This is not a war story!!!! Anyways upon replacing the fluids in the rearend I found a little bit of metal frags in the oil. Is this something to be extremly worried about or is this a common thing? How much torture can these 11.5 take?

 

Metal Dust, Normal.
Something big enough to be called a frag, is a problem.

 

... did I ever show ya my old wrestling injury?








X2 - powder is normal, but pieces you can feel between your fingertips are bad...

 

Not a big piece just very small particles. Sounds like all is well... Thanks

 

if you are changing it at the 15k mile intervals like dodge wants, you will see alittle shiny material in the oil... no worries.

 

What kind of fluid are you running? I have run Amsoil and Royal Purple 75W90since the first change and I have had nothing but the grey "sludge" looking stuff on the magnet and there are still machining marks on the gears at 75K.

 

I have done extensive off road, overloaded, sled pulling testing the 11.5 is strong.

 

X2 - powder is normal, but pieces you can feel between your fingertips are bad...<<<<< I agree, if ya cant feelit its all good!!!

 

Just replaced my fluids as well and I found the same thing.

I like your reference to ol' #85 . . . talented - but what an ego!

 

That guys a nut job but fun to watch.

 

DC runs them way too low on lube for my liking. I overfill mine with 5 qts RP 85-140 and even the black smudge is nearly gone from the magnet. I've learned from the past - it's best to minimize the that, too. That smudge also contains wear metal and it can't show up in a UOA cuz it's on the magnet. I had an 80 that always got a quite a bit of black smudge on the magnet and the UOA were always outstanding but I had to put bearings in it in not so many miles. It might be normal but it can be better. Craig

 

Craig, How do you get five quarts in? Park your truck on a slope so the fluid level is lower at the fill opening?

Are there any downsides to overfilling the differentials?

Just curious.

 

5 quarts is the correct fill for the rear diff with a Mag-Hytech cover... 3.5 for the front AAM. Overfilling the diffs can be a good way to push gear oil past the axle seals.

 

Sure would 7be nice if they put a magnet drain plug in the bottom of the diff. Since things seem to settle to the bottom...

 

Just take yours out and magnatize it with a 12v battery. Pretty easy to due