Hey guys, I was just wondering where I can find out what type of oil to put in my front axle differential because it is leaking at the transfer case. This is going on in both my Durango and 200 Dodge Ram, so I'm trying to find where I can look up the type of gear oil it takes. Thanks.

 

the owners manual has all of the fluid requirements for your truck (both of them really)

and if you are leaking at the transfer case you dont need gear oil, you need to add atf+4 to the t-case

 

eh I lost the manual to my Ram :/ so maybe I will try looking it up online, but yeah I'm pretty sure it is leaking from the transfer case...if I am looking at the underside of the truck where the Axle housing is, the bottom of the housing has a very slow leak every time I drive it, so I'm going to assume thats the transfer case fluids?

 

You are missing a lot of information that is necessary for me to help you further.

First, what year is your Durango and what year is your Ram?
Second, what model of Ram is it (1500/2500/3500)?

Assuming you have a 2nd Gen Ram, if you have a 1500, you have the Dana 44 and if you have a 2500 or 3500, you have a Dana 60. The Dana 44 takes SAE 80W-90 where as the Dana 60 takes SAE 75W-90. Also, for the Durango if you have a 1998-1999 you have the Dana 35, and if you have 2000-2003 you have the Chrysler 8.25 (Corporate 8). The Dana 35 takes SAE 80W-90 and the Corporate 8 takes 75W-90.

 

I have a 2001 Dodge Ram, which means its a Dana 44 and needs SAE 80W-90??? As for the Durango, its a 2000 5.9 R/T, so that needs 75-90???

Also, how easy is it to fill and how do I know when it's full? I'm pretty sure last I checked there was a gasket near the top of the transfer case which I can pull off and fill?

 

This is actually a transfer case issue, which means I need the ATF+4, but I am unsure where or how to refill the transfer case and I'm having trouble finding a guide online...

 

On the back of the transfer case there are two threaded plugs, one at a low point for draining the case, the other is just about in the center and is for filling the case. You may have to remove a skid plate to access this. Make sure your rig is level when you check the fluid. Just remove the fill plug--the fluid level should be even with the bottom of the hole. You may have to reach in with a finger. Getting fluid in there can be interesting. I have a small funnel outfitted with a flexible piece of vinyl tubing shoved onto it to get fluid into there.

Be careful about tightening the fill/drain plugs. My factory shop manual calls out 30-40 ft-lbs torque to tighten the plugs, in the step-by-step drain and fill procedure. But it calls out 15-25 ft-lbs in the separate section listing torque values for the various fasteners. Guess what? 30-40 is way too much!

If you don't know when it was last changed, I'd go ahead and do a full change/refill at the time. Make sure you've figured out how you're going to get the new fluid in there before you drain it, though.

 

You can pick one of these up at most auto parts stores, price may vary as well as durability. Works great on all under chassis systems. I.e. axles or transfer case.

 

He probably got it figured out already.... back in 2011.

 

I drive a 2002 5.9l 46RE. Its 75W 90. Get it at Napa.