Checking Gear oil levels

LibTimothy · Post by **LibTimothy** » Wed May 28, 2008 8:04 pm

Hello everybody!

I am getting ready to check my gear oil levels in preparation for an off road trip. I discovered that the manual only has directions for changing the oils, not checking them. How do I check to see if the levels are correct? Do I just top them off? What is the recommended procedure? Start at the front and work back? Where can I expect the greatest problems?

Also do you all check these levels while on a lift or is it realistic to think I can do this on a creeper in the driveway?

What size allen wrench should I use?

Anything else I ought to think about before tearing into this? I know it's GL-4 for the tranny and GL-5 everywhere else.

Thanks!

Timothy

Jim LaGuardia · Post by **Jim LaGuardia** » Wed May 28, 2008 8:14 pm

10mm allen wrench, smack the plugs with a hammer, then loosen them with the wrench. I use 10mm socket type with a long ratchet.
Start at one end and work your way back.
If oil is clean, leave it be. Fill till oil comes out the plug hole, on the diffs, remove top and middle plugs, fill from top plug till oil comes out middle plug hole.
Tranny fills from top plug till oil comes out of level check plug (pipe on side of trans.

LibTimothy · Post by **LibTimothy** » Wed May 28, 2008 8:50 pm

Thanks Jim!

Does the transfer case get the same oil as the gear box?

When you say smack it with a hammer, do you mean to wail on it or just hit it hard or tap it?

Timothy

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Wed May 28, 2008 9:42 pm

I used a cheater bar/pipe on my allen wrench. Also try a socket allen wrench too. Seems to help most of mine were stuck and needed help coming loose. The 10mm allen wrench came in my tool kit. It is hard to find otherwise.

Scooter

mjnims · Post by **mjnims** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:26 pm

Scooter, that is where the love tap with the hammer comes in. You have a couple different types of metal and they tend to bond together over time. A little tap with the hammer and all is good. In some cases can be taken out with just the stock allen wrench and very little force. Change the crush washers regularly and there is not as much need for tightening the plugs so tight they become difficult to get out.

Douwe · Post by **Douwe** » Thu May 29, 2008 2:37 pm

I find that the jack handle makes an excellent cheater bar when loosening the oil fill plugs.