tundra at 195,000 miles and still didn’t change the fluid just topped off what had leaked out from the bad seal

I do plan on changing my personal truck diff fluid around 50k miles but only the rear lol

 

[Nick]

I change at 50 k . I Use Amzoil it comes in squeezable quarts . easy to fill . Your seal is reusable .

 

[JimKIII]

I took my truck in for a 30K mile service and was told the fluid in the 4-wheel drive transfer case and both front and rear differentials should to be replaced to the tune of $1700.
That caught me off guard, so I said go ahead. Now I'm wondering if that was necessary.

 

[jetrinka]

I took my truck in for a 30K mile service and was told the fluid in the 4-wheel drive transfer case and both front and rear differentials should to be replaced to the tune of $1700.
That caught me off guard, so I said go ahead. Now I'm wondering if that was necessary.

Both differential fluids and transfer case fluid for 1700??!! I hope you laughed hysterically as you ran out the door! Depending on location, and if they did the job correctly by pulling the covers off the diffs, I would expect to have paid 600-800 dollars at a shop for those 3 services. Heck the transfer case literally takes less than 5 minutes to do and less than 3 quarts of fluid...

 

[flan]

Wow what a markup on that service!

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I took my truck in for a 30K mile service and was told the fluid in the 4-wheel drive transfer case and both front and rear differentials should to be replaced to the tune of $1700.
That caught me off guard, so I said go ahead. Now I'm wondering if that was necessary.

I really hope they at least got you a gift before they screwed you, 500$ for that service is close to reasonable nothing more. And 30K is way to early.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I always thought the rear axles didn't need maintenance except maybe 50 or 100k miles. Got really bored and was reading through the owners manual and for my 3500 it says if using for "severe service" the rear axle fluid needs to be changed every 20k miles. Does anyone else actually do this? Seems excessive, but am I in for something bad happening if I don't?

For severe duty i would put that as hot desert heat at 30k+ lbs in tow constantly. The fluid in a differential does not break down much especially if synthetic it usually just gets dirty from contaminates from break in or water.

 

[Nick]

Unbelievable !

 

[foglght]

For severe duty i would put that as hot desert heat at 30k+ lbs in tow constantly. The fluid in a differential does not break down much especially if synthetic it usually just gets dirty from contaminates from break in or water.

That was one of my questions is what constitutes "severe service?"

I'm not a hotshot, but I don't really use the truck for anything other than towing.

 

[JimKIII]

Damn!! Reading the above I thought, "I've really been screwed. How did I fall for that!" So I ran and pulled out the invoice for the work and breathed a small sigh of relief.
The transfer case and differential fluid replacements totaled $708. I had forgotten I also had other services done:
1. Brake System Fluid Exchange - $201
2. 3-Part Fuel System Cleaning - $435
3. Replace Engine Air Filter - $59
4. Rear Differential Service - $250
5. Transfer Case Service - $257
6. Front Differential Service - $200
7. Synthetic Lube, Oil and Filter Service - $148
8. Fees - $70
9. Tax - $167
10. Total - $1,787

Sorry to have jumped to conclusions and misrepresenting the cost of the fluid replacements. Not as bad as I thought, but still higher than others have said it should have been.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Damn!! Reading the above I thought, "I've really been screwed. How did I fall for that!" So I ran and pulled out the invoice for the work and breathed a small sigh of relief.
The transfer case and differential fluid replacements totaled $708. I had forgotten I also had other services done:
1. Brake System Fluid Exchange - $201
2. 3-Part Fuel System Cleaning - $435
3. Replace Engine Air Filter - $59
4. Rear Differential Service - $250
5. Transfer Case Service - $257
6. Front Differential Service - $200
7. Synthetic Lube, Oil and Filter Service - $148
8. Fees - $70
9. Tax - $167
10. Total - $1,787

Sorry to have jumped to conclusions and misrepresenting the cost of the fluid replacements. Not as bad as I thought, but still higher than others have said it should have been.

Brake fluid change at 30k ?
Fuel system cleaning at 30k ? And 435$?

Not to pick it apart but other than the oil/ and air filter service thats seems excessively early for all those services. Was this dealer recommendation? If so i would avoid that dealer if possible

 

[JimKIII]

Brake fluid change at 30k ?

Fuel system cleaning at 30k ? And 435$?

Not to pick it apart but other than the oil/ and air filter service thats seems excessively early for all those services. Was this dealer recommendation? If so i would avoid that dealer if possible

It was dealer recommended. Up to this point they have been spot on with professionalism concerning my truck and any issues with it. I will certainly be more circumspect with them. At the least, I will call them out for doing such early services. When warranty is over I'll be doing most of this myself.

 

[mbarber84]

Damn!! Reading the above I thought, "I've really been screwed. How did I fall for that!" So I ran and pulled out the invoice for the work and breathed a small sigh of relief.
The transfer case and differential fluid replacements totaled $708. I had forgotten I also had other services done:
1. Brake System Fluid Exchange - $201
2. 3-Part Fuel System Cleaning - $435
3. Replace Engine Air Filter - $59
4. Rear Differential Service - $250
5. Transfer Case Service - $257
6. Front Differential Service - $200
7. Synthetic Lube, Oil and Filter Service - $148
8. Fees - $70
9. Tax - $167
10. Total - $1,787

Sorry to have jumped to conclusions and misrepresenting the cost of the fluid replacements. Not as bad as I thought, but still higher than others have said it should have been.

Smells like a money grab to me.

“Three part fuel system cleaning for $435!?”….what did they do to clean your fuel system? And I’d inquire as to where that’s recommended in the maintenance schedule.

 

[tchur1]

Brake fluid change at 30k ?

It was dealer recommended. Up to this point they have been spot on with professionalism concerning my truck and any issues with it. I will certainly be more circumspect with them. At the least, I will call them out for doing such early services. When warranty is over I'll be doing most of this myself.

When my truck was in for the y43 they tried to tell me I needed to do oil/fuel/and air filters + transmission fluid and filter. My truck only has 31k miles on it and I just did the engine, fuel, and oil filters + trans fluid within the last 1k miles. I asked why they are recommending considering I just did all of that maintenance. He said they dont check anything, just look at the odometer and make recommendations.

 

[JimKIII]

Smells like a money grab to me.

“Three part fuel system cleaning for $435!?”….what did they do to clean your fuel system? And I’d inquire as to where that’s recommended in the maintenance schedule.

That's the service I'm going to ask why they did. There answer will determine if I ever use them again.

 

[whitexc]

That's the service I'm going to ask why they did. There answer will determine if I ever use them again.

Fair. I don’t think anyone will knock you for maintaining your truck but yeah, early on a few things and others are snake oil.


Sent from me

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Smells like a money grab to me.

“Three part fuel system cleaning for $435!?”….what did they do to clean your fuel system? And I’d inquire as to where that’s recommended in the maintenance schedule.

It was likely just a can of BG poured in the tank