2010 Ford Ranger 4x4 driveline fluid rec's

[pidster]

My Ranger is going in for some collision repair/body work on mon. Figured a "welcome home party" is in order after a week of being without my truck.

20k km on it, been wanting to do an early change of the diffs, transfer case and manual trans to flush out any break in grit and change to top of the line synthetic fluids.

Climate here ranges from -20 deg C to 30 deg C winter to summer, most of the Ranger's duty is daily driver, but there is a good bit of hauling and towing in the mix, and I do tend to drive pretty hard, I love to hear an engine rev.

Diffs call for 75w90 gear oil, Trans calls for Mercon ATF even though it is a standard, like most standard Fords do.

T case calls for Ford transfer case fluid. I have read older Rangers used ATF with the same Tcase, and the new fluid is basically ATF that is "slipperier" as there is no need to let clutches or syncros bite in a Tcase.

Recommend me some fluids, guys!

Also, I have never opened up a diff, my only experience is working on FWD cars with the diff inside the transaxle. Never a RWD/4WD setup.

I know the diff covers have to come off to drain the gear oil, do they use a gasket or RTV or such "form in place" gasket?

Buying a Haynes service manual for the truck before I do this, but real world experience on the diff change is appreciated.

I'm thinking the Ford fluid just might be best for the Tcase, but if I'm wrong tell me why.

And what ATF/MTF has worked best in all your M5OD transmissions?

Favourite gear oils?

This Ranger deserves the best

 

[pidster]

Just re-read my owner's manual

Correction - both diffs call for 80w90 not 75w90 but doubt that really makes a difference.

I also noticed the FX4 off-road model calls for 75w140 gear oil in the rear diff? Out of curiousity, does the FX4 use a different rear end or do they just spec a thicker lubricant due to expected harder usage from those that buy the FX4?

Not considering using it in mine, my usage is generally pretty light and the few times I do heavy hauling and towing is nothing compared to all the cold weather short trips where the diff probably doesn't heat up much at all.

And once I do this initial change on the diff I don't intend on changing it again until the OEM interval of roughly 100k, so I want to get it right the first time.

 

[Bluestream]

OK, you seem to know your stuff!

Use any good 75W90 (or 75W140) GL-5 synthetic gear oil for diffy. Drain warm, and Use RTV sealant on the cover. (make sure surface is clean and dry)

For TC, use the Ford stuff if you want to spend the money. M1 AFT is what i use in mine.

For the M5OD tranny I have used Redline MTL and it is great stuff.

Ford has changed the fluid recommendation for their differential over the years. Many have used the 75W90 and had long life. The 140 is an insurance CYA move by Ford in case the truck is used for heavy use such as trailer towing. You will get less MPG with the 140 and more Axel heat. Your call

 

[Jim Allen]

The FX4 comes in two varieties, the Level II and the plain-old FX4. The former has a 31-splne 8.8 with a Torsen style, gear type limited slip. The "plain-old" has a 28 spline 8.8 with a regular Traction-Lock limited slip.

I generally use an MTF (I've used both RP Synchro Max and BG Synchro-Shift) in the t-cases these days, or a tractor type trans/hydraulic fluid (JD Hy-Guard or CNH Hy-Tran). Have also used ATF, simple Dex III or M-1 syn in the past. T-cases are not too picky overall, but a few are (some fulltimes and Auto-Trac types). The only time I noted any serious difference is when I switched the t-case in my old Ford F-250 from Dex III to Synchro-Max. Night and day difference in shifting. Don't use low range much and it was always (I've owned the truck since '87) a bit balky to shift. It's as slick as oiled spaghetti now.

Don't know enough to recommend an MTF. The last manual I had took 90 grade!

I'd run a 75W90 unless you tow alot (more than 35 percent of the time or for thousands of miles at a stretch). The 140 is overkill and a slight cost to mpg... with no upside unless you work the truck hard enough to need it. A good brand-name s75W90 synthetic (I'm not that name conscious) would do it. Of the boutiques, Amsoil is pretty hard to beat but I'm an off-the-shelf guy so it's usually Mobil, Valvoline, Motorcraft or Chevron (the brands I can find easily). At the end of the day in most operational situations, I doubt you could see anything more than nitpicking differences.

Sadly, this year we say, "So long, Ranger. Who was that masked man?"

Ford Ranger- 1983-2011- RIP

 

[exranger06]

FYI- to change the front diff fluid, you need to use a siphon pump and suck the fluid out through the fill hole, unless you want to pull the whole diff out of the truck to remove the cover.

 

[PW01]

Not sure which rear diff you have, but I have the 8.8 LS. I use Mobil 1 75-140 plus 4oz of LS additive in the rear, mobil 1 75-90 in the front, Mobil 1 ATF in the transfer case, and Mobil 1 ATF in my automatic transmission (5r55e). I also change these fluids every 30,000 miles. At 110,000 miles, she runs like new!

 

[pidster]

Thanks for the responses guys, I'm now thinking of going with Redline D4 in the tranny, Redline 75w90 in the rear diff and just leaving the front diff alone for now, as exranger pointed out I'd need a siphon pump, and really the truck isn't in 4x4 mode any more than maybe 5% of the time.

My only undecided fluid is for the transfer case, is the Ford transfer case fluid really the best for it, or would putting Redline D4 in there as well be the best choice?

I won't be able to feel any difference in "shifing" with the tcase as it is an electronic shift, I turn a knob on the dash to swap from 2H-4H-4L and a motor does the shift automatically. The second stick is gone in these newer trucks.

I'm really not concerned with cost on something like this, the fluid capacities are not that big and they only need changing once in a blue moon, I'm just not entirely certain what specific difference there is between an ATF and the Ford fluid. ATF is certainly acceptable in there as it was the specified fluid for years in the exact same unit. I haven't been able to find any specs or people's experiences on the Ford fluid to make a comparison.

I first thought the Ford fluid would be the better choice as it's intended just for the Tcase but it's probably nowhere near the quality of something like Redline. Likely a dino fluid, and for all I know it could just be ATF with another label (and higher price tag) slapped on it.

What are your opinions on that one?

 

[unDummy]

I doubt that the Ford TC fluid is the best. I would definitely use the D4 there.