Diff/T-casr Gears Oils

Been through a few threads, read several people's opinions and experiences on the forum. Have an 06 SR5 DC, which i just picked up. Looking to change the gear oil out, and i have heard and read some conflicting information.
I have a standard rear diff. I read from people on here that I'd only need the 75w-140 if i have an LSD rear diff. Otherwise I should be good with

$39 75w-90 GL-5 Limited Slip, Ultra Long Drain 500k Miles, Manual Transmission, Gear/Differential Lubricant (1 Gallon)

75w-90 in all three.
Then I decided to open up my manual, and it seems to say the opposite. My previous vehicle was an 06 SR5 4runner, and I swapped all three with 75w-90.
According to my manual, unless I'm reading it incorrectly, they are saying I need 75w-140 in my standard rear diff. Is this correct? Thanks!

 

If you're %100 sure you have a standard rear diff, then yes. Follow the manual.

 

I wonder if there would be an issue with just going 80w-90? I have a LSD sticker on my diff but I think it’s actually just an open diff. And I just ordered Lucas 80w-90.

 

I thought I was, because I did not see an LSD label on the housing. But I just looked closer and it looks as though there is some adhesive residue where there COULD have been something

 

LSD sticker would be above the fill plug.

And it kinda looks like someone painted over rust on your differential. What's the rest of the frame look like? Also a chance you have the LSD sticker, but it's been painted over.

 

Easiest way to tell is to stick a jack under the diff, lift until the wheels are just off the ground. Turn one of the wheels.
If the other wheel turns in the same direction , LSD. If it turns in the other direction, open diff.

 

They definitely did paint over some rust on the rear diff, as well as a few other parts. I plan to remove it and repaint myself.
The frame is actually in great shape. Thr previous owner had it taken into toyota for the rust preventative frame coating.
There are a few small areas of rust but nothing significant. I actually felt pretty lucky about how rust free this unit was.

 

Just run your vin on mytoyota and you’ll know what you have. Or open it up and look at the gears

 

That's super helpful. I was about to call my toyota service center and have them run it but I'll check it by lifting and run the vin. Thank you

 

Mytoyota.com
Add your vin and you’ll can see everything from service records to all your specs
if you have lsd this is bees knees
Some Toyota dealers don’t want to run vins from other state data bases, they refuse

 

When is last time you accessed the site or what does one click on to enter VIN ?

According to internet wayback, none of their previous pages over the years will come back as if Toyota has shut it down ?

 

No specific mention of differential specs. All I see is "standard installation equipment." I assume this means that I have a standard diff, but i will jack it up and spin the wheels to be sure.

 

Accessed just now. My bad it’s Toyota then login

 

That and other tips about what you need to watch out for and maintenance you need to perform are in THIS STICKY THREAD.

Here, I'll copy/paste just one of the dozens of nuggets in that thread you need to know, I sure hope you did an adequate job of inspecting your frame!:

After you buy the truck (or sometimes before):

