I want to change the fluids in my transmission,t-case and differentials..Problem is I never done any of those before.Just usually change my oil and thats it as far as my "know how" on maintenance..I have paid off my 2003 f150 supercrew 4x4, and decided I want to keep it for the long run. It has 50k miles on it and figured I will do this now and should be good for a long while.. The reason i want to change these fluids is I have started to notice while making a sharp turn from a stop,,it feels like its grabbing like the rear end is locked in and it never used to.

I tried alot of searching on here on detailed description on how to change my differentials and trans case but couldnt find any.. I dont know who to trust as far as mechanic wise and figured I would call up the Ford dealership and get a quote....well the said they can do it all for $580.00 ! Now Im thinking thats a bit much..So my question is, is it that hard to do myself with a little input from you guys on how to and what fluids, or is it really a pain in the rear and worth having it done for all that money? or could anyone tell me another place I could trust to have it done and cheaper,,,like maybe sears automotive or some big name place maybe I heard of.

I realize nobody prob wants to sit down and type the entire "how to" on this,,but maybe shoot me a link to a thread that does if you know of any. Any input on this is welcomed.Thanks.

Here is a pic of my truck with the 6" fabtech lift and 35" PJ's.

 

go to ebay and pick up a Ford repair cd for your truck for $15 or so

 

The differential is easy --

1. put a pan /wrenches / rags / newspaper underneath the rear end.

2. unbolt and remove the bolts on the bottom half of the differential.

3. Loosen -- but do NOT remove -- the top bolts, and let it drain. When it slows, loosen the bolts a little more to let it finish draining. Go ahead now and remove the cover, check the mating surface. Check your gears and all that fun stuff for obvious signs of wear and damage and address as necessary.

4. Clean off the old differential cover seal. Using a lint-free rag, clean the inside of the cover and the accessible areas of the differntial housing.

5. Apply a think layer of RTV sealant to the cover flange, then press a new gasket into position, ensuring proper lineup of the bolt holes. Re-install the differential cover.

6. When you are ready, on the front side of the rear axle (closest to the engine) look around and you should see a plug or bolt or something that you can remove and use that opening to fill the differential with gear oil. It fits a 3/8 inch breaker bar. The Haynes manual recommends using a hand pump or a funnel to refill the differential with new gear oil. Once the lubricant is level with the filler hole, install the fill plug and tighten it securely.

If you have a limited-slip differential, many people here suggest using a friction modifier in your gear oil... Depending on what brand you buy, it might already be pre-mixed into the gear oil. After you fill it up, replace the plug and I would recommend putting the vehicle in neutral and (assuming you have the rear end jacked up) manually rotating the rear tires to get the gear oil into the gears in the differential. Then, check once more for leaks in the differential cover and fire it up, take it for a 20-30 minute drive to get it to proper operating temperature and to break in the fluid. Come home, check again for leaks.

Tranny fluid and transfer case fluid.... uhh... lemme get back to you on that. Gotta go consult the Haynes manual. brb.

 

I do need one bit of information before I can post this. Is it an auto or stick?

 

Here's for the Transfer Case:

1. If your truck has an air suspension system, disconnect the electrical power to it before starting.

2. Raise the vehicle and support it securely on jackstands. Remove the rock guard. Now, there are two plugs you need to be worried about here. The first is slightly higher on the rear of the transfer case -- that is the fill plug. To check the level and quality, make sure the engine and transfer case are cold, and then simply loosen this plug. If it starts draining out, the level is correct.

3. To change the lubricant, go to other plug, which should be on a level about an inch or so lower and perhaps about 6 inches away from the fill plug. Position an approved drain pan underneath, and remove the drain plug. Let it finish draining, and then it may be a wise idea to find some sort of chemical flush for the transfer case. Use that, and then re-install the drain plug.

4. Using a syringe or a small hand pump, add new lubricant through the fill plug until it starts leaking out around whatever device you are using to fill it.

5. Put the plug back in, and check for proper tightness on both plugs. Drive the vehicle, and double check for leaks around the plugs. If none are found, re-install the rock guard.

Once I know what type of tranny you have, I'll post how to change the tranny fluid.

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Tranny Fluid (Automatic)

1. Disconnect power to the air suspension system, if equipped.

2. Ensure that the engine is completely cool and that you have replacement materials on hand (new fluid, new filter, new gasket).

3. Raise the vehicle and support it on jackstands. Move a drain pan (8 quart or better) into place and remove the front and side transmission pan mounting bolts. If you have a E40D tranny, you may need to d/c the digital range sensor connector.

