I just changed the Front Differential fluid on a 2004 Fx4 with 102k miles on it. I searched and searched for threads on "how to" here, but found nothing. Have any of ya'll done it? How did you get it completely empty?

I took a pump with a small hose attachment and pumped out as much as I could. It was about 1.5 quarts pumped out. VERY nasty. It had a milky appearance to it, and a very foul smell. I then cleaned out the pump, reversed the hoses, and put about 1.5 quarts back in. There weren't any shavings on the drain/fill plug.

Now for a dumb question. There isn't a lot of room around the front diff. Is there an actual drain plug on it or is it just the fill plug and you have to pump it out?

Any help is appreciated!

 

There should be a drain plug.

 

Hmmm... I am going to have to look again. I swear all I see is the halfway up fill plug. Ugh...

 

Ok, just noticed that my truck no longer is doing the shudder on a turn from complete stop. All I did was change the front differential. Now, if it's not in 4wd, the front diff isn't engaged, right?

Hmmmm

 

ok. im confused here as well. saturday i changed my rear diff and transfer case fluids. no problem. the haynes manual says to "just open the drain plug on the front diff to empty it". for the life of me i cannot find a drain plug on my front diff. i find a fill plug about half way up facing the passenger side. i took off my skid plate and looked everywhere. nothing. am i blind or is there just one plug on the front diff (the fill plug)? assuming so....
would it be better to remove the cover or just pump out the old stuff. if you remove the cover, is there enough wrench room to get it back on?

oaw