Polarlys

I'm absolutly, positively, pretty sure that I've read here that the differential re-fill on my truck is fluid only, no additives. I have an '06 5.9, 3500 w/ 4x4.
I have the Amsoil to do the differentials and just want to confirm the need for the additives before I drain the fluid.

Thanks all.

Sur5er

You're good to go Just remember to fill 3/4" below the hole for proper level..........................or so I've been seeing on the forum

Polarlys

Thanks. I just ordered the filter for the trans. and some more fluid. May as well do the transfer case while I'm gettin dirty.

Where in upstate NY ????? I'm from Yonkers, went to college near Saranac and spent most summers in the Adirondacks. I like you're ammo comment. Brings back nightmares

Sur5er

Just South of Saratoga Springs and North of the airport. Spent a bit of time in your neck of the woods when I worked with FEMA. As I recall, the water level was about 6' over my head. Used to live in Old Bridge back in the 70's. The Army Aviation version is: The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire"

Polarlys

We have friends not too far from you over by Sacandaga Lk. We go up to visit now and then. I went to school up in Paul Smiths. North of Saranac Lk. My kinda country. I was Army Combat Engineers in Vietnam. Preferred keeping 2 feet on the ground.

justen920

I put in additives with my Amsoil. I have read that you are suppose too. I changed all the fluids like you are doing and bought a drain plug for the tranny and future fluid changes. Truck runs great! The fluid taken out of the diffs was nasty smelling stuff. This truck was new to me and I don't think the previous owner changed any fluids.

Polarlys

Justin, If I remember right the differential additive was for the lighter trucks. Not our 3500's. I think it was a positraction additive. There may be other lubricant additives that are OK to use but not a factory requirement. I hope there is someone out there that has more info on this and can clarify this point.

Gear oil does smell nasty that's for sure. How do you install the drain plug in the trans pan. It really doesn't bother me since I need to pull the pan out for the filter anyhow.

rockcrawler304

You are correct. No additives are needed with our diffs. Just make sure the oil is GL5 or better and a full synthetic are the only requirements.

If you tow heavy I would suggest a 140 weight oil in the rear. If light towing to normal driving the 90 wt oil is fine.

06RAM2500

Limited slip additive actually. Some have it and some don't.

Sur5er

6 of one, half a dozen of the other! Put a lot of you CE's in by rope to clear LZs. As bad as it was hovering at 50'-100', I'd rather that than wondering if that SOB is going to cut my butt loose if I take too long getting down. Anyway, being a Crew Chief wasn't all it was cracked up to be. I was there 66-67. Welcome Home, Brother

Polarlys

'70 - '71 and NO LZ's for me. Central and Delta and into Cambodia a few times. We were trucks and anything you could carry in them. I think they took the last of the Huey's out of service not long ago. A piece of history gone.

Thanks, and same to you

Spooler

No clutch packs in our diffs. with limited slip. No additive needed. If you have a rear end chatter at takeoff some folks put in the limited slip additive to make this go away.

thenrie

If you have the AAM axles, you don't use the additives. The 3500s all have the AAM axles. I don't know about the 2500, but I believe the 1500s use Dana axles. The Dana limited-slip (called Posi-trac) axles use clutches, which benefit from the limited-slip additives, but the AAM axles use gearing for their limited-slip and to not use the additives. That includes both front and rear axles in 4X4s.

pdogg

2500 uses AAM 11.5" axles also.

TX_Diesel

Not to hi-jack but i just had new seals put in the front diff on my truck (inner seals where you have to take out the 3rd member to get them in) it was leaking a little. Now it leaks like crazy and the shop doing the work put in two different new sets from dodge. I can't help but think they over filled it but they say it was at the correct level. Of course the more i drive and the more that leaks out the less it leaks.

My question is what is the proper level for the front diff on an 2006 2500 4x4? And what is the proper way to measure the level? You can use your finger but everyone has different sized fingers. Towards the beginning of this thread someone said 3/4" below the fill hole?? And how do you measure that?