Wasnt as thick as mud but looked like burnt caramel or something and the magnet was pretty jacked up, nasty! I'm guessing since the truck only has 51500 miles on it they didnt change it at 30k like they were supposed to. It was the same with the auto tranny I had done last weekend, fluid came out looking like crap

On a better note I filled it back up with 2.75 quarts of synthetic, replaced the fuel filter(been on since conception also) and lubed all the fittings on the driveshafts. Guessing these hadn't been done in awhile either because they took a good bit of grease.

 

30k? as i remember it.. some vehicles say the rear end doesnt need servicing until well after 60k unless you go through nasty conditions

 

maybe I didnt read it exactly, but I know its noted on the 30k mile interval in my manual. Im glad I did though with it looking like that. Whoever had it before me took care of the interior and the paint but not anything else obviously. I'll prob change the syn at 30k again just to see what it looks like then go up on the mileage on the one after that accordingly.I'm not to worried about doing it every 30 anyways, it only cost me $25 so its no biggie.

 

You (or the previous owner) probally sucked some water into the breather on top of the axle. If you did, then the gear lube will be a milky consistency instead of clear...

 

Maybe thats what it was. It had like a chocolate milk look to it, maybe a little darker. Plus there was alot of gunk in the fluid. It wasn't me cuz this things been nothin but street since I bought it. Maybe he did a little muddin a time or two in it, no tellin.

 

I checked mine last night and it too looked kinda milky. There seemed to be some metal shavings in there too. curious to see what the magnet looks like. Definetly will be draining and filling tonite with synthetic.

 

My magent was pretty much covered with shavings. But didnt look any worse than any other gear drive magnets Ive seen.

 

is it normal to get shavings on the magnet?

 

Oh yeah. I mean thats why its there. We service conveyor gear drives and worm gears all related to stuff like a differential. Some we run mobile 75-90syn in and other we run mobil 634 ISO 460 syn in and these things take a beating. We have a very stringent PM system for it so that the old oil comes out not looking to bad. BUT, the magnet is always cleaned of the shavings, there is going to be a little wear and the magnet keeps that stuff outta the oil until you can clean it. Thats why I'll be changing my rear diff fluid every 30k just because. I mean it costs $30 and takes 20 minutes, why not.

 

sounds like somebody needs to extend their breather.

 

Bingo...
I went backpackin' in the Gila last month when the river was up. All these new 1 ton Fords, Dodges and Chevys were crossing the river loaded with quads. All I could think about was those nice warm pumpkins hitting that nice cold water, and sucking it in as the housing cooled.

So how many of them folks do ya think knew enough to extend their breathers?

 

exactly ZERO.

 

The first diff fluid change on a new vehicle is most important. We recommend doing it at 5000 miles. (Big diesel rigs with 20,000 lb+ axles) Lots of metal shavings come out that first time. After that if you never go through deep water it really isn't critical. (Most vehicles never have it changed for life! Although that's not good it illustrates how typically need free the diff is.) But for 4 wheelers it's cheap insurance to change it regularly and extend those breathers...

 

if they all were brandishing mullets than I would be 100% of them didn't have extended breathers.

 

Mullets huh? Time to start buying that beachfront property in Western New Mexico!

 

It's Arizona Mr. Strait.

 

What is wrong with having a mullet?

 

http://www2.srs.fs.fed.us/r3/gila/

 

Did they look like this? (pic courtesy of http://www.mulletsgalore.com/)



He wasn't talking about "mullet" (the fish) but "mullet" (the haircut - see the guy above)...

Anyway, there's a song by George Strait about oceanfront property in AZ... maybe I was the only one who got it...

 

I got it and it was funny...Shoot, I'm from Texas and I used to write & direct commercials for George when I was in the advertising dept at a certain well known boot company in El Paso before they were bought out by another large boot company.