How to change your rear axle fluid.

[joseph]

You'll need this:
(Before you start, drive the car for a while to warm up the rear axle fluid so that it will drain more easily)

H14 Hex bit and a 1/2" drive wrench with an extension:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/th_100_1504.jpg (http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/100_1504.jpg)

A fluid transfer pump:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/th_100_1506.jpg (http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/100_1506.jpg)

2 Quarts (2 bottles) of 75-140 synthetic gear lube: (OR the new Royal Purple 75-140 at Pepboys for $9.99 each)
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/th_100_1507.jpg (http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/100_1507.jpg)
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/th_S7302065.jpg (http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/S7302065.jpg)


Teflon tape:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/th_100_1665.jpg (http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/100_1665.jpg)

Raise the car and make it level:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/th_100_1661.jpg (http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/100_1661.jpg)

Loosen the top bolt on the driver side (so that air will go in when you start draining, you may remove the bolt, but it may leak):
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/th_100_1657.jpg (http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/100_1657.jpg)

Get a bucket and remove the lower bolt on the pass. side and let it drain (in the meantime, remove the upper bolt, if not already done):
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/th_100_1659.jpg (http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/100_1659.jpg)

When it all drained out good, put teflon tape on the bolt's thread and put the lower bolt back in tight.
Also put teflon tape on the upper bolt so that it's ready.
As you can see it's leaking from both upper and lower bolts, but the teflon tape on the thread should take care of that.

Remove the fitting from the pump (if you have the same one) and stick the tube in the axle upper hole to fill it up and start pumping, you'll need almost 2 bottles to fill it up.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/th_100_1660.jpg (http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/100_1660.jpg)

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/th_100_1658.jpg (http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h7/pjosephlv/Rear%20axle/100_1658.jpg)

You'll know it's full when fluid starts coming out of the upper hole, where the tube is, at that time go ahead and put the bolt back in tight and you're done.



FYI: if you can't raise the car, or don't want to do it yourself, go to any lube place and make sure they have syn. 75-140, if not, bring your own with the pump, they should be ok with it as long as you don't ask for a discount.
While you're there, tell them to put teflon tape on the bolts.
They should have the H14 bit, but ask them just to be ready.

[joseph]

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[lafrad]

Sweet!

Nice writeup!

This is sneaking up on me quick here... helps to know the tools I will need.

Thanks!

[Walt SRT8]

I read it.......sounds good to me.

[Willy18]

Excellent write up. I've been wanting to change mine.
Thanks Joseph!

[ZMagnum]

I'm going to have to change mine in another 27K miles. Now that you've written this I may just do it myself. I was going to go to the dealership. This is great. Thanks.

[bookeem]

great write up joseph, it will help alot of us..

[Husker]

Very nice Joseph, just a quick question because I am too dang lazy to go out to the gargae and open thwe book, at what mile do we need to service the rear-end.....of the CAR :)

[PaulFix]

THanks Joeseph, will be doing my front and rear diffs this spring.

[joseph]

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[Husker]

Not sure, I do mine once a year (daily driven)
I see, so you just change it once a year( seems like a good idea considering all the stress the rearend gets), do you also do the tranny?

[joseph]

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[racergary]

excellant wrtie up Joe,you change once a year.......how many miles?

my RT is also a daily driver,unless I'm walking to a nearby business or fast food joint.:racing:

[36 chambers]

sweeetttt!!!!!

[joseph]

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[Super T]

10-12K

Wow, that's excessive and a half! Mobil thanks you :-) Can't hurt the car I guess, only the wallet. What's the s/m recommend? (stuck at work)

[fnkychkn]

great write-up joseph. :thumbs_u:
10-12 k miles is a bit of overkill unless you race it a lot or tow quite a bit.
chrysler recommends changing it every 48,000 miles (77,000 km).

[joseph]

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[BrilliantBlackHemi]

Excellent writeup. Does it really take 2 full quarts? Just seems like a lot, but if that's right then ok.

[fnkychkn]

Excellent writeup. Does it really take 2 full quarts? Just seems like a lot, but if that's right then ok.
210mm rear axle fluid capacity: 1.7 qts. (1.6L)

[BrilliantBlackHemi]

Thanks, as always!

[Fred]

One tip of advice:

Loosen the top bolt first. That way if you find it is seized or you have some other trouble with it, then you are not stuck calling a tow truck.

Reread that this was included but I am going to leave this in to re-iterate because I know some people just go at the first bolt they see.

[joseph]

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[joseph]

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[BrilliantBlackHemi]

Looks good. Gonna try it today.

[joseph]

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[BlkHemiMag]

Don't suppose anyone's got a good tq spec for those bolts?

[BrilliantBlackHemi]

I put in Amsoil Severe Duty 75W-140. Finding the Hex 14mm bit is not easy unless you do to NAPA. Can't find over 10mm hex key or bits anywhere else. Trouble was the NAPA stuff is for impacts, so it's a longer bit and I had to move the passenger side exhaust out of the way. Otherwise the drain and refill using a 8 dollar hand pump from Advance Auto straight from the qt bottles went perfect.

Thanks for the write up and the tool summary.

[joseph]

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[fnkychkn]

Don't suppose anyone's got a good tq spec for those bolts?
axle drain/fill plug torque --- 37 ft/lbs.

[BToohey44]

Outstanding write up, I've been wanting to do this to my car as well.

Has anyone changed the transmission fluid yet? Is it any more difficult than most rear wheel drive cars?

Thanks.

[joseph]

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[BToohey44]

No its not my first day here.

