Thread: Metal Shards in my Rear Diff and Discoloured Tranfer Case Oil

Sounds like the case hardening flaking off the R&P gears.

Were they bright silver?

Either that or the thrust washers behind the spider gears.

No not bright silver as far as I could tell but they had lived in the sludge on the drain plug magnet for some time. Quite brittle!

When you say TC had discoloured oil ? what colour was it ?

The transfer box and rear diff always seem to "work harder" on the oil and its often a well "used" colour. More so when bigger tyres etc are fitted. One of the reasons I fitted the transfer case "cooling sump" with a larger oil capacity.

Its when its milky and contains water you have to worry more.

I had metal in my rear diff at a service and soon thereafter started getting very noisy. Sounded like marbles rattling in a jar! Had the diff center replaced with a good used one and all good. Happened at around 130k and have done a reasonable amount of hard off road work, service place thought it not unusual.

The TC oil was just off colour but not contaminated! So far diff is ver quiet and almost no backlash etc..

I think it's a fairly legitimate excuse to fit a Locker don't you?

Originally Posted by mrapocalypse

The TC oil was just off colour but not contaminated! So far diff is ver quiet and almost no backlash etc..

I think it's a fairly legitimate excuse to fit a Locker don't you?

tbh, "if" it starts to get noisy and does need replacing, I would not call it an "excuse" I would call it preventitive maintanence.

I feel much more "confident" knowing the ARB is back there, not so much as to where or how much further it will get me, but just as much if not more of how much stronger it is than the "weak" factory diffs.

Just need an excuse to do the front now.......

An old thread I know but I found the same thing today changing the diff oil, but in the front diff only. Thought this was odd given that most of the work happens at the rear. Rear diff was pretty much clean of shards, just a touch of gunk around it. Front diff plug is as in picture below. I've only had the Disco about 6 months, so not really sure of history - a 2000 with 165,000 on the clock.

Is this something to worry about?

Originally Posted by Pinelli

An old thread I know but I found the same thing today changing the diff oil, but in the front diff only. Thought this was odd given that most of the work happens at the rear. Rear diff was pretty much clean of shards, just a touch of gunk around it. Front diff plug is as in picture below. I've only had the Disco about 6 months, so not really sure of history - a 2000 with 165,000 on the clock.

Is this something to worry about?

When I changed axle oil (155t km on the clock) it looked very much similar. After 15t km I drained the oil to check it and it was perfectly clear. Seems that you are the first one who bothered to change axle oil on your truck...