Rear Diff Issues
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I think it is a issue and if you are not towing or do extreme driving there is no schedule maintenance for any of the diffs.
Here is my story:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/71743-seems-loud.html
mrpanic7
New member
unless im reading your post wrong, you are saying not to do any maintenance on the diffs?
I personally am saying you should do maint. on them ,especially after my experience in 2010 but if you read the owners manual and you are not towing or doing extreme driving they Toyota have no schedule for it to be changed.
I now run Amsoi in all my diffs and transfer case.
mrpanic7
New member
could've swore time frame to change diff fluid is 30k w/o towing....
Prove it. I have a 2007 and my book says nothing it is all under extreme driving conditions or towing. It is how I got them to replace basically my entire back end under warranty.
Toyota Online Owners Manuals and Service Manuals
Go here and download the maintenance manual, then look at 30k mile service. It clearly says replace at 30k if under special operating conditions. Under normal operating conditions it clearly says just inspect.
AND if you keep following through the manual it never ever says to change the fluid only to inspect it under normal driving conditions. Obviously if you inspect it and it looks bad then switch out but Toyota never gives you a exact mileage milestone to change it at under normal driving conditions.
mrpanic7
New member
I see what you are saying, but simply not changing the fluid at all is pretty....risky and in my opinion not smart.
I just did mine at 138,000 miles and my fluid was FILTHY and full of metal. Now filled nicely with some synthetic.
My point -- If you want your diifs to last long and prevent as much wear as possible, atleast change once and awhile or as the manual says, "inspect" at least.
Why would you want your gears spinning around in dirty metal filled fluid?
Right and I agree with you but if you are just following the book Toyota puts out it is very vague and left to interpretation. Especially if say yo uare my mom and 85 percent of 4runner owners who probably has no idea what a differential is they are kind of left in the dark as to when exactly to change it.
I argued it with my dealership and they literally inspected my car from top to bottom to ensure I had not been doing a lot of towing or off roading, non of which I do with my Runner. Only after proving this point did they pick up the bill for the work.
it wasnt very prity on the side of the leak but I did both sides regardlessWell here is my story...
At 65,000 Miles My rear end (diff) blew out. Meaning I shredded my gears. There were many possibilities.
1.I always power braked it and it took a lot of abuse from that.
2.A week before it happened I went mudding (1st time) got stuck (took me a while) and i was stuck in an area where water nearly submerged my breather up top of the diff.
3. I never changed the diff oil. (Never have on any of the cars, never had a prob)
Well, one day I was driving on the highway and I hear loud clunks coming from my rear end. I just knew my gears were gone. Typically no one predicts that whilst driving in a Toyota, but I did. Sure enough I was right.
We lifted it up took off the driveshaft then dismounted the differential and took it apart. sure enough I shredded a portion of it. The gear was damaged but the pinion was fine; however, we replaced the entire assembly because obviously the pinion was microscopically affected because of the gear turning it and the chunks of metal circulating in the oil. Nevertheless $3000 later we swapped in a brand new rear end.
I feel that I am the only one that has experienced this problem.
heres a pic
At 65,000 Miles My rear end (diff) blew out. Meaning I shredded my gears. There were many possibilities.
1.I always power braked it and it took a lot of abuse from that.
2.A week before it happened I went mudding (1st time) got stuck (took me a while) and i was stuck in an area where water nearly submerged my breather up top of the diff.
3. I never changed the diff oil. (Never have on any of the cars, never had a prob)
Well, one day I was driving on the highway and I hear loud clunks coming from my rear end. I just knew my gears were gone. Typically no one predicts that whilst driving in a Toyota, but I did. Sure enough I was right.
We lifted it up took off the driveshaft then dismounted the differential and took it apart. sure enough I shredded a portion of it. The gear was damaged but the pinion was fine; however, we replaced the entire assembly because obviously the pinion was microscopically affected because of the gear turning it and the chunks of metal circulating in the oil. Nevertheless $3000 later we swapped in a brand new rear end.
I feel that I am the only one that has experienced this problem.
heres a pic
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4th gen rear ends are pretty stout but not invincible. Proper maintenance is required same goes with everything else. It's a mechanical vehicle and you need to take care of all the moving parts. Just because the word toyota is on it doesn't mean you don't need to change fluids etc. Just my 2 cents. I would swap out the fluid for some high quality synthetic since you don't change it often the extra cost isn't that big of a deal. Again just my opinion.