When I checked the KB for articles on changing Tranny fluid, there wasn't one there yet (last summer) so when I read your post I just figured I would ask.

But I do apologize for not re-checking the Knowledge Base. Thanks for the links Joesph.

:thumbs_u:

[joseph]

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[BlkHemiMag]

axle drain/fill plug torque --- 37 ft/lbs.

Hey, thanks, Rainmen like me everywhere thank you!

[ZMagnum]

axle drain/fill plug torque --- 37 ft/lbs.

My smaller wrench has inch pounds. So 37 ft/lbs = 444 in/lbs.

[Motor]

how often should i change it??...my rt is @ 53k...i've had it for the last 10k's...should i change it or not?

[joseph]

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[Motor]

cool, now ill have something to do underneath the car...yay go me:) hehehe...i like doing this kind of stuff...makes my day:):beerchug: thx 4 the help:)

I would, unless you know for sure it's been done in the past year, or 20-30K

[joseph]

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[yo_marc]

Finding the Hex 14mm bit is not easy unless you do to NAPA. Can't find over 10mm hex key or bits anywhere else. Trouble was the NAPA stuff is for impacts, so it's a longer bit and I had to move the passenger side exhaust out of the way.

I just wanted to note; if you can't find a 14mm hex bit, you can use a 14mm bolt you may have laying around.

Take the bolt with the 14mm head. An ideal length is about 2-3 inches. Find two matching nuts that fit the threading. Screw one on a good ways, then the other. Lock the two nuts tightly against each other, insert the 14mm bolt-head-end into the drain plug socket, and use a wrench on the inner-nut to back the drain plug out. Use the outer nut to insert the drain plug.

[hambone1983]

Howcomes the pics arnt viewable?

The writeup is great though!

[iceman-5076Hemi]

Great write up!! for some reason the pics didn't show up for me...should be pretty self explanitory though.

I have Royal Purple in the garage now for a month...guess I need to get after it.

[fnkychkn]

Howcomes the pics arnt viewable?

The writeup is great though!

Great write up!! for some reason the pics didn't show up for me...should be pretty self explanitory though.

I have Royal Purple in the garage now for a month...guess I need to get after it.this member was banned and removed all the links.

[measella]

this member was banned and removed all the links.
Great :doh:I need to do this for my 2005 3.5L w/ the 4 speed. No pics = no go for me.

[C1Pendragon]

this member was banned and removed all the links.

what fer? hopefully not his diy threads. . . .

[done]

what fer? hopefully not his diy threads. . . .

No, he had some good info, but he had some really bad attitudes.

[dpshook]

i just did this last night and you wont need a pump to add the fluid just squeeze the bottle. The tool to remove the H14 bolts is a H14 and can be found at Autozone in a trio pack for 11.99. So instead of paying a shop 90 + fluid go out and do it on your on. And get royal pruple... its not that much more and ive been using the max gear oil in my other cars for a long time and it works great.

[Northern300]

How can you do it on your own when you can't have the car level to drain and fill it properly?

[Spali32]

Easy.......just drive it up on some ramps.

[Northern300]

Drive what up on ramps? You can't fill or drain it properly with just the rear on ramps.

[ZMagnum]

Measure how much drained out and put the same amount back in.

[Northern300]

But the point is that you don't get all the old stuff out when it is on an angle with the back up in the air.

[BrilliantBlackHemi]

4 Jackstands will get it in the air and level.

[BuckeyeRT]

Dang it pics are gone :(

[Orsen]

Dang it pics are gone :(

yes, we need pictures :)

[Northern300]

I agree. I would like to do this myself as well.

[marshall9779]

Just did mine this weekend. Front up on ramps and back on stands to make it level. You'll need a 3" or longer extension on the drivers side in order to clear the exhaust to get to the fill plug. I din't use the transfer pump. I held one finger over the end of the bottle and tipped it in. Bottle wont tip up much and is a tight fit. I had to empty the little that was left from the 1st bottle into the second one. It took close to 1 3/4 quarts. I used the Royal Purple 75W-140. I took the advice of using the thread tape as mine was weeping around the drain plug. Easy job though. Write up helped. Took me a minute to find the fill port. Didn't realize it was on the side.

[mikesmagrt]

JIFFY LUBE TOLD ME $120.00 TO CHANGE REAR DIF FLUID think i'll spend the $20.00 at pepboys and do it myself .

[mikesmagrt]

i hope pep boys does sell royal purple at $9.99 a qt lowest i could find online is $15.99 a qt

[prican_2000]

YEP- I gotta change my rear end fluid this thread will prove helpful. THANKS!!!

As a matter of fact I just remembered that I am going to help a buddy of mine set-up his Backyard Buddy garage lift - This will take care of getting the car leveled and getting it high enough for me to do the work - NOT ON MY BACK. I will drop the word on him today and let him know that the 1st thing to do on his lift will be my rear-end. Fluid that is. LOL!!!!!!!





Just did mine this weekend. Front up on ramps and back on stands to make it level. You'll need a 3" or longer extension on the drivers side in order to clear the exhaust to get to the fill plug. I din't use the transfer pump. I held one finger over the end of the bottle and tipped it in. Bottle wont tip up much and is a tight fit. I had to empty the little that was left from the 1st bottle into the second one. It took close to 1 3/4 quarts. I used the Royal Purple 75W-140. I took the advice of using the thread tape as mine was weeping around the drain plug. Easy job though. Write up helped. Took me a minute to find the fill port. Didn't realize it was on the side.