Never change your differential fluid?!!

Hello community. How do I know when to change my differential fluid? my Tacoma has 187k miles. Do I need to change the fluid or leave as it? And what about my transmission fluid? Thanks y’all, we rock.

 

Yea at 187k id change it if they have never been touched.

Id jump on that like yesterday.

 

drain and refill only ?
also my trans shifts smooth tho. Do I still need to change the fluid thanks . Flush it or drain and refill only ?

 

Yes im aware there is a difference. I maintain a high mileage vehicle myself. I prefer drain and fills and although its shifting fine thats alot of miles on trans fluid or any fluid for that matter.

Being proactive with maint. is never a bad thing.

 

You can't really "flush" a diff unless you are willing to waste a bunch of fluid. Just drain and fill.

 

A diff is drain and fill only, not sure how you would “flush” it.

And change it asap. Toyota says 30k miles.

Tranny, drain and fill. Do it 3-4x

One drain and fill once a week for 3 weeks

 

at 187k miles on original diff fluid.... be prepared for pinion bearings, ring and pinion gears, and carrier bearings needing replacement.

 

Not talking about differential

 

The maintenance schedule in your owners manual should tell you when to change both.

 

Do you have an owners manual?

You have a 5 lug, right? Meaning you have a trans dipstick. Easiest drain and fill you'll ever see.

 

All of the Toyota trucks (some with excess of 300K) I have owned first and last diff change at the same time. Checks yes.

 

Yes.

 

Yes it’s 5 lug . But I bought it at 174k miles . So I don’t know if it has been changed it , fluid looks clean tho.

 

But I bought it at 174k miles . So I don’t know if it has been changed it , fluid looks clean tho.

 

But I bought it at 174k miles . So I don’t know if it has been changed it , fluid looks clean tho.

 

I would do it asap. Get the right fluids from anywhere and new drain and fill plug gaskets from Toyota.

I just did both differentials, transfer case, and transmission on my ‘09 with 249k miles. Took a couple hours and <$200. Yours will be a lot less with 2 fewer boxes to worry about.

I do my rear diff more often than most due to mostly hard miles (not a daily driver) with water crossings and raft launches.

 

Now there is a real need to drain and refill! Water is not a real good lubricant.

 

I changed mine at 170,000 as well as the transfer case. I'm getting close to 240,000 now. I'll probably change it again at around 300,000. The diff's should last a LOOOOONG time as long as you never get in water so deep that you let water get inside. If that ever happens it needs to be changed yesterday. Lots of guys out there with 400,000+ miles that have never touched the diff fluid.

Transmissions are different. They have an expected lifespan of 400,000 to 500,000 miles if driven carefully. If you let them get too hot, or find other ways to abuse it the transmission may die sooner. And sometimes you just get unlucky and get one that dies sooner. But changing the fluid doesn't change anything. It's going to die when it dies regardless. It's cheaper to just drive it till it dies and get it rebuilt.

Generally speaking changing the transmission fluid is at best a waste of money. Most of the time it neither helps nor hurts. But with that many miles on the transmission with an unknown history it may well be starting to go bad. If so, keeping the old fluid in there will buy you some time. Putting new fluid in a transmission that is compromised will lead to it failing in just a few days. You might not even get it home from the shop. Keep the old fluid in there and you may get a year or more before it completely dies.

 

The point about the water crossings and raft launches is a good one: If I had a boat and was backing down the launch ramp on a regular basis, I would change the rear differential oil after the last haul-out every season: Especially if it's salt water you are dealing with. One other thing to add: if you have to back your vehicle more than 1/3rd up the rear wheels to get the boat off of the trailer: find a new ramp: it's not deep enough. (drop-off) The boat should float right off of the trailer. Sometimes it takes a strong push.

Also, don't rely on/assume that the vent hose connection at the top of the axle is sound/waterproof. Putting the rear-axle housing and/or pumpkin under water is not a good thing.