Gear grease and differential covers etc ??

[Turbo Terry]

So I have been thinking about my 2022 3500 srw hauling 3000 lbs camper come spring time and would like to get some better grease than factory front and rear in the differentials . Who knows what the factory put in there right ? Anyway to keep my warranty and have dealer service it I’m at loss of what to do . Mobil or Amsoil would be my choices 75/140 rear 75/90 front. I will talk to service dept after the first of the year to see their position about using my gear grease for a change or not. I do not want to buy the new fancy covers Banks BD Mag Hytec. To expensive but they do have drain plugs very nice .Factory should have put plugs in but? I have checked the operators manuel for servicing the differentials but can’t find a time or mileage that they want it done, Maybe I will just take it by my Indy and have him do it in the spring ?

 

[NIsaacs]

Under heavy duty use it recommends 20k changes. No mention for light duty use. In my book, on page 423, bottom of the page, it talks about the axles and says see tech note 3. That note is on page 426. Recommended oil is Mopar 75w-85, page 517.

Most quality gear oil has the friction modifier included. If your oil choice doesn't, it will need the additive.

 

[lpennock]

There is no grease in your Differentials, it is Gear OIL Your owners manual should have the service intervals (20K miles or 2 years on my 18) and fluid type (75W85 GL5 synthetic on my 18) in the scheduled maintenance and technical specifications sections. I would just use your Indy to do the changes, the labor rate will be much lower than using a dealer and as long as you keep receipts won't impact your warranty.

 

[Turbo Terry]

Thanks. So that’s what gear oil is in there now I would suppose . And they don’t hold very much gear oil.

 

[nukegm]

Thanks. So that’s what gear oil is in there now I would suppose . And they don’t hold very much gear oil.

go to amsoil.com - enter the make and model. you will find the right stuff there. much cheaper than factory gear oil. same specs. can even get a squeeze packet of it, which makes refill easier. i put a pml cover on my 18 2500. got it from genosgarage . nice piece. cheers !

 

[Turbo Terry]

My Manuel says nothing on those pages pertaining to gear oil. Nothing about 20 k change out. I will look more

 

[NIsaacs]

My Manuel says nothing on those pages pertaining to gear oil. Nothing about 20 k change out. I will look more

Yes, I guess the book changed already.

 

[lpennock]

My Manuel says nothing on those pages pertaining to gear oil. Nothing about 20 k change out. I will look more

I downloaded the PDF from https://www.mopar.com/en-us/my-vehicle/vehicle-information.html?redirect=om

Page 390 has Interval at 20K miles/2 years. Says inspect unless "If using your vehicle for police, taxi, fleet, off-road or frequent trailer towing, change axle fluid."

Page 478 has
SAE 75W-85 HD Ram GL-5 Synthetic Axle Lubricant in 9.25 Front, 11.5 and 12.0 (Single Rear Wheel) Rear Axles. Use Mopar® GL-5 Synthetic Gear Lubricant SAE 75W-140 in 12.0 (Dual Rear Wheel) Rear axles.

RTFM

 

[Cummins12V98]

Go to AMZ/OIL's fitment website and get the correct weight SevereGear for your specific truck. Dump the factory junk within 5k IMHO.

If you want buy an OE Aluminum Diff cover.

 

[EDankievitch]

Royal Purple 75-95wt full synthetic and your gears will be very happy. I’ve run that in all my trucks.

 

[AH64ID]

I downloaded the PDF from https://www.mopar.com/en-us/my-vehicle/vehicle-information.html?redirect=om

Page 390 has Interval at 20K miles/2 years. Says inspect unless "If using your vehicle for police, taxi, fleet, off-road or frequent trailer towing, change axle fluid."

Page 478 has
SAE 75W-85 HD Ram GL-5 Synthetic Axle Lubricant in 9.25 Front, 11.5 and 12.0 (Single Rear Wheel) Rear Axles. Use Mopar® GL-5 Synthetic Gear Lubricant SAE 75W-140 in 12.0 (Dual Rear Wheel) Rear axles.

RTFM

Same information I found.

@Turbo Terry Personally I would run 75w-90 Amsoil Severe Gear (SVG) and not run a cover. For the loads that you have told us you use the cover isn't necessary, and will actually decrease fuel economy because it takes so much longer to heat up the gear lube. I noticed this on my 05 that had a Mag-Hytec diff cover, and it was really noticeable in winter.

 

[EDankievitch]

I noticed the same thing going to 75-140 wt lube when cold I used more fuel

 

[Cummins12V98]

Same information I found.

@Turbo Terry Personally I would run 75w-90 Amsoil Severe Gear (SVG) and not run a cover. For the loads that you have told us you use the cover isn't necessary, and will actually decrease fuel economy because it takes so much longer to heat up the gear lube. I noticed this on my 05 that had a Mag-Hytec diff cover, and it was really noticeable in winter.

I don't think my capacity is any different on my 15 with the OE Cover.

I thought the 19 and newer trucks required a different weight GL?

 

[AH64ID]

I thought the 19 and newer trucks required a different weight GL?

As noted in post #8 it's only on the DRW 12.0" axles... thou the owners manuals don't mention the 11.5" DRW axle for either weights.

