CTDCAL, I agree that 1 1/2&quot; below the fill hole and then not design a dip stick into the rear axle goes against common sense. That forces every yokel that wants to know the level of lube must stick into that fill hole whatever is handy. To me that isn't very reliable. <br><br>I know what happened to my rear differential because the level was too low for heavy duty towing of my 5er. The idea of using synthetic GL-5 was because of the heat buildup in towing. <br><br>Wish Wantabee would come on line again as he disappeared suddenly from forum without a resolution to his rear axle problems? It sure makes one wonder??? ??? ???

 

Update:<br><br>My dealer did not have the synthetic oil to top off the rear diff and the dealer mechanic said it would be OK. I did not believe this so I took the truck over to a mechanic friend and had him check it out. This guy used to work for dodge and is a certified mechanic, the best I have ever seen and I have learned a lot from him over the years. He has also been to school on the DANA and AAM axle, and was the only guy in the dealership capable of setting up gears when major repairs were needed and he has told me many a story about other mechanics messing up axles at the dealership, so he is pretty familiar with these things.<br><br>He checked the truck and said don't move it until the rear is full to the hole. He said the book is wrong and so is the dealer mechanic about the fill level. He also said that there was absolutely no way to blow a seal by filling to the hole and does not know why anyone would want to do anything different. <br><br>We went promptly to the store and bought synthetic ($9/qt I am saving my reciepts and giving them to the dealer). The rear took ONE quart and the front took 1/2 quart. We then checked all other levels, Trannie was good and the T-Case was a quart low (ATF IV)!!!!! <br><br>He has suggested that at 1000 miles we drain everything and put in Amsoil or Redline, with a good inspection of the rear and front diff while we have the covers off. I will be doing this and I will NEVER let the dealer touch my truck unless it is a warranty repair!!!!!!!!! Then of course I will have it checked by a good mechanic.<br><br>Too bad you have to worry about this stuff on a new truck that costs so much, but I cannot be comfortable unless I know it is right.<br><br>Thanks for all the imput guys, you may have saved me some grief down the road.<br><br>CTDCAL

 

CTDCAL, Glad to hear you have someone in which you have confidence to talk to. The average guy out there isn't in your position. Where is this dealer located, I'd sure hate to go to him by mistake? When I first questioned the fill level I received an e-mail from someone claiming to be a Tech somewhere up north that the axle was never to be filled to the fill hole, he said it should be one inch down. That was a bunch of &quot;Poppy ****&quot; in my book having worked on all of my own vehicles including 4 tractors in my life. He may have been sincere but didn't use his head. <br><br>What wt. synthetic did your friend advise?<br><br>For my 98 Ram with tow package it was Synthetic GL-5 75W-140. For my 95 Jeep Grand Cherokee it is also Synthetic GL-5 75W-140. For non- tow applications Dino GL-5 75W-90. (From Owner's Manual)<br><br>

 

Phil,<br><br>We topped off the diffs (according to my guy it is not that critical with synthetics that it be the same brand. especially to just top it off for another 700 miles) with 75w-90 GL5 which is what was probably in it(but who really knows), at least that is what the book said for my application (I am not planning on towing near the weight you are on a consistent basis). I am at 275 miles now on the truck and he just wanted it to be full until 1000 miles when we change em out completely. I think at the change out I am going to go with Amsoil or Redline. I cannot find Amsoil anywhere around here and Redline is available at our local bulk fueler. Both are apparently real good!<br><br>As far as the dealership goes, I really don't want to bad mouth anyone, I think the sales manager who sold me my truck is a great guy and really knows his stuff, but as you know there are many dealerships out there where the shop and the sales have very different levels of service. I have always been very cautious about dealer shops, not that all of them are bad mind you, but if you don't know the mechanic working on your rig, which most people who go into the a dealership don't, then you should beware. This would hold true for any mechanic, not just at a dealer, if you don't know them, you might get screwed. I have also found that in most dealerships, the lowest man on the totem pole usually does the oil change type services ect... and he is usually the lowest paid guy in the shop that has not been there very long, so the ownership in his work is limited at best. I have had friends that don't listen and keep taking there rigs in for service at the dealer and usually something like a auto tranny goes out/blows at really low milage right after the service cause the new guy over filled it cause he does not know the tricks and is trying to do it quick and cheap. Try to get a dealership to take responsibilty for something like that!!!!!!<br><br>I am not saying any of this to slight any good dealer with a good service department out there, you will know if you are good if the same people keep coming back and you are not seeing alot of unusual failures after you performed some work. Some of the best mechanics I have ever met worked in a dealer shop you just can't find all the good ones at all of them.<br><br>I'll get off my soapbox now!!!<br><br>CTDCAL<br><br>

 

I have found if the owner of the dealership is active in the management the attitude of the employees is different. The owner/manager must reinforce in employees minds a policy of customer satisfaction to grow his business and keep customers coming back. In a small town if this isn't the policy, sooner or later the dealership is on the market. We are fortunate to be in a small town with a customer oriented dealership.

