Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > MOTORHOME FORUMS > Class A Motorhome Discussions
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 12-14-2018, 03:50 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Dagsboro, De.
Posts: 7
Differential Gear Lube

Spartan recommends changing the rear end lube once a year. Is this necessary?

Thanks
RBHLH is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 12-14-2018, 04:37 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
paddler1954's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Georgia
Posts: 477
When you consider the load the differential is under, changing the gear oil is probably a pretty good idea. Freightliner also recommends the 12 month interval unless you use synthetic gear oil, then the interval extends to 36 months.
__________________
Steve & Margo
Bonaire, Georgia
2018 Fleetwood Discovery 40D LXE "Alice"
paddler1954 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2018, 05:09 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
vettenuts's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,770
I would pull the differential manufacturers documents and review them. I know Dana/Spicer has specific approved lubricant suppliers that meet their standards and they also have recommended change intervals. However, Spartan may be concerned about moisture in a Motorhome chassis that doesn’t spend a lot of time on the road with the lubricant at temperature.
__________________
2015 Tiffin Phaeton 40QBH
2018 Chevrolet Colorado Toad
Roadmaster Tow Setup
vettenuts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2018, 08:00 AM   #4
Moderator Emeritus
 
barmcd's Avatar


 
Monaco Owners Club
Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 13,426
I do three years with synthetic. Our coaches don't typically get the mileage the rear ends were designed for. Freightliner expected that rear end to be on an over the road truck.
__________________
Dennis and Katherine
2000 Monaco Dynasty
barmcd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2018, 09:52 AM   #5
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,078
Like many mechanical parts you can check the temperature of you differential after a typical run of several hours in warm weather. Many undersized or out of adjustment units will be hot enough you cant tough them. If it is running warm or hot then we never changed the oil. I use the Temp gun and mine only runs around 150 degrees on a hot day so it wont be changed for at least a couple more years. As the OP said this is meant for truck that run all day every day. Many differentials never get the oil changed and sit in salvage yards still it good condition. Go with your comfort zone, mine is to not change it for a long time. To me this is a type of service deal and a motor home sure don't see severe service, at least mine don't.
lwmcguire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2018, 11:18 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
757driver's Avatar


 
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Bayfield, Ontario
Posts: 5,456
Meritor also recommends the fluid be changed every 50,000 miles or annually. If synthetic fluid is used it is 100,000 miles or annually. This by the way is for a City Delivery, School Bus, Fire Truck, or Motorhome, not a severe duty application. The choice is yours as to how often you change the fluid.
__________________
Don & Gerri
2014 Entegra Anthem 44B
2014 Honda CRV Touring

1300W Solar, 1200AH LiFePO4 FMCA F443497
757driver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2018, 01:43 PM   #7
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,078
All our heavy equipment designed to operate for thousands of hours had drain plugs on the differentials. The 2-3 Ton Trucks with two speed axles didn't have drains and when after a few years we changed the fluid you had to unbolt the back cover and let it drain out hoping you didn't screw up the gasket. Now I am curious, I don't even know if the FL has a drain plug or not.
lwmcguire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2018, 04:11 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 167
I changed the lube in the rear end of my 2007 K2 a couple of weeks ago. It had a drain plug? Took roughly 4.5 gallons of 75w140 valvoline synthetic
__________________
2007 Newmar MADP 4528
Indyspecrace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2018, 06:30 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Fiesta48's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 4,283
Sounds like another "cover their a$$". Look at cars, light trucks, most gas equipment. They never change the diff. I changed a Ford MH diff at 70k it was clean. Cost > $100, waste of time and money.
All of the changes, especially diesels, based on time are way too frequent.
I do it based on miles or when it's convenient. Meaning I do it myself so I don't get ripped off at a dealer in mid trip.
I changed a C class after it was 20 years old. It was still running when it had a pound of sand in it. But one side wore tires out every 2k miles.
__________________
Full Timers.
2015 Fleetwood Discovery 40E on a Freightliner XCS chassis with a Cummins ISL9 pulling 1 and/or 2 motorcycles, '07 Honda Accord OR a 17' Runabout Boat.
Fiesta48 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2018, 07:43 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 2,093
Most manufactures will specify a mileage range depending on severity of service for changing the diff oil. I would not change it on a yearly basis unless there was a lot of miles on it. The recommendation for my 3/4 ton truck is 20k miles for severe heavy loaded use to 60k miles unloaded. I would check with the manufacturer of the differential .
__________________
1993 Tiffin Allegro Bay 32'
Soppy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2018, 07:58 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: N.E. Florida
Posts: 1,397
I had Speedco drain and fill with synthetic 10 years ago. That was when we bought what was a 10 year old coach and I wanted to establish a baseline.


Speedco advised at the time that it should be good for 250K miles. I have 52K miles on the rear end oil at this point.



Speedco checks the fluid level and gives me a visual sample at each service.


So far the rear end fluid looks clean and the level is fine, so I have not changed it.


Based upon Spartan's recommendations I will have Speedco drain and refill at the next service as they do not charge much for doing this.


When I measure the temperature on the road, it never exceeds 150 degrees F even in the summer time.
__________________
DaveS
1998 American Eagle 40EVS
FormerBoater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2018, 11:43 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
National RV Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 4,581
Being in my 70's I thought changing differential fluid/oil every year was overkill (since we never changed differential oil in our cars) but it costs so very little to do it yourself. Doesn't that fluid also lubricate your rear wheel bearings? Wonder what a replacement differential would cost - more than a gazillion fluid changes, no?
__________________
Bob & Sandi, dogs Tasha a Frenchie and Tiki a Skipperkey
SW OREGON 2005 34 foot DolphinLX
If towing: a bright red 2016 Mini Cooper on a tow dolly.
1ciderdog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2018, 03:16 PM   #13
Moderator Emeritus
 
Gary RVRoamer's Avatar


 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,563
For the differential, I go on mileage rather than calendar. And use synthetic fluid. Check once in awhile to be sure the fluid is up to level and not obviously contaminated, but otherwise leave it alone.


I'm of the opinion that the annual differential change is a huge CYA and that the risk of actually needing fresh lubricant is infinitesimal.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
Gary RVRoamer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2018, 05:51 PM   #14
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: milford va
Posts: 94
rear diff oil

Back in the stone age[2003] Meritor said to change the oil at 50k,than again at 500k.This was in road tractors,about 90k miles per year.The synthetic oils always came out looking new.
ronster is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Type of grease used by Ford to lube front end F53 Stuart W Ford Motorhome Chassis Forum 11 12-31-2016 04:41 PM
3.31 rear end vs. 3.55 rear end AJP207 Trailer Towing and Tow Vehicles Discussion 38 10-02-2015 07:50 PM
Quick Front End Lube Question.. Don and Dale Thor Industries Owner's Forum 10 05-17-2015 02:50 PM
To Lube or not to lube Rolfsted 5th Wheel Discussion 13 05-16-2015 08:46 AM
To lube or not to lube: HWH jacks trn the page Class A Motorhome Discussions 39 09-20-2012 06:21 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:52 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.