DIFFERENTIAL FLUID DISCOVERY "WEIRD"

[JThacker]

I am going to change the front and rear diff fluids for the second time and once again the dealership tries to give me limited slip additive and once again I decline, then the parts guy reveals something weird. He shows me two bottles of Mopar Synthetic Gear Lubricant 75W-90 and says one bottle already has the additive in it and one doesn't if I use the one that doesn't then I will need the additive. The only difference on the labels is the part # and the one supposedly with the additive has DR2500/3500 on the label. What the H***. What do you all think? My buddies manual doesn't list the part #'s, here are the part#'s on the bottles if that helps, thanks.

One supposedly with the additive 5102232AA

One without the additive 5010320AA

I think the other time I changed them I had the DR2500/3500 bottles, also how many times are the gaskets good for reuse?

 

[Diesel Power]

thats why i use amsoil, i know im getting what i pay for the first time--the best.

 

[WCounts]

Been running Mobile 1 in mine front and rear. No problems.

 

[DTroy]

Royal Purple already has the additive.



I don't use a gasket.

 

[steved]

Umm, you don't need additive in the 3rd gens.



It probably wouldn't hurt anything, but why use something you don't need?? A good parts man would know this...



steved

 

[JCleary]

I had differential chattering problems using the Mopar fluid. Taking off around corners, especially with a load was unpleasant.



I switched to Amsoil (similar cost) and it fixed the problem. I don't think there's an additive in the Amsoil Severe Gear 75w90.



I think a limited slip additive might help in some situations. No, the diffs do not have clutches, but they do have little brake shoes that are supposed to provide some limited-slip action, but they only grab if both wheels have some amount of traction.

 

[ACoffel]

As STEVED has pointed out, 3G TRUCKS DO NOT NEED ADDITIVES !!!!

 

[WUnderwood]

I am looking for the fluid capacities for the front and rear axles for a 2004. 5 2500 front and rear, can anyone help me out?



thanks, and I am going to use Royal Purple full synthetic

 

[rattlnrench]

As STEVED has pointed out, 3G TRUCKS DO NOT NEED ADDITIVES !!!!

So what do you do when the rear end chatters?





Mine did after changing the rear end oil & I HAD to use additive to get the chattering to go away. This was on my 04. 5.

 

[fkovalski]

I am looking for the fluid capacities for the front and rear axles for a 2004. 5 2500 front and rear, can anyone help me out?



thanks, and I am going to use Royal Purple full synthetic

Check out member Ken Lenger's website for real good info--> Klenger.net





.

 

[rbattelle]

Are you guys certain you were hearing the rear end chattering? As JCleary points out, there are no clutches and it's hard to imagine the pinion gear brake shoes chattering.



Ryan

 

[WCounts]

I am looking for the fluid capacities for the front and rear axles for a 2004. 5 2500 front and rear, can anyone help me out?



thanks, and I am going to use Royal Purple full synthetic

You may want to get 3 gals. I believe mine took 9 qts total

 

[WCounts]

Are you guys certain you were hearing the rear end chattering? As JCleary points out, there are no clutches and it's hard to imagine the pinion gear brake shoes chattering.



Ryan

You probly feel the inside tire slipping. If you turn too sharp the differential will lock up.

 

[TexBamBam]

I don't know what it was but it was making a heck of a racket back there until they put the friction juice in there... The dealer says the book says it dosent need it but when they dont put it in... its the same results with the dealership juice.

 

[rattlnrench]

Are you guys certain you were hearing the rear end chattering? As JCleary points out, there are no clutches and it's hard to imagine the pinion gear brake shoes chattering.



Ryan

It was more of a groaning or grinding noise on a turn and pretty subtle at that. The noise I've usually found associated with lack of additive is more of a popping noise. I heard it right away after the oil change. I used Motorcraft 75-140 Full Synthetic. The stuff is expensive & I like to run heavier oil here in Texas. The only reason I changed it in the first place is that the truck had 25K on it with the original oil in the rear end. The original oil looked great but I decided to change it anyway & go a little heavier due to the temperature down here.

 

[rbattelle]

I heard it right away after the oil change. I used Motorcraft 75-140 Full Synthetic. The stuff is expensive & I like to run heavier oil here in Texas.

Have you read this thread? Very interesting.



Ryan

 

[sag2]

The 320AA is for all corporate axles, 8 1/4, 9 1/4 etc. The 232AA is specifically for the American axles and DOES not have friction modifier as it is NOT required.

 

[JThacker]

Thanks a bunch for the reply, sag, it is greatly appreciated, as always. Jay

 

[DPKetchum]

Interesting. I was on a dealer Dodge forum. Carson Dodge and a post/thread about the shudder on turns was asked by a customer and the reply was that a MEMO about some additive DID need to be used in the AAM axels for binding. That would explain why the STANDARD AMSOIL gear oil there were posts about binding on turns with it early on with these 3rd Generation trucks. Then came the SEVERE GEAR from Amsoil and no binding. I called Amsoil a long time back and asked what what the differance in the two were. Got a NOT much its just a LITTLE differant and use the newer formula. . More additive(of some sort) I bet. Thats why a MOPAR gear oil that states 2500/3500 on the label is on the parts shevles. Just wish MEMOS and issues wern't like a Easter Egg hunt and were UPFRONT. Obvisouly a ISSUE of SOME SORT as AMSOIL and MOPAR there are slight differances in the gear oil for 2500/3500 trucks.