See...I'm not the only dummy in here.

I believe if you have a 2500 auto then you have a 10.5" rear end. If you have a 2500 6 speed you have an 11.5" rear. I could be wrong though.

 

And back to my original post. : What about draining the fluid?

Just loosen the bolts till the flud drains out or does the entire rear plate have to come off?

Ron W.

 

I think Hoss is half correct or all the way depending on how you read the following....In the beginning...so = 10.5, ho = 11.5...so, in the beginning you could only get the HO with 6 speed...That is where the 6 speed = 11.5 comes from...now you can get HO in auto = 11.5

so to recap HO = 11.5
SO = 10.5

clear as mud?

 

sorry forgot that part, stick your pinky in the fill hole and bend the first knuckle down...feel fluid? If so, you're good. If not, add until you do.

Pull the cover ALL the way off. Clean inside of pumpkin with rag...do not leave it in there :-X. reinstall cover add fluid check level as stated above.

 

Guys, I think its not per transmission. I believe 2500 HO has 11.5 rear axle, and SO has the smaller axle.... As for measuring, I think you can visually estimate between 3/4" and 1/4" below the threads. Maybe a flashlight or a finger...either way..since the spec is 1/2" plus or minus a quarter inch, I think you can pretty much do it without being overly scientific

 

what he said...

 

[quote author=rjweiss link=board=20;threadid=19803;start=15#msg186531 date=1063920039]
And back to my original post. : What about draining the fluid?

Just loosen the bolts till the flud drains out or does the entire rear plate have to come off?

Ron W.
[/quote]

: yourself. :P

If just loosening the bottom bolts will let it drain then I'd think that's all you'd need to do. Except you have to be able to seal it back up....so it might be better to take the cover off completely, drain it and then put a new gasket on it.

 

bend a paper clip into a right angle and stick down into the diff. when you pull it out, measure the distance between the oil and the bend.

lightman is right about the axle sizes

 

doug's pinky is obviously too big to fit in the whole ;D

sorry man couldn't help it...it's been a long day

 

[quote author=Hoss link=board=20;threadid=19803;start=15#msg186538 date=1063920614]
[quote author=rjweiss link=board=20;threadid=19803;start=15#msg186531 date=1063920039]
And back to my original post. : What about draining the fluid?

Just loosen the bolts till the flud drains out or does the entire rear plate have to come off?

Ron W.
[/quote]

: yourself. :P

[/quote]

I'll add another : for RJ...this is good info, don't act like we hijacked your thread, its all related... :P

 

[quote author=JKE link=board=20;threadid=19803;start=15#msg186541 date=1063920813]
doug's pinky is obviously too big to fit in the whole ;D

sorry man couldn't help it...it's been a long day
[/quote]

 

warning! warning! highjacking of thread is in progress.... ;D

sorry again..

 

 

MEN, I gotta go...have safe and wonderful afternoon...daughter soccer game...and so that I am not off of topic, I will go home and check my diff fluid (agian :) and this time, I'M GONNA USE THE PAPER CLIP!

later boys...

John

 

Just had a great chat with the service manager at my dealer and he showed me a STAR memo stating that the lube level should be 3/4-1 1/4" below the fill hole on the 11.5" axle, a little less on the 10.5 (~1/2 - 1" or something). I'll have to get the document out, but it's not an issue of low fluid. It also said for heavy towing, drain and replace with synthetic and don't add friction modifier for the AAM axles. I thought they came with synth fluid already so that comment might have referred to the older Danas because there was a blurb about adding friction modifier but a disclaimer saying the AAM's didn't need any.

Anyway, bottom line is the "low" levels in the AAMs are OK. To check... bend a hangar or something similar and insert it into the diff?