cleaning out rear diff

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cleaning out rear diff
Sam avatar
Sam
+1y
Ive got a quick question. Could i spray brake cleaner into my rear diff to clean it out? I wont be taking it apart, just removing the drain plug and filler plug.
Cusser avatar
Cusser
+1y
I just drain, then refill. Always loosen the fill plug first before removing a drain plug on a differential or transmission.
sincitylocal avatar
sincitylocal
+1y
It's best to drain the oil after a long drive. It will be a lot thinner, and will be more likely to drain out contaminants too. No reason to flush it with a cleaner, unless you had a bearing that failed miserably. In that case, you need to do a complete tear down and thoroughly clean it.
Like Cusser says, loosen the fill plug first. If you can't get the fill plug loose, don't drain it!
Sam avatar
Sam
+1y
What is the purpose of loosing the fill plug first? Do I just loosen it up a couple of threads or take it out first then drain plug?
sincitylocal avatar
sincitylocal
+1y
If you can't loosen the fill plug, you can't refill the rear. Drain it all out, and can't refill... what do you do now?
Sam avatar
Sam
+1y
Thanks. Simple answer for a simple procedure. I thought it had something to do mechanically. Boy.... Do I feel stupid. I should've stopped for a minute and thought about it.