4x4 Differential Service

Good afternoon guys!

I am sitting here at the Toyota dealership waiting on my oil change. One of the service guys just came in and told me I needed to get a 4x4 differential service done at about $400! I have not had one done before and I am just under 42,000mi.

Does anyone have any experience with this or could explain what this is? I am assuming it would just be a fluid flush/change? Is this something that's a part of necessary maintenance at certain mileage intervals? Wondering why the hell it is so damn expensive. I have done very minimal towing, maybe less than 500mi total in the life of the truck and can remember maybe 5 times I have engaged 4-wheel drive.

Thank you!

 

I don't know enough about it to say whether or not it needs to done, but I can say I just got my oil changed and they didn't say anything about this service. I'm at the same mileage as you.

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/whe...nt-differential-plus-transfer-case-oil.68477/
Here is a thread from yesterday on this issue.

 

I’m not sure what the Toyota recommended change interval is but I change mine every 25-30k. $400 is high though even if they are doing both diffs and the transfer case. The fluid for all three is less than $100 and it shouldn’t take a tech more than an hour with a lift.

 

Do it yourself, save $300.

It's an extremely easy job.

While you're under there lubricate your drive shafts.

Lots of videos and written instructions out there. If you can't find something specific to a Tundra look at a Tacoma or 4runner, same basic principal.

 

do you have a lift and big tires, that's usually what they say to get you for steering/differential/alignment work

 

I do not believe you can lube the drive shaft any more, there are no zerks. Changing the differential fluid is very easy and cheap. The transfer case now though, not sure what year they changed transfer case manufacturer but it now requires a rather uncommon fluid "75w" not to be confused with 75w90 or anything with a number after the w.

 

2014.

My 2017 still has zerks.

 

Regarding the fluid, there is a lot of conversation about this and I think 75w90 is still used in most dealerships and is 100% acceptable.

My 2016 had grease zerks on the drive shafts at both ends, and where it telescopes in and out. My 4runner is the same. I haven't checked the 2020 Tundra but that would be news to me!

 

Yeah your 20 won't have any, I know my 19 doesn't. I know the difference between 75w and 75w90 on a data sheet is very different. The previous transfer cases did use 75w90 but they changed manufacturer for them and now require 75w, Ravenol does make an oil for it though so it's not like it doesn't exist, it just is not very common. There was a lengthy thread on this but people that put 75w90 in the transfer case that calls for 75w reported clunky shifts when going into 4wd.

 

Checked and you're correct - no zerks and the telescoping joint is covered with a dust cover. Sorry, I misunderstood your earlier comment and thought you were referring to SAE75 as the differential oil.

This is what the manual says about differential fluid:



Same for the 4runner. GL5 75w90 is a totally acceptable replacement and is what the Toyota dealership are putting in your truck if you go there (Mobil1 bulk)


This is what it says for transfer case:



Same as the 4runner. Yes, Ravenol makes this fluid. Royal Purple Synchromax is also a direct replacement. I use RP Synchromax and my transfer case goes in and out of 4h and 4l smoother than it did factory.


Same exact fluids as the 2017 4runner and 2016 Tundra.

 

Royal Purple Synchromax is the answer for the transfer case.

 

How stupid there is no zerks on the new ones. Probably another bs cost cutting move that I will have to remedy when I have to replace the "sealed" ujoints in the future. Hopefully they put enough lube in the slip yoke so it will last the life of the truck. I don't know, maybe my concerns are a non issue and I'm just old school but zerk fittings on u-joints/driveshafts can't cost a billion dollar world wide auto manufacturer that much money.

 

Agreed- it's pretty disappointing.

 

Just like the no transmission cooler on a truck that is designed to tow things debacle.

 

In a previous thread someone posted a link to a interesting article from a u joint manufacturer and by having a sealed joint it is actually stronger because it doesn't have a weak point where it would normally have a hole for the zerk.

Found the video I was thinking of.
https://youtu.be/JSPC2Toq27g

 

A u-join without the hole drilled into it will be stronger, though I've never heard of any Tundras tearing them apart. I bet that the bigger reason that Toyota stopped using greasable joints were from owners not greasing the greasable joint on a regular basis and experiencing premature failures. The sealed joints have more seals than the single seal that the greasable joints receive. I don't think that any Tundra ever came with driveshafts where the slip yoke could be greased without pulling it apart.

 

Yeah like I said I'm probably wrong about my complaints. Change is hard for old school people.

 

I guess stronger is better but U joints have had zerks forever and I haven't seen a post here in almost 6 years where a U joint failed when properly greased. Quite easy to rebuild if bearings wear out. My 2 centavos

 

That's an insane quote for a fluid service. My take is, if you're physically able, use that $400 you would spend at the stealership and buy the tools needed to do the job yourself. A high quality jack and a few hand tools and you can do this yourself for WAY less. What i used to do was weigh how much it would cost to have it done vs spending that same amount of money on tools and learning a new skill. Tools never lose their value and unlock the capability to do more. Now adays all my maintenance and repairs are dirt cheap because i have all the tools to do 95% of jobs.

 

2017 FTW. As far as I know, the only thing they had stripped from that model year was the driver's grab handle.

I agree with the exception that if your physically able to get under the truck you don't even need a jack to do these. There is plenty of room to get the job done with the tires on the ground.

 

My local toyota dealership has a special for $210 front, transfer and rear diff fluid change.

 

Save your money and do it yourself. At least you'll know it was done right, most stealerships have a hard enough time doing a basic oil change without screwing something up.

 

dealerships are very hungry. they're trying to survive on their service department.

i'm getting "courtesy" calls from several dealerships reminding me about services i need to have in order to maintain my factory warranty. lol.

this may help. this may not help.

i'm just very cautious about "recommended services" and "their best pricing" right now.

i would do the following.

1st, check your maintenance schedule.

2nd, definitely call around and get several quotes.