Rear Drive Oil Change

Thanks JeffR for the pdf on changing rear drive oil.

I changed it today at 19740 miles. It didn't look too bad or dirty although I did notice some very very fine grey in it while it was draining at the very end.

From the experience I got doing it this time (my first) I will buy a better oil squirt can for the next time. The pump handle would bend while pumping it and I'd have to constantly straighten it out to keep pumping. I also had to drill out the hole on the end of the hose. It was about as big as a fine lead pencil lead. After I drilled it out it pumped better without as much handle bending. However a better quality one is in my future. I also found out that a box wrench worked on the drain bolt. I used a ratcheting type wrench and it worked great.

I also remembered you saying to slowly spin the wheel to make sure all the oil drained out.

Thanks for the great pdf!

Dale,

I'm glad it helped you out. I did it the first time according to the manual and I took off all the covers and then when I got to the bolt I was wondering why didn't they just call for a 12 mm open wrench. Glad it helped and I used to change the final drive when ever I changed the engine oil. I used this red oil can I bought for $5 at Harbor Freight. I'm not sure you if you have those in Minn, but when I lived in Illinois we had Farm & Fleet and Tractor Supply. I used to love walking through those stores.

I only have a little over 4k miles on my '12 Swing, but I have used a plastic catsup bottle I got at my local dollar store when changing the drive oil on my Helix, squirts in much faster than an oil can. What I