2006 Expedition diff drain & fill plugs

D60

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I'm servicing diffs on an '06 Expy 4x4.

The rear IRS has a magnetic plug in drain AND fill.

The front (looks like 8.8 IFS w diff cover) has no drain but the fill plug is NOT magnetic.

I'm thinking a previous shop mixed these up and I'm inclined to move one of the rear magnetic plugs to the front fill.

Anyone know how the factory did it? Right now the front has zero "magnetic filter" and I think that's incorrect
 
I'm servicing diffs on an '06 Expy 4x4.

The rear IRS has a magnetic plug in drain AND fill.

The front (looks like 8.8 IFS w diff cover) has no drain but the fill plug is NOT magnetic.

I'm thinking a previous shop mixed these up and I'm inclined to move one of the rear magnetic plugs to the front fill.

Anyone know how the factory did it? Right now the front has zero "magnetic filter" and I think that's incorrect
I don't know for certain & certainly shouldn't be too hard to swap a magnetic plug on if you'd like. In my own experience the front diff doesn't wear near as much as the rear diff. I mean, how many times have you heard of the front diff wearing out? LOL I think it'll be fine but what you suggest shouldn't cost or be problematic at all so why not? In the sake of maintenance.

EDIT: I just realized you're talking about the fill plug only up front. Not sure how much it would catch, up top of diff, than if it was in the drain area?
 
I'm inherently distrusting of AWD or auto t-cases, which this one is ‐‐ looks to be a BW4416. You don't know how often it elects to engage the front output, and I don't know how much it can bias.

I notice the selector was in the Auto position and I imagine they leave it there.

Anyway I did move the rear magnetic fill to the front. Interestingly, the front fluid looked really dirty so perhaps it's never been done, but something is making it appear dirty.

IME plenty of diffs that only have a fill plug use a magnetic one (Chrysler rubber plugs in the cover excepted). It definitely catches stuff through splash lubrication.
 
I sure wish the Expi had a front drain plug, magnetic or otherwise. You have to loosen suspension components to get the front diff cover off. I've only ever done a suction change in ours. It never seems to get very dirty, though.
 
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I sure wish the Expi had a front drain plug, magnetic or otherwise. You have to loosen suspension components to get the front diff cover off. I've only ever done a suction change in ours. It never seems to get very dirty, though.
I was wondering about that. I ordered a LubeLocker copy. Seems to me once that's installed it's much easier. No need to remove the cover to clean the mating surfaces
 
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