97 front diff oil level

[Macho6]

I just replace a front cv shaft on my 97 4runner. I lost some gear oil as I was swapping the old shaft with the new one. How do I check or top up the oil?, I can't see a plug anywhere.

Thanks for any help.

 

[AZTOY]

I just replace a front cv shaft on my 97 4runner. I lost some gear oil as I was swapping the old shaft with the new one. How do I check or top up the oil?, I can't see a plug anywhere.

Thanks for any help.

Take off the skid plates. You will see them. Drain and fill plug as usual. 97 has the hex style plugs.

 

[Kanger328]

The drain and fill plugs use different size hex keys...12mm and 10mm (can't remember which one is which). Only way to tell the level of oil is to open up the fill plug. You basically fill with diff oil until it starts coming out (on level ground of course). You may be able to fit a pinky in there and if you see oil on the tip...you should be full.

 

[the great him]

in the future to prevent this from happening when swapping CVs, jack up only one side of the truck, ie the side that you are swapping. this way the open side of the diff will be "up hill" and you will not lose any diff fluid. once you have the new CV in and everything back together then set that side down and go around to the other side and do the same thing there.

 

[Macho6]

Thanks for all the good info, toped up the level today and back on the road.