when i change my rear diff fluid should i replace the c clips with new ones ? is the reason they fall out and destroy the diff b/c they just get old and loose or is it from towing,plowing and off roading? i called the dealer about buying all new bolts for the front and rear diff plus the covers and they only wanted $29 each for the covers but they want $6.00 per bolt! thats crazy. i like my things to look new thats why i was thinking about getting new bolts and covers.

 

I believe you might be thinking of the clutch pack retaining clips rather than the c clips that you want to replace. The c clips retain the axles in the housing and should still be functional 100 years from now when all of our trucks have rotted down to the frame rails. If you have the limited slip diff (LSD) the clutch pack retaining clips have been causing people grief when they break and get pulled into the gears. I looked into replacing the clutch pack retaining clips when I did my last diff fluid change as a prevenative measure, since they only cost something like $7.50 from the dealer. I found out that you need special tools to complete the job, and I did not figure out a way to "hack" it with what tools I had laying around. Next fluid change, I plan to purchase the tools and swap them out, or have a local shop do it for me. I'm also temped to get an aftermarket diff just so I don't have to worry about anymore.

 

just take them out and leave them out, they will cause nothing but grief and everyone who took them out is having no problems.. Search the forum and you will find enough info...

 

Do we have proof that the lsd still works even without the clips?? I want to know that I am not going to lose the functionality of my lsd without those clips, and I am not talking about hearing a bunch of people say, "We think they arent of use in the lsd" or "I think they are just for easy installation" and so on and so forth... Before I throw these out of my differential and then lose my limited slip and run into a situation that I need to have it, like out on the sand, I go out to the dunes a lot and those make a big difference in my ability to run in the loose sand, and snow of course also.

 

Well I trust that the guys on here know what they are talking about when they take the clips out and still have a functional LSD, if thats what you wanna call the paper weight in our rear ends. Im just telling you what ive heard over and over again, that they are useless clips and it works fine with them out. Take it or leave it OP. Take them out and take your chances or leave them in and grenade your rear end?? Those clips are like the headgaskets in a 6.0L, its not a matter of "if" its going to happen, its "when" its going to happen! Its your truck so its ultimately up to you..

 

I opened mine up and played around with them a little bit just to make sure they were ok, and mine are perfectly fine at nearly 100k miles, no shavings, not loose, or anything, I assume its not every vehicle that has the rear end blow up, especially with how well mine appears to be still. I think it is a chance, but I do not think it is a sure thing that all rear ends will blow up in early stages. I mean, no rear end lasts forever, especially if you are modding your vehicle and if you are off roading it, but I dont think there is any reason why a rear end with a factory lsd should be any worse off than an open differential.

 

My CPRCs were pulled from my LSD and it worked just fine. You can do without them. When I did my rear diff oil I usedc the same cover and bolts. No need to replace anything but the oil

 

so r these clips the very thing that causes all these problems with the rear? now i dont tow anything and this truck has never in its life been used for towing or plowing or off roading- so does that mean i should just leave it alone.the truck has less than 30k on it. also i noticed that the front and rear diff have red rtv on them,so does that mean the fluids were changed at around 15k or does the diffs come with rtv (red) from the factory?

 

anyone?

 

ill second the red rtv question....