Does anyone know exactly how high the fluid level should be inside the rear axle tube of a Dana 44? I don't have factory diff covers (no overflow hole) and don't want to run with low fluid and cause bearing damage. At this point I don't care about an overflow mess from overfill, but a lot of threads say that doing that can cause damage (the posters that have said that reference the axle seals but that doesn't completely make sense to me, since there should be less resistance going out the breather tube). If overfill is the recommended solution, I have already moved the rear breather tube temporarily and will clean up the mess. Don't care! Just don't want to trash my new gears.

I spent hours today reading online and can't find a specific answer on how high the fluid level should be in the rear axle. I found two threads, one that states it should be about 1/8" high in the tube and another that states 1/4". I read that the axle tube itself is 1/4" thick so that would put the fluid level as high as 1/2" above the outside bottom of the axle tube??

I think my fluid level was already low after recently getting new gears and ARB diff covers. The dipsticks don't have any factory marks on them so eyeballing the fluid level wasn't very accurate. Draining the fluid this morning didn't get nearly as much as expected, even after removing both drain plugs (ARB and original located on the diff) and even jacking up one side of the axle and then the other.

Any experienced advice is appreciated. I would even ask my dealer but I seem to have more information than they do, which is really scary for this newbie. Also please show me some patience. I know this subject has been beaten to death but I do need some advice and it's been a long day.

 

i have been looking into this also, and what i have come up with is fill to factory specs(in owners man.)

 

Personally i would over as opposed to under fill. Fill it up about halfway, maybe a little more. That should be plenty of oil for the diff.

 

It would never fill up with any.

 

With my Riddler’s and a Rubicon rear I put 2.5 quarts in it (factory fill was 2.375 quarts).

 

Talking about the stock drain plug, didn't read the whole post.

 

I think you mean the stock fill plug.

 

Fill, drain, same difference. I mean technically it's an overflow drain. So either way works.

 

The drain plug is on the bottom. If you leave the drain plug out then you'll never get any oil in the diff.

 

Well, actually you would get oil in the diff, it just wouldn't stay there.