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So, I decided to do the front diff service today and change the original front diff fluid that's in there before winter (with 132,000 miles). As most of you know, there's no drain plug on the front diff (as opposed to the rear diff, which has one) and the only good method to do this without taking off the front cover is to suck all the fluid out through the fill plug!
For this, you will need a fluid suction pump. I bought a model which works on compressed air for about $15 on Amazon... and it worked surprisingly well. It came with the wrong coupler though, so I had to swap it for a "Milton type M" right off the hopper. Besides that, I was very pleased with the quality of the tool for the price.
Before beginning the procedure, I drove the truck for a few miles in 4x4 HI, so that the fluid would mix with the gunk/sediment in the diff and also warm up a bit, as it was 50 F outside (10 C). I then jacked up the front wheels and set the frame on 6 ton jackstands, just so the wheels are slightly off the ground and could spin freely, in case the bolts inside the diff were in the wrong position to pass the tube through to the sump and I'd need to spin the front wheels by hand... I actually did have to spin the wheels a bit later on.
The procedure took quite some time (15-20 minutes) and I had to empty the small tank on the tool several times before getting all 1.8 quarts of old fluid out. The old fluid looked and smelled nasty, plus it had a dark grey / gunmetal color to it.
Here are some pics of the procedure. Becasue the fluid was quite cold, the flow was very slow... but still better than taking that pesky front diff cover off, lol :
FordTech Makuloco's instructions video :
For this, you will need a fluid suction pump. I bought a model which works on compressed air for about $15 on Amazon... and it worked surprisingly well. It came with the wrong coupler though, so I had to swap it for a "Milton type M" right off the hopper. Besides that, I was very pleased with the quality of the tool for the price.
Before beginning the procedure, I drove the truck for a few miles in 4x4 HI, so that the fluid would mix with the gunk/sediment in the diff and also warm up a bit, as it was 50 F outside (10 C). I then jacked up the front wheels and set the frame on 6 ton jackstands, just so the wheels are slightly off the ground and could spin freely, in case the bolts inside the diff were in the wrong position to pass the tube through to the sump and I'd need to spin the front wheels by hand... I actually did have to spin the wheels a bit later on.
The procedure took quite some time (15-20 minutes) and I had to empty the small tank on the tool several times before getting all 1.8 quarts of old fluid out. The old fluid looked and smelled nasty, plus it had a dark grey / gunmetal color to it.
Here are some pics of the procedure. Becasue the fluid was quite cold, the flow was very slow... but still better than taking that pesky front diff cover off, lol :
FordTech Makuloco's instructions video :
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