Tech Thread Spotlight: How to Change Your Ram Truck’s Differential Fluid

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exploded rear diff 600

In a hard working vehicle like a Ram truck, keeping the rear differential fluid nice and clean is an important factor in keeping the trucking running great and working hard for years on end.  Changing your rear differential fluid can be expensive so many people ignore the need to do so but in the likes of the Ram Heavy Duty lineup – that fluid can be changed very easily in your driveway or garage.  All you need is some time, a torque wrench, a drain pan and a few simple supplies to do the job on your own and save some money while still protecting the internal workings of your Ram rear diff.

If you are wondering if you have enough mechanical know-how to attempt to change the rear differential fluid in your Ram, it is roughly the same level of difficulty as changing your own oil.  The job is really nothing more than draining the fluid, cleaning out the case with the cover off, putting the cover back on and adding new fluid but the DIY linked below walks you through each step of the process so if you want a new project for your Ram before winter hits – a diff fluid change could be a good choice.

Click here to check out the Ram differential fluid change thread

(Note: the differential shown above is not from a Ram – it is just a cool exploded differential image I found on my computer)

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com


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