Silverado Differentials---Not on Maintenance Sche?

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Transmission fluid,filter, and transfer case are of course listed at intervals on the maintenance schedule. However, neither differential is listed...even under severe duty out to 150,000 miles?
 
Diff fluid should be changed out as needed. Every 60k miles for a leisurely driver and every 30k for anyone who tows/hauls/offroads.
 
I changed mine at 16k and 9 years made a huge difference,
drop the oil and put in a some syn, tell us how it is.
 
Originally Posted By: lukejo
Transmission fluid,filter, and transfer case are of course listed at intervals on the maintenance schedule. However, neither differential is listed...even under severe duty out to 150,000 miles?



If you asking about your Siverado-they come from the factory with synthetic grease. I changed mine out on my Silverado at 50,000-miles-and it didn't look that bad. A full half of those miles was towing my 5,500 pound travel trailer. The early change out-as standard operating procedure on BITOG is a money flush and not needed-IMHO. However-if your at 90K and it hasn't been done now is the time.
 
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I had an unusual experience when I changed my 2012 Silverado rear oil with 25K miles. It came out looking almost black and looked like it should have been changed sooner. I used non-syn 80W-90 to replace the original oil. Truck has the G-80 locking differential.
 
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My 98 S-10 had an early change listed only for the lsd. Was like 7500 miles.

I'm sure with sun fluids and all the intent for lifetime stuff, they don't give a number. Par for the course.

Personally I like the 7500 and then between 36 and 60k or by time...
 
Originally Posted By: lukejo
Transmission fluid,filter, and transfer case are of course listed at intervals on the maintenance schedule. However, neither differential is listed...even under severe duty out to 150,000 miles?

Manufacturers know best ??
Oh no, I wouldn't trust one.
 
They used to be 5000 miles initial for break in ? Not sure what it is now since I haven't bought a truck in over 12 yrs.
 
Supposedly the 11.5 AAM will burn the paint off the diff cover towing heavy. Mine still looks new, so I don't know. I don't tow heavy though
 
Did my differential at 105k and again at 205k no issues except for pin hole in cover at 205. No noise or clunking. Quiet
grin.gif
 
Originally Posted By: zeng
Originally Posted By: lukejo
Transmission fluid,filter, and transfer case are of course listed at intervals on the maintenance schedule. However, neither differential is listed...even under severe duty out to 150,000 miles?

Manufacturers know best ??
Oh no, I wouldn't trust one.




Your right...the "shade tree" mechanics on BITOG know so much more than the guys who design them and put them together......
 
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: zeng
Originally Posted By: lukejo
Transmission fluid,filter, and transfer case are of course listed at intervals on the maintenance schedule. However, neither differential is listed...even under severe duty out to 150,000 miles?

Manufacturers know best ??
Oh no, I wouldn't trust one.




Your right...the "shade tree" mechanics on BITOG know so much more than the guys who design them and put them together......

Funny--both of you--and you each represent one side of my brain on this. I tend to lean towards over-maintaining, thanks to no small part from this forum. On the flip side, so many on here now say it's safe to trust the OLM for your OCI's on most engines...even though that is much longer than tradition OCI's. Yes, motor oil is much better now, but so is the diff fluid that GM uses. So should I trust the OLM, but assume they really got the differential maintenance wrong? Kind of a rhetorical question, but that's what plays out in my mind when wanting to do more/sooner than the manufacturer recommends.
 
Originally Posted By: lukejo
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: zeng
Originally Posted By: lukejo
Transmission fluid,filter, and transfer case are of course listed at intervals on the maintenance schedule. However, neither differential is listed...even under severe duty out to 150,000 miles?

Manufacturers know best ??
Oh no, I wouldn't trust one.




Your right...the "shade tree" mechanics on BITOG know so much more than the guys who design them and put them together......

Funny--both of you--and you each represent one side of my brain on this. I tend to lean towards over-maintaining, thanks to no small part from this forum. On the flip side, so many on here now say it's safe to trust the OLM for your OCI's on most engines...even though that is much longer than tradition OCI's. Yes, motor oil is much better now, but so is the diff fluid that GM uses. So should I trust the OLM, but assume they really got the differential maintenance wrong? Kind of a rhetorical question, but that's what plays out in my mind when wanting to do more/sooner than the manufacturer recommends.


The OLM on a GM vehicle cannot account for one thing-and one thing only. And that is driving through dusty conditions regularly. Otherwise-use the OLM with confidence. Your right-oils are better than they ever have been! The differential should be changed. I do not have an answer as to why it's not listed. As I mentioned-as a former Silverado owner (I have a Sierra now) I changed it out at 50,000 miles-half of which were towing miles. Any sooner (again IMHO) is a BITOG MONEY FLUSH.
 
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Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: zeng
Originally Posted By: lukejo
Transmission fluid,filter, and transfer case are of course listed at intervals on the maintenance schedule. However, neither differential is listed...even under severe duty out to 150,000 miles?

Manufacturers know best ??
Oh no, I wouldn't trust one.




Your right...the "shade tree" mechanics on BITOG know so much more than the guys who design them and put them together......

......... that's fit for 100K miles, I suppose ?

Haven't you seen million mile differentials, do you?
 
There are plenty vehicles with a 5 year/60k warranty - so I just use my own judgement when I think the OEM has different objectives
 
Not same truck but similar.. The front diff on my 06 AWD Escalade is considered by many to be the weak spot on the drivetrain. After repeated changes I agree. Fluid goes bad fast under my conditions. Because its so cheap ($25) and easy to DIY I do it once a year/20k. If I were you I would drain it, see how it looks. If there is metal buildup on the magnetic bolt, fluid silvery looking. if so, short drain till clean, or once a year like me.
 
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