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75w-85 or 75w-90? Is there a difference?

19K views 12 replies 12 participants last post by  jgcrp1  
#1 ·
So it’s that time of year again to change out my rear differential fluid on my 2016 JGC 4x2 with 92k miles. Manual states to go with 75w-85 gear oil yet there are no stores in my area that have that, the closest that they have is 75w-90 gear oil. I had done my rear differential fluid before and used the 75w-85 gear oil, but had a hard time trying to get it delivered and it was a pain.

I want to try and make my life easier this time around and see if I can just use the 75w-90 gear oil instead that I can easily pick up at any auto parts store. (Especially those EzPack packages that they offer.) Is there a big difference between the two oils? Will it somehow cause damage to my rear differential? Honestly, I can’t imagine that it can, but I want to make sure before I go ahead and change it out.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
 
#3 ·
You can order the good stuff in 75W85 on Amazon. Ravenol, Redline, etc. I'll be changing my rear diff again this summer and have decided to go with the Valvoline flex pack in 75W90 which is fine. You'll likely find that over the years most of the members posting on this forum have used 75W90 when changing their diff fluid.
 
#4 ·
I'm convinced it's so you'll go to the dealer for service since no auto parts stores typically carry 75w-85 gear oil and most people are afraid to use something else. It's the same with trying to change your own brake pads. The front caliper uses an 11mm hex and the rear a 7mm, almost all hex key sets don't give you those sizes...
 
#8 ·
Uh did I miss something or did you not realize that putting a limited slip additive into gear oils in essence makes them a synthetic gear oil instead of non synthetic. Synthetic gear oils 75w-85, 75w-90 which can only be full synthetic to have those designations do to their physical properties and such. So yeah the two mentioned above don’t take or need the added stuff
 
#10 ·
The additive does not change a non-synthetic to synthetic. What it does is change the friction properties so that the clutches in an clutch based limited slip differential do not chatter. Using it won't hurt if you don't need it but not using it if you need it can cause clutch issues.
 
#11 ·
The nice thing about 75W90 is that you can buy the Valvoline in that viscosity right off the shelf at Walmart. It’s full synthetic, has friction modifier already in it (if you need it), it’s a great product, and it’s inexpensive. Best of all it comes in pouches instead of bottles and the pouches are WAY easier to use in tight places such as around differentials.