 

Sierra<br><br>Just exactly what you said above. After what little work I have had done on my truck at the dealer, they call and send a letter asking if it has been done satisfactorily. <br><br>For each and every little thing! Almost to the point of bugging you :<br><br>And my dealer is just like yours, no matter what it goes in for the interior is vacuumed and the exterior washed before you can take it again<br><br>Hunter

 

Yea Hunter, know what you mean. Since my dealer provides satisfactionof service they have grown, but each location they have is managed by family. In 94 they were GM, Buick, Pontiac, and Jeep. Last year their customer satisfaction record resulted the addition of Toyota and Chrysler to GM, Buick, Pontiac, and Jeep. They run three full-time shuttles to pickup and deliver customers to their homes as well as shuttle employees their three locations. They have one telephone number for local and a live operator who greets and directs your call to the right location, They also have one person who randomly selects customers to inquire re customer satisfaction.<br> Wife took the Jeep in for warranty service. Somehow they mixed SOs and she was left waiting longer than expected. She voiced her displeasure when she was called. The service manager called her and gave her a free oil change and lube. She is now happy over the episode feeling she got something for her inconvenience.<br>

 

CTDCAL<br><br>Well its good to see someone has heard about &quot;Redline&quot; products. Back in April and May of this year I was braging about Redline fuel addative and all I got back was a 'HUH.'<br><br>Everyone had lots to say about all the others, but no one knew anything about Redline. The only thing I can think of is that it is the price that has discouraged people from using it. After all when you can buy a gal of snake oil for a few bucks to treat 300 gal of fuel why buy the best for a lot more!! Does anyone out there have any good news about Redline beside me?? Hey! I am back, for being gone for three months. <br><br> Talk to me. OH Sick

 

Sierra and Hunter,<br><br>I totally agree with everything you are saying and I think that is what I was trying to convey. I know the owner of this dealership and the sales manager, they sell alot of trucks because they deal well. I know alot of people who have been buying trucks from them for a long time, but none of them have any service done to them there. They will stay around because of their sales, not because of their service.<br><br>By the way, when I took my truck in to have the diff checked, I got the line from them that they just wanted me to be happy, but got the impression that I was being a pain. I said I wanted to be happy and did not want to be a constant worry wart with them, however my confidence was not high when they tell me it is ok when it is not and then they did not even have the diff oil to top it off. I think they got the 03' trucks so fast that they have not stayed on top of things. If I were the service manager, I would have had all the stuff to deal with the new trucks before the first one left the lot. I would also monitor these type of forums so that I was aware of possible concerns.<br><br>I am not too upset with them though, as this was my expectation to begin with. On a positive note, my wife has a Honda that we bought brand new and the dealership has exhibited all of the atributes that were described. Their service department and sales departments are hand in hand with lots a customer support and follow through.

 

OH,<br><br>I just learned about Redline yesterday and three of my friends trucks are outfitted with it (Diffs and Tranny). Nobody said one bad word about Amsoil and they shouldn't, however Redline is accessable locally to us, so I think that is why it is being used more. My mechanic feels that it is just as good if not better than Amsoil and according to them (I have not priced it out yet) the Redline is slightly less expensive than the Amsoil. I would be happy with either. By the way, in the CTD's the guys around here are not running synthetic motor oil, lots of miles and no motor problems that I am aware of.

 

I just re-read one of Phil's posts and made me think of something else I learned:<br><br>The fill hole issue on the Diff is somewhat of a mystery as far as the book and the service manual from Dodge goes. My mechanic tells me that if they wanted to be below the fill hole on the diff then they would have move the hole lower on the cover. This makes complete sense. He said the brain twister in the service manual; ie, 1/4&quot; +- 1/4&quot; below the fill hole is the absolute minumum level that could be considered accepatable if one were to fill it and let it run out the hole before putting the plug back in. He said that the proper way to do this is to fill it till it runs out, plug it, run it around, then check it again and add to the level of the bottom of the hole. By running it around it allows the oil to work its way out to the ends of the axle housing which will then let the level fall, so more oil can be added. This apparently has been the practice on the AAM axle as well as all others, that is why the fill hole is there and there is not some other way of measuring (dipstick ect...) the oil level.<br><br>Of course none of this would even be being talked about if some out there were not way too low to begin with.<br><br>I hope I have not bored you all to much with my Banter on this topic!<br><br>CTDCAL

 

CTDCAL<br><br>Let's just hope the dealers get all their folks upgraded on all the service we need or will be needing<br><br>Best to ya<br><br>Hunter<br><br>

 

Hunter,<br><br>Amen to that, too bad when you spend this kinda money you gotta do it yourself so you know it is right!!!!!!!

 

Phil, Hunter and all. I don't remember if I told you or not, but when I had the truck in on Friday for the mud flaps, the service manager said that they had just received a bulletin from Dodge that the rearend should be changed to a synthetic after 500 miles if you're going to use it for towing. I will have mine changed tomorrow morning - in my case it's gratis as my dealer sponsors my racecar by providing the necessary service for my tow truck. Regardning Red Line Oil - I use it in the dwarf car and will do the same in the midget when I get it. It is a great racing oil. They also make two axle gear lubes - a red and a blue. The blue is a lesser viscosity and many of my friends use it. I prefer the blue as I feel that it does a much better job, especially on the tapered bearings in the floater hubs. I really don't thing the heavier viscosity slows the car down any and prefer the better lubrication of the red. Good luck. : : :

 

<br> Well my trucks rearend fluid level was one quart low according to the dealer. They added the quart while I was getting my free 3000 mile oil change.<br> I have no idea what kind of oil they added to it. The invoice only says &quot;added one quart of rear differential fluid&quot;. Who knows what they put in it. Seems like if it was synthetic at $8+ a quart they would have itemized it to get the money for it.<br>Also I am confused by Bluedresser's post. I thought all the 2003 3500's came with synthetic oil in the rearend?