22 Gladiator Rubicon Front & Rear differential Maintenance

[BearFootSam]

If you’re doing any towing or regular wheeling I’d do them at 30k.

I think the ones after Jeep deleted the drain plugs have a reusable gasket. That sounds a bit sketchy to me, I’d most likely either get new ones or lose the gaskets and seal it up with RTV, providing there’s clearance between the ring gear and cover.

I think there is more risk for user error with RTV. So long as no drippy drippy and you didn't crack a nut it's all good.

The gasket is ideal for more frequent changes. , just keep clean. Pressure wash the case before draining and then use brake cleaner on the mating surfaces to remove oil.

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[SoK66]

I think there is more risk for user error with RTV. So long as no drippy drippy and you didn't crack a nut it's all good.

The gasket is ideal for more frequent changes. , just keep clean. Pressure wash the case before draining and then use brake cleaner on the mating surfaces to remove oil.

I always let the RTV dry overnight before filling the diff. Also, on a semi-floater when filling the rear differential one needs to remember the oil in the diff also oils the wheel bearings. When filling it takes a while for the new oil to work its way past the carrier bearings & down the axle tube to the wheel bearings. If the cover is off for any length of time the oil will drin from the wheel bearings and the axle tubes as well. If you don't know the manufacturers fill quantity spec. it pays to fill until it runs out the fill hole, wait about 10 - 15 minutes for the oil to work its way out the tubes to the bearings, then top up. You'll be surprised how far down the oil level goes.

 

[BearFootSam]

I always let the RTV dry overnight before filling the diff. Also, on a semi-floater when filling the rear differential one needs to remember the oil in the diff also oils the wheel bearings. When filling it takes a while for the new oil to work its way past the carrier bearings & down the axle tube to the wheel bearings. If the cover is off for any length of time the oil will drin from the wheel bearings and the axle tubes as well. If you don't know the manufacturers fill quantity spec. it pays to fill until it runs out the fill hole, wait about 10 - 15 minutes for the oil to work its way out the tubes to the bearings, then top up. You'll be surprised how far down the oil level goes.

Oh yeah, great tip! I feel better doing another check after a drive or two to make sure after it’s all worked around a bit and gotten warm.

I take some photos of the gear faces in the process for documentation. Next change I can compare and see how it’s going.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

OP, there’s a few other things to address while you’re inside the diff that no one has mentioned and that is if you have the Rubicon model, you have lockers and because you have lockers, you have to maintain the locker magnets and do a visual inspection of the locker sensors (one in each diff).

Have you engaged your lockers yet, I think you said you’re at 60k now?

Doing your magnet cleaning is essential because you don’t have a magnetic drain plug pulling the suspended metal filings out of the oil so your locker magnet is doing it and you can be sure the magnet is plugged up which causes your lockers to not work well, if at all.

Inspect the sensor for oil intrusion which can also short out the sensor and you won’t have lockers if that happens. The sensor pulls out after undoing the single Torx screw. The magnet is holding on to it so you have to grip it and pull it off. You’ll see all the filings around the magnet. The magnet stays in place, just clean it off.

I would use brake clean to spray out the inside and get it all clean. Don’t spray the electrical connection. Let it dry and put it all back together and fill it up.

You also don’t need the LSD additive because you have lockers. Good luck.

 

[SoK66]

OP, there’s a few other things to address while you’re inside the diff that no one has mentioned and that is if you have the Rubicon model, you have lockers and because you have lockers, you have to maintain the locker magnets and do a visual inspection of the locker sensors (one in each diff).

Have you engaged your lockers yet, I think you said you’re at 60k now?

Doing your magnet cleaning is essential because you don’t have a magnetic drain plug pulling the suspended metal filings out of the oil so your locker magnet is doing it and you can be sure the magnet is plugged up which causes your lockers to not work well, if at all.

Inspect the sensor for oil intrusion which can also short out the sensor and you won’t have lockers if that happens. The sensor pulls out after undoing the single Torx screw. The magnet is holding on to it so you have to grip it and pull it off. You’ll see all the filings around the magnet. The magnet stays in place, just clean it off.

I would use brake clean to spray out the inside and get it all clean. Don’t spray the electrical connection. Let it dry and put it all back together and fill it up.

You also don’t need the LSD additive because you have lockers. Good luck.

Wow, good catch! I'd never read this before, makes total sense if the drain plug magnet is no longer present.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

Wow, good catch! I'd never read this before, makes total sense if the drain plug magnet is no longer present.

Yes, and to those that just say “I just bypassed the sensor by using that Z automotive bypass locker sensor harness and I never have locker problems..” …you still have a magnet in there and they don’t attract metal filings forever. They still need to get cleaned off in order for the magnet to be effective at cleaning the filings, if nothing else.

But for those of us that just left things alone and factory locker harness is fine and the sensor doesn’t have oil intrusion but your lockers aren’t engaging fast or at all or thinking too long before engaging, the magnet has too much metal filings on it.

The photo above of my magnet with filings, …this was enough debris on my magnet to delay the engaging and disengaging of my lockers. After hitting the button, I would count 10 flashes on the dash where the lockers weren’t engaging. After about 10 flashes or so, it would quit and I’d have to hit the button again and repeat multiple dash flashes before it would engage.

After I cleaned it off, cleaned things up in there and put it all back, lockers engaged on the third flash of the indicator light. I then drove another 25-30k kms and changed oil again. Lockers were still engaging on the third flash. I then drove another 30k kms or so and pulled the covers and cleaned the magnets again.

Locker engagement is now on the second flash, nearly instant.

 

[GRIDLCK]

I printed a copy of the tech manual from somewhere to note the sequence and torque values.

Honestly it’s a stone simple job, aren’t solid axles grand? Crack the fill port, crack your cover nuts to drain, remove cover, clean it all up, replace cover, fill to spec.

You need a torque wrench and be mindful of the tightening sequence for the cover bolts.

check your work after a few miles.

Indeed seems simple enough im going to find and print out that same tech manual

 

[GRIDLCK]

Wow, good catch! I'd never read this before, makes total sense if the drain plug magnet is no longer present.

Man thanks for this info def will check this as well. Is there any torque spec for the bolt or is it just a simple tighten?

 

[Maximus Gladius]

Man thanks for this info def will check this as well. Is there any torque spec for the bolt or is it just a simple tighten?

No bolt to take out. It’s a single simple Torx screw. Put blue locktite on the threads and spin it in. The threads are fine threads so no muscle necessary. You’ll know when it’s enough.

 

[GRIDLCK]

No bolt to take out. It’s a single simple Torx screw. Put blue locktite on the threads and spin it in. The threads are fine threads so no muscle necessary. You’ll know when it’s enough.

Perfect man yall are life savers thank yall. Best forums ive been on

 

[Stan H]

Oh yeah, great tip! I feel better doing another check after a drive or two to make sure after it’s all worked around a bit and gotten warm.

I take some photos of the gear faces in the process for documentation. Next change I can compare and see how it’s going.

Looks like you twisted a bolt off . You need to get that removed and get another bolt.

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