Front differential, rear differential, and transfer case fluid levels

[Tazzieman]

So it's either surgical precision or gay abandon.
Binary choices

 

[Dokatd]

So it's either surgical precision or gay abandon.
Binary choices

It's an infinite spectrum so long as you pick one or the other

 

[Tazzieman]

It's an infinite spectrum so long as you pick one or the other

I "prefer not to say"

 

[ECrider]

I "prefer not to say"

'infinite rectum and gay abandon' should seldom appear in the same sentence

 

[Dokatd]

I "prefer not to say"

Alright They/Them.

 

[Tazzieman]

Alright They/Them.

Oi! @Jean Mercier s new dog says I'm here too!

 

[Clark Kent]

So...this just in! I spent about an hour at a large Ineos dealer/service center this am. Didn't even drive my Ineos there, but rather pulled up in my SS LMTV. Anyways, my intention was to go and get my hands on SST-XXXX for you guys and take a picture. At this point you will notice there is no picture attached. Well that's because as far as they are concerned there is no special tool to measure diff fluid. In fact they have not been able to acquire any SST of any qty so far. So I asked how they fill the diffs, and they said so long as the oil is no less than 1cm from the oil fill hole it's just fine level wise. When they actually fill they just let it spill. Additionally they use a simple hand pump from a drum to fill the diffs. They do not have any method to measure the fluid qty. As well, they do not and have not measured the qty of oil that comes out of the truck to be sure it's full or not.

So, this is not hyperbole at any level on my part. One of the largest dealers here in NA does not own any SST to fill or measure diff fluid level. They couldn't even produce a picture on Ineos' system to show what it would look like because it is not currently being made available to dealers. They don't measure what comes out or what goes in. They also fill to spill or get it close enough.

Additionally they said they have only had one differential failure and it was from the front bearing on the rear axle pinion. They have not dealt with any of the random locking etc. But they definitely acknowledge the front drive shaft issue and said they are constantly seeing this issue.

Call me a liar, call me an idiot, quote all the Ineos junk you want. But I suggest you go speak to your dealer/service center before you make too many judgments.

Anyways, fill how you like but don't make it harder than it has to be. Especially for people that are new to the world of vehicle servicing because I can confidently say there are a few people watching this thread in a panic that their diff might be overfilled and they are going to end up on the side of the road because they didn't have the mythical Ineos SST or a couple graduated cylinders.

Oh and let's see someone, in the states at least produce a picture of the SST their dealership uses or even a picture of it in the ordering system for Ineos. And an allen wrench does not qualify.

Hmmm. Thanks for the legwork @Dokatd. That certainly doesn't add any clarity to the situation re the use of an SST.

My point is unchanged. This whole thread is about the vehicle owner changing the oils themselves. Not what an agent or dealer or an independent shop does. They can do whatever they like. If it goes bad then any liability rests with the party who did the work. The owner is not implicated and they haven't imperiled their warranty.

The owner who wants to do this work themselves has one legitimate source of information if they want to stay on the right side of the tracks. That's the workshop manual made available by IA to verified owners. Anything else constitutes unapproved information; including verbal advice given in good faith by a dealer, the information contained in the document provided to @Logsplitter on INEOS letterhead, and this forum.

IA state a maximum oil quantity of 2.1 litres. If the owner ensures that's the quantity in their axles they're on solid ground even without a special tool to do a level check. Draining and refilling with 2.1 litres every time you want to check the level will get old quickly. It's impractical and no one is going to do that. Filling the diff with 2.1 litres then measuring to the surface of the oil at least once would be a repeatable process provided the same conditions are met each time (level the vehicle, etc.). Owners can do that on their own vehicle. If someone did that then shared the dimension others can choose to use it while remaining responsible for their own actions. Perhaps some kind of L-shaped dipping tool?

 

[Dokatd]

Hmmm. Thanks for the legwork @Dokatd. That certainly doesn't add any clarity to the situation re the use of an SST.

My point is unchanged. This whole thread is about the vehicle owner changing the oils themselves. Not what an agent or dealer or an independent shop does. They can do whatever they like. If it goes bad then any liability rests with the party who did the work. The owner is not implicated and they haven't imperiled their warranty.

The owner who wants to do this work themselves has one legitimate source of information if they want to stay on the right side of the tracks. That's the workshop manual made available by IA to verified owners. Anything else constitutes unapproved information; including verbal advice given in good faith by a dealer, the information contained in the document provided to @Logsplitter on INEOS letterhead, and this forum.

IA state a maximum oil quantity of 2.1 litres. If the owner ensures that's the quantity in their axles they're on solid ground even without a special tool to do a level check. Draining and refilling with 2.1 litres every time you want to check the level will get old quickly. It's impractical and no one is going to do that. Filling the diff with 2.1 litres then measuring to the surface of the oil at least once would be a repeatable process provided the same conditions are met each time (level the vehicle, etc.). Owners can do that on their own vehicle. If someone did that then shared the dimension others can choose to use it while remaining responsible for their own actions. Perhaps some kind of L-shaped dipping tool?

Only problem I have with that is I have not been supplied with a workshop manual from Ineos. Ineos has not given me any documentation to service any part of my truck outside of the operator manual that came with the truck. My only access is via people on this forum. And considering the Ineos service centers themselves are having issues getting data what are my chances?

I stand by "do what you want" but there is no evidence to show that either method of filling the diff will cause a voided warranty or failure of any kind.

Someone show me clear irrefutable evidence that fill to spill or any variation above 2.1litres can or will damage a Grenadier diff and I will shut up. I'll still fill as I please, but I will let this dog lie.