• Register for an account at the Toyota Owner's website: https://www.toyota.com/owners
• Plug your VIN number in and assign it to your account so you can check for open recalls, register yourself as the person to call/email in the event of a recall, and see any dealer-performed service history, including any frame inspections, recall work, regular maintenance, etc. This could give you a good idea of what the truck's had done already, where it lived, how regular the maintenance may've been.
• Get to a baseline on critical 1st-Gen-Killer maintenance items that needed to be done:
  • Timing belt/water pump/pulleys/tensioner needs to be done every 9yrs/90k miles.
  • Radiator should be done every 125k-150k miles.
  • OEM lower ball joints should be done every 100k-125k miles *IF* they're OEM parts (aftermarket LBJ shouldn't be used, and should be replaced immediately).
• Get to a baseline on routine maintenance:
  • Change differential(s) fluid but know if your rear end is LSD or not before you swap fluids.
  • Change the oil (5w30), install a new OEM oil filter.
  • If you have 4WD, read the appropriate thread on here explaining how to fully lube your driveline with a moly-foritfied NLGI 2 grease like Valvoline Palladium #2 or Valvoline VV985 per Toyota. Confirm the system is working to shift into 4HI, then put the truck in Neutral and shift to 4LO. If it fails, see the diagnostic thread. Check to make sure your actuator rubber vent tube(s) intact, not broken, not rotten/cracked.
  • Check/refresh power steering fluid, note that it uses ATF and not traditional power steering fluid.
  • Full brake fluid flush, IF the fluid you see in the reservoir is dark.
  • Purge/refill with pink long life coolant especially if anything other than pink/red coolant is installed BUT be sure to flush with water if any color other than pink/red is installed. When draining, drain at the radiator petcock and BOTH block drain valves on the sides of the block, under the manifolds on either side of the engine.
  • Check/replace spark plugs with the specific brand/model# printed in the back of your owners manual, but DO NOT buy from scAmazon or fleaBay (counterfeits galore).
  • Update filters. Note that you DO NOT need to replace transmission filter and SHOULD NOT ever need to drop the transmission pan or oil pan in these trucks in most circumstances!
  • On those filter, not even kidding: Stick with OEM filters, Toyota has specifically lenient flow characteristics which mate perfectly with their vehicles: OEM oil filter. OEM air filter. For 2000-2004 trucks only, consider replacing with OEM fuel filter even though it's a PITFA.
  • Some people will do at least one drain & fill on the transmission with the correct fluid for your year (2000-02 takes DEXIII, 2003-04 takes Type T-IV, 2005-06 takes Type WS). Yes, there is an urban legend about "never servicing a transmission with unknown history", and it should be taken with a grain of salt - stick to drain/fill only, and don't use any pressurized system to push fluid thru your truck, and you'll be fine. 2000-2002 years specifically will have the transmission grenade due to weak planetary gear before a fluid flush would ever kill it.
  • Check the brakes, brake adjustment. Front pads, check for even thickness on both pads. Advics made the OEM brake pads, their kit contains everything you need to overhaul. Verify the parking brake cable is intact, correctly tensioned, and functioning fully, as it's what keeps the rear brakes auto-adjusted properly and significantly firms up the braking experience. Check the rear shoes, and know how to use the parking brake or star adjuster to set the shoes, 3 out of 4 times when someone has shitty, sloppy, mushy brake pedal it's because (A) the rear brakes aren't adjusted or the auto-adjust isn't working, or (B) someone failed to bleed the LSPV (load sensing proportioning valve) and there's air trapped in the system at that valve which is preventing the rears from engaging correctly. There's a sticky thread to deal with this topic.
  • Battery stuff: Big one here. Make sure the terminals are clean. Use dielectric grease and install felt terminal washers. Make sure your battery terminals are tight, firm, not cracked or broken. Seriously, go to the local auto parts store and have your battery professionally tested. Understand something: Just because your battery shows 12v-14v doesn't mean it's OK, battiers work because of VOLTAGE and AMPERAGE. You can have a battery with 14v and it still won't start your truck if it doesn't have at least 200-300 cold cranking amps (CCA). At least half our no-start issues are, stupidly, due to failed battery. Some of those batteries were less than 6mos old, and people made the really stupid mistake of changing the starter without getting the battery tested first. Repeated draining of your battery WILL kill it.
  • Baseline on suspension: Check the swaybar link bushings. Check the struts and their lower mount bushings. Look for previous owner fuckery, like strut spacers. Check all bellows/boots and clamps on steering. Check the CV axle inner/outer boots if you're 4WD. Check upper control arm bushings. Check for lower control arm bushings (check for play). Confirm the lower ball joints aren't aftermarket (one clue: If LBJ has grease zerks, it's not OEM), and they aren't dry, boot intact, no play. Check the upper balljoint similarly. Check rear leaf packs: All leafs are unbroken, bumpstops are present, and there's a round shim at the tip of each leaf to separate them from the leaf above. Check steering rack bushings, noting there will be some play with rubber bushings, it's the nature of the beast (supple/quiet, while polyurethane is hard/noisy).
• Fix and check for known issues. Like ...
  • The dreaded cowl leak problem. See the Definitive Leak Thread for more info.
  • 2WD owners: Get under your truck and look up thru the ovular holes in the crossmember the transmission mounts to. confirm there are 4 bolts, no empty holes where the transmission mounts to that crossbar. If there are, see the TSB in this very reply (see section below) for more info on part numbers and check the crossmember for hairline cracks! Use blue threadlock when installing replacement bolts.
  • Valve cover leaks - notorious issue. Info on part numbers is on this page, search for the word "gaskets". This will soak everything on the bottom half of the engine, and mimick rear main seal leaks, power steering leaks, etc. Look all the way around the valve covers for old oil, clean it off, and keep an eye for new leaks.

 

This link was one of the first ones I stumbled upon. Super helpful! Thanks for passing it along

 

I’m curious if anyone has had a LSD sticker on their rear diff but doesn’t actually have one? I have the sticker on my rear diff but I’m pretty sure I remember wheels spinning in opposite direction when lifted off the ground.

 

If the OEM LSD is worn out it acts like an open.



I have a LSD oil only sticker on mine from when had 4.10's w/OEM LSD. I've since pulled that and have a Torsen LSD which no longer requires fluid with friction modifier. Just like an open diff.

 

That’s definitely a possibility. I’ll be swapping the fluid today so hopefully that changes things.