4. Loosen the rear pan bolts approx 4 turns. Carefully pry the pan loose with a screwdriver and allow the fluid to drain. Be very careful not to damage anything.

5. Remove the remaining bolts, the tranny oil pan and the gasket. Drain the oil from the pan, clean it thoroughly with solvent and dry it out thoroughly. There might be a plug lying in the bottom of your pan -- don't worry, that just means that this is the first time your tranny has been serviced. Discard and ignore.

6. Remove the old filter from the transmission. All you have to do is pull straight down on it. If the filter seal did not come out with the filter, carefully remove it being careful not to damage the seal bore. Install the new seal onto the filter, and then install the new filter.

7. Make sure the gasket surfaces on the pan and on the tranny are clean, then install a new gasket (maybe use RTV sealant, same as on the differential cover?). Mount the pan against the transmission and re-install the bolts, going one direction around the perimeter of the pan, tightening each bolt a little at a time until you hit 108-132 INCH pounds of torque. Do NOT overtighten.

8. Lower the vehicle and add 4qts of tranny fluid through the filler tube on the top of the motor. Next, with the tranny in park and the e-brake set, run the engine at a fast idle, but don't race it. Move the gear selector through the full range of gears, all the way down (P-R-N-D-1-2) and back again to Park. Check the fluid level, and add more if needed. Check for leaks for the first few days after finishing the work.

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Manual Tranny
This is much easier.

1. d/c power to the air suspension, if equipped.
2. Raise the vehicle and support it on jackstands.
3. Move a drain pan, wrenches, rags and newspaper under the transmission.
4. On the side of the transmission case, you should find two plugs (similar to the transfer case). In the pictures of the 5-speeds I've seen, the drain and fill plugs are conveniently labeled on the tranny itself. Remove the drain plug and allow the lubricant to drain into the pan. Once finished, re-install the drain plug.
5. Remove the filler plug, and then by means of a hand pump or funnel, refill the transmission fluid until it is level with the lower edge of the filler hole. Re-install filler plug.
6. Lower the vehicle, and drive it a short distance. Check the fill and drain plugs for leakages.


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Heh, sorry, Got bored.

 

As far as the grabbing you described, when you have the rear diff cover off, see if you have a limited slip or open carrier. If you have a limited slip you will see a the bell shaped differential with a clutch pack, which somewhat resemble a stack of shims. If the clutch pack begins to go, you can get a problem like yours. An open carrier won't havel all of this, you will just see the carrier and the spider gears. I really hope the fluid change fixes your problem

 

I like to get my tranny power flushed, it gets all the old fluid out, but it does cost $$$. Transfer case sound easy enough although I consider it a lifetime fill, and the rear end is a snap like looney said.

BTW......very nice rig you have there reb, and welcome to the site.

 

Thanks for taking the time to explain all that for me, I am printing all this out and going to attemp the differentials next weekend.I think I can handle that and save alot of money as well.Thanks again guys.

 

And sorry if I sounded cold... I was tired... heh. To echo the sentiments of the others, that is indeed a very nice set up.

Welcome to FTE!

 

If you have a limited slip rear you will need to add friction modifier as well as your regular fluid.

 

Thanks loony2000. Im doing a search now on what fluids to get and the modifier,thanks again.

 

No problem. Good luck. One other thing with the t-case, the Haynes manual says to drive the truck for about 15 minutes before attempting to drain the t-case.

And to xtrford -- Ford recommends changing the t-case fluid every 60k or 48 months.

 

Just finished changing the fluids in the front and rear differentials and the T-case. Even changed the bearing in my ac clutch from searching on here to see if that stops the rattling(will find out tomorrow).Was very easy.Just wanted to say thanks for the input,saved me alot of $$ doing it myself. Guess the transmission fluid will be next.

 

I have a '97 4x4 F150 that I want to change the front and rear diff fluids, the t-case fluid, and possbily the tranny fluid & filter.

Are the differential fluids also called axle fluids (diff fluids not mentioned in the manual)?

If so, are these fluids correct?

t-case & tranny - Mercon ATF (not Mercon V)
front diff - SAE 75W90
rear diff - High Perf Rear Axle Lub + friction modifier

What exactly is the fluid for the rear diff?

Any suggestions on brand of fluid?

 

Your rear diff is probably 75w90 synthetic for your year of truck. You can put 80w140 which is what Ford recommended from 2000-2003 I believe. I just changed my front and rear diff fliud again to redline gear oils.....comes with the modifier you need for LS axles.