You can still drive it just make sure it is still leaking, That means there is still oil in there But just try to get it done asap .

 

alright thanks man, i'll get it fixed on friday if it lasts that long, i'm so nervous hah... my friend said i should rap duct tape around it i dont see how that'd have any significents tho..

 

It wouldnt to much, and i would suggest some more gear oil before then(not sure if it will make it that long)

 

Yeah, check the level of the gear lube... it only takes a minute to do...usually you fill it up till it's even with the 3/8 bolt hole

 

alright i got the money to fix this problem tomarrow..now i gotta be able to get it done in like a period of 5 or 6 hours... i need to buy a new hausing cover , and rear end oil is that all???...and how do i refill it with the oil after i'm done, do i need to jack it up at all or anything special??...and is anything going to fly out at me like springs or screws that are really important, this is really the first major thing i've had to repair on my truck and i'm REALLY scared i'll do it wrong or forget to put something back in or wrong way and **** my rear end up lol....thanks guys, i appreciate it

 

This is a very easy job , Just take your time, it should only take about an hour to complete. All the parts there are going to be are the bolts you remove, the housing cover, and the gasket. The gear oil will come with a tube ( most do ) so you can get the oil in there from the bolt on the side ( 3/8 ratchet ) its going to be square. You will get some oil spillage when you remove the cover so put somthing under it.

 

If a gasket is sold, buy it, but it really isn't necessary. A nice bead of black RTV is good enough to hold back the oil, although you must wait atleast an hour to fill the diff back up with gear lube (Mobil 1 80w90 synthetic if it were me for the lube). With a gasket, you don't have to wait.

You'll fill the diff through the fill plug. You might also want to wash all of the crappy old oil out. I have always used brake cleaner to clean up everything inside the diff. That way nothing is left behind to react with the new oil. Brake cleaner does require a bit of time to evaporate (10-15 minutes to completely dry if you don't have compressed air to help).

I'm not sure if the cover can be put on upside down or not, but it definitely can't be put on backwards... If you could get it on backwards, you deserve a darwin award, LOL... Anyway, it's pretty straight forward. Remove the bolts, expect a shower of old, nasty gear lube (have a pan handy), clean things up (gasket surfaces are VERY important), and slap it back together with the new parts.

Good Luck. I'll be doing a rear end oil change on my Bravada in another week or two. Expect pictures when I do! Oh and your autoparts store should be able to tell you how much gear oil is necessary for your rear end so you don't go over filling it.

 

While you're at it, you might want to change the fluid in the front diff. as well...it dosn't take any longer than the back one, and your driveline will thank you for it in the long run, pluss you may increase your fuel economy...clean lube is happy lube

 

Synthetic oils have better thermal stability. As a result, they have less parasitic loss associated with them. They will last longer than conventional oils as well.

 

You know Swartlkk, your posts make me feel warm and fuzzy inside... not to get off topic