Replace Diff. Fluids when submerged?

[Rookie2]

So help me out here. I'm catching some flack from a couple of Cherokee owners here at work (I know, hardly justifies a response), but I'm curious about this too. I've read on several posts, about how the differential fluid has to be replaced whenever the diff's are submerged. They say that's crazy. Does everybody have to deal with this or just us LC guys? Seems like I've missed something if every time you run these things through a couple of feet of water you got to drop the plug on the dfferentials. What's up with that?

Thanks,
Rookie2

 

[Darwood]

Your fluid will be fine as long as you don't get water in your diff...

So how are your diff breathers doing?

 

[Asiarider]

I'm catching some flack from a couple of Cherokee owners

Maybe this guys don't care but you should and check it out. You don't have to change it all the time but if you find a change in color then better change it.

Mike

 

[Pitbull]

[quote author=Darwood link=board=2;threadid=10032;start=msg89132#msg89132 date=1073947393]
Your fluid will be fine as long as you don't get water in your diff...

So how are your diff breathers doing?
[/quote]

I agree just make sure you don't get water in the diff's if you do drain and refill. If mine goes through water where the diff's are submerged I'm changing fluids.

 

[Rookie2]

Diff breathers? How's that?

Is this where the water gets in? You'd think this deal would be sealed up all good. No??

Thanks for the education,
R2

 

[sjcruiser]

R2,

Look into the information on George's website (www.geocities.com/george_tlc) and start modding!!!

Frank.

 

[Rookie2]

Okay, I'm getting there. So water intrusion occurs potentially only it the water level is above these breather lines? I.e. you'd have to be submerged above these points, not just the diffentials.

I presume it's bad news to submerge the vehicle up to the factory exhaust/muffler level anyways without a snorkel?

Thanks again,
R2

 

[kenton]

The answer is, if you submerge your diffs enough, and you aren't extremely anal, then you won't automatically change your diff fluid but rather inspect it, and change if/when it gets milky. If you are anal (conscientious might be a better word here ) then you change it regardless, because gears are expensive, oil isn't (well, maybe Amsoil synthetic if you change it enough), and you just never know.
All diffs have 'breather' nipples to equalize pressure changes (due to thermal expansion) and avoid blowing seals/gaskets. A submerged diff (the theory goes) gets cool quickly, sucking in water through the breather. By raising the breather above the waterline, you usually avoid this problem.
Unfortunately, most of us are never sure our extended breathers are air-tight, or we do them half-assed and they fall off, or kink and cause seals to blow oil through, etc. I wouldn't do them unless you ford water regularly, AND are willing to inspect them for proper operation, AND install or have them installed properly. Just drive it wet for the day, and change the diff fluid later, if you get into water. (count me a non-anal guy )
For the opposite of extremely anal, how about this: a vehicle driven with no front diff cover (for the Dana-style diffs). The alternative definition of 'open diff'? The gears were exposed to the elements! Apparently the guy dented/ripped the cover on rocks, and went the rest of the day with the cover off.
Kenton

 

[Beowulf]

R2,
In additon to Kenton's post, the birfields and the axle tubes are not 100% water proof. The seal is pretty effective at keeping heavy diff oil in the diff and not in the birfield, but the sudden cooling of the hot diff creates a vacuum and, if submerged, can suck the cold water past the inner axle tube seal.

As Kenton said, gears are expensive compared to 2 qts of gear oil.

>> Does everybody have to deal with this or just us LC guys? <<

The Jeep guys don't take care of their crap because it's cheap and not worth worrying about. Besides, they'll probably break a diff every now and then whether they change the fluid or not. And, they leak so bad that they're constantly refreshing the fluids anyway.

-B-

 

[Rookie2]

Groovy. Thanks for the insite guys.

-B-
I may have to re-use that last paragraph to get under some skin around here. Omitting the sourse of course .

Thanks,
R2

 

[Junk]

If you want your junk to last, then take good care of it. If you crapped yourself, would you change your knickers? Jeep guys are like your momma. She would not change her knickers and jeep guys don't care cause their crap will fall apart soon anyway.

 

[Beowulf]

>> Omitting the sourse of course <<

Feel free to credit the paragraph to 'ole Beo.

-B-

 

[Junk]

[quote author=Beowulf link=board=2;threadid=10032;start=msg89443#msg89443 date=1073971033]
>> Omitting the sourse of course <<
Feel free to credit the paragraph to 'ole Beo.
-B-[/quote]

Yup. Credit mine to B. Heehee, imagine that. Some day B is walking down the street and wham. Meets someone that thougth he was me. Just kidding B.

 

[Asiarider]

[quote author=Junk link=board=2;threadid=10032;start=msg89452#msg89452 date=1073971487]
Yup. Credit mine to B. Heehee, imagine that. Some day B is walking down the street and wham. Meets someone that thougth he was me. Just kidding B.
[/quote]

OHH,

B's greatest nightmare

Mike

 

[Rookie2]

I worked them (these jeep guys) over on it a little. One starting blabb'n on about back in the day CJ's this and that.. blah blah. And then said something about cruising by LC's stuck in the mud on the the side of trail , downright blasphemy!! I was riding with the other guy in couple of inches of snow a while back, and he was nutted up like somebodies momma about to sh*t his pants. He don't say much about this deal.

R2

 

[Junk]

Yes, that is very likely that he was just buzzing past cruisers that seemed like they were stuck. The cruisers were probably walking through the hard stuff as the heep was buzzing down the fire road on the way to get some amorall before the car shop closed.

 

[Asiarider]

[quote author=Junk link=board=2;threadid=10032;start=msg89783#msg89783 date=1074022429]
Yes, that is very likely that he was just buzzing past cruisers that seemed like they were stuck. The cruisers were probably walking through the hard stuff as the heep was buzzing down the fire road on the way to get some amorall before the car shop closed.
[/quote]

We have Heeps here too. We rent them out to tourists

Mike