The switch from 75w-90 to 75w-85 happened some time ago, but many choose to just run 75w-90.. like me.

 

[Diesel Gunner]

I have Mag Hytec covers on mine with temp gauge. After watching this;

What aftermarket diff cover guys don't tell you! - YouTube

I lowered the level in the rear (which I used to keep filled to FULL level) to the stock level and the temp went down by 10-20 degrees.
Wish that Banks was available 17 years ago, I would have bought them. As far as I am concerned aftermarket diff covers are more jewelry than anything else.

More importantly, use a good QUALITY lubricant. Everybody has their idea of what that is. Do your homework. I spent 17 years selling lubricants and I have my ideas, but I am not interested in the war that will start. There are many VERY GOOD lubricants out there and there are many that I would not lubricate an old mule with. Use the viscosity grade recommended by manufacturer. You are not lubricating better with a higher viscosity.

Regular fluid changes with a stock cover will net you more life than any 15-gallon diff cover out there. If you really want to do good things install a cover such as Gales. I you are racing the BAJA 1000 install a pump and a cooler on the differential.

IMHO, Banks has it right for about 99.8% of any of our needs. I am not paid, nor do I have any association with Banks. There is just a good amount of solid information in his video that I have had backed up by all of the training that I received over my career. Keep the lubricant at the correct operating temperature and change it before its additive package is used up and it becomes oxidized.

There are hundreds of thousands of miles in these machines if you service them properly.

 

[nukegm]

I have Mag Hytec covers on mine with temp gauge. After watching this;

What aftermarket diff cover guys don't tell you! - YouTube

I lowered the level in the rear (which I used to keep filled to FULL level) to the stock level and the temp went down by 10-20 degrees.
Wish that Banks was available 17 years ago, I would have bought them. As far as I am concerned aftermarket diff covers are more jewelry than anything else.

More importantly, use a good QUALITY lubricant. Everybody has their idea of what that is. Do your homework. I spent 17 years selling lubricants and I have my ideas, but I am not interested in the war that will start. There are many VERY GOOD lubricants out there and there are many that I would not lubricate an old mule with. Use the viscosity grade recommended by manufacturer. You are not lubricating better with a higher viscosity.

Regular fluid changes with a stock cover will net you more life than any 15-gallon diff cover out there. If you really want to do good things install a cover such as Gales. I you are racing the BAJA 1000 install a pump and a cooler on the differential.

IMHO, Banks has it right for about 99.8% of any of our needs. I am not paid, nor do I have any association with Banks. There is just a good amount of solid information in his video that I have had backed up by all of the training that I received over my career. Keep the lubricant at the correct operating temperature and change it before its additive package is used up and it becomes oxidized.

There are hundreds of thousands of miles in these machines if you service them properly.

thanks for that link for the diff covers. i learned something. learning is always good. cheers sir!

 

[Ozymandias]

Just use it, put factory weight Oil in it and enjoy.
You gain NOTHING if you try to be smarter then the factory with that Truck you have now.

 

[NIsaacs]

I have Mag Hytec covers on mine with temp gauge. After watching this;

What aftermarket diff cover guys don't tell you! - YouTube

I lowered the level in the rear (which I used to keep filled to FULL level) to the stock level and the temp went down by 10-20 degrees.
Wish that Banks was available 17 years ago, I would have bought them. As far as I am concerned aftermarket diff covers are more jewelry than anything else.

More importantly, use a good QUALITY lubricant. Everybody has their idea of what that is. Do your homework. I spent 17 years selling lubricants and I have my ideas, but I am not interested in the war that will start. There are many VERY GOOD lubricants out there and there are many that I would not lubricate an old mule with. Use the viscosity grade recommended by manufacturer. You are not lubricating better with a higher viscosity.

Regular fluid changes with a stock cover will net you more life than any 15-gallon diff cover out there. If you really want to do good things install a cover such as Gales. I you are racing the BAJA 1000 install a pump and a cooler on the differential.

IMHO, Banks has it right for about 99.8% of any of our needs. I am not paid, nor do I have any association with Banks. There is just a good amount of solid information in his video that I have had backed up by all of the training that I received over my career. Keep the lubricant at the correct operating temperature and change it before its additive package is used up and it becomes oxidized.

There are hundreds of thousands of miles in these machines if you service them properly.

Read this

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/posts/2632742/

 

[Cummins12V98]

As noted in post #8 it's only on the DRW 12.0" axles... thou the owners manuals don't mention the 11.5" DRW axle for either weights.

The switch from 75w-90 to 75w-85 happened some time ago, but many choose to just run 75w-90.. like me.

Dang! Too much to keep up with.

 

[bcbender]

As noted in post #8 it's only on the DRW 12.0" axles... thou the owners manuals don't mention the 11.5" DRW axle for either weights.

The switch from 75w-90 to 75w-85 happened some time ago, but many choose to just run 75w-90.. like me.

Just to confirm, that is the 12" in the DRW model? I switched out to AMSOIL Severe Gear 75W90 awhile back, I have the 12" but its single wheel and that was what I thought we concluded back then.

Make sure you have enough oil onhand, the rear axle 12" takes alot more than the manual said as it only listed the 11.5", I think combined front and rear I used 8+ qts.