The Toyota Landcruiser Owners Club

[DanP]

Do you change the diffs oils yourself Karl? How difficult is it and what do you use to pump the oil in? Also, where are the front diff plugs? Can’t find those. Is the front diff included in the same casing with the centre diff?

[Google]

[karl2000]

Yep, its an easy enough job but make sure you're prepared before you start!

The front diff plugs are on the passenger side (assuming UK RHD car!) from memory - you should see them once you get under there.  I had mine on ramps to get a bit more clearance because I'm fat but you could probably do without.  I had all the bash plates off so I could see what was going on.

Front diff is a completely different unit to the center diff / transfer box.

Make sure you have new crush washers available for each, and as ever, make sure you undo the fill plug before the drain plug - you dont want to end up with an empty diff you cant fill !

I used a pump on my compressor because I'm lazy but you could use a hand pump just as easily - I think people have used pressurised weed-killer type pumps?

[TONYCY11]

The front diff takes a 10mm allen key for drain and fill . Make sure you use a socket type and make sure it is fully seated so you can use a extending ratchet I got a fab 72 tooth 450mm that extends to 600mm from lidl for 11 quid  the front drain is tight and big and if it has not been done for a long time can be stubborn  , the fill is much easier to undo and is the same width threads as the rear diff  and centre diff drain and fill , the rear and centre need a 24mm socket always use 6 point and not 12 point on any Toyota nuts and bolts , and for diffs I always use 1/2inch drive , I machined my 24mm socket down a few mm so that it has more grip on the drain and fill plug heads as there is only 5mm of bolt head and you dont want to round them off ,  after changing the diff oils twice so far I noticed the front drain 10mm allen head in the bolt had stretched a bit ,  so I bought a 24mm hex head drain plug on e bay for £19 the 24mm hex is 8-9mm deep so should be a brezze to undo in the future . I use one of those hand pumps that you fit straight into the diff oil containers and have a barbed tube end that fits into the fill hole , I think they are called tom thumb pumps  it cost about £7 on e bay , I got 2 coz I use a separate one for the ATF so an not to contaminate the atf fluid . If you use these type of pumps use desernated container with a hole in the top for the air to enter the container to allow the pump draw out the oil or do not tighten the lid of your oil container and leave free to move up and allow  air into your oil container or the hand pump can not work as it needs air to enter the container to push out the oil . Hope all this drible is understanderble 😃

[Tractionman]

Great advice as usual from Karl and Tony to be followed.
I would just add, clean all around the filler and drain plugs, especially in the hex head of Allen key plug, so that your sockets/Allen key fit square and all the way on/in to prevent slippage/rounding off, causing problems in getting them out.
Once out, IF you reuse they will be in far better shape, in any case, as advised ALWAYS use new crush washers. Some people reuse the old ones and get away with it, or have a constant dribble, and have to drain and do again at a later date. Not worth it !
I can't recall without looking, perhaps the others can comment/tell me I'm dreaming, I think the plugs for easy identification, have WS stamped on them.(World Standard)

[TONYCY11]

Good advice tractionman we take it for granted that everyone cleans round all drain and fill plugs before undoing them , so to a novice its important that they know that , I know for sure the 5 speed ATF fill plug has WS stamped on it , it also has a O ring  on it instead of a crushwasher .

[TONYCY11]

I forgot to mention to any first timers every 6 months or so or when ever your under the rear of your 120 twist and turn and lift up and down the rear diff breather to make sure it is not blocked with dirt or stuck so the rear diff can let out pressure coz if its blocked the oil seals at the hubs can leak due to excess pressure . The front diff breather is next to the fuse box in the engine bay so it font suffer from blockage that the rear diff breather can do .

[Tractionman]

I'd forgotten about the 0 ring Tony, as usual you are spot on.
I remember now when buying the new plug, looking at the 0 ring and thinking WTF!!
That's even more 'one shot' than a crush washer, which negates the temptation for anyone to reuse it. = better !

[Tractionman]

Another gem to consider. 😀
Myself and Karl have had that rusted/siezed scenario after buying lc and freeing up with no detramental affects fortuneatly.
I even bought a new one, and deep 6 sided? socket, but going by the position and rust around that area in the rear axle at the time, even though ALL underside cleaned off and treated now and had loads of plus gas there over a time, Ive been reluctant to try and get it out for replacement.
I also bought some freezer, which is known for seized stuff, as too near other things for heat, but keep putting it off as free and working for now.
If the *beep* snaps it will be axle off, as there's no room between breather and the body floor to drill out, without even thinking about the subsequent swarf going inside the axle. 🙄

[TONYCY11]

The thing is with it being bolted to the diff that throws up diff oil constantly it will be very rare that it will be that stuck because it will not be dry for it to weld itself to the diff , when I fitted a new one I used a normal 14mm 6 point 1/2 inch impact  socket as it was deep enough to clear the vent at the top ,  I cut open the old breather up by cutting the top cover with a dremel with a cutting disk , and inside it was flange end like on brake pipe and on that end was a thin rubber type tap washer with a thin spring on top that was kept in place by the top cover that I cut open , so when there is pressure in the diff it lifts the tap washer against its spring and when the pressure is gone the rubber tap washer is pushed down by the spring  and seals up the vent .

[TONYCY11]

Oh when I fitted the new one I put copper grease on the base of threads and seat of the breather like I do with most bolts when I refit them .

[Tractionman]

👍Some more good points there Tony.😊
As we know 120s are prone to rust, from Scotland particularly. When they have been neglected and rust sets in, it's not threads on the breather inside that seize as you pointed out, it's the hex head to the axle and as the threaded part is small, when pressure is applied to the 14mm head, that is the snapping point.
Whatever the job though, it's sometimes not enough just knowing how to do it, it's how to get over the problems any way we can. 🤔

[Tractionman]

Copper grease + 1 👍👍

[TONYCY11]

Yes your right tractionman the breather including the hex is hollow , mine looked rusty but unscrewed very easy .

[Tractionman]

👍 WOW !! Do you do house calls ? 🤣🤣

[TONYCY11]

If you lived in Cyprus tractionman I would tell you to bring it round to my house no probs unless it was immobile then I would come round to your house 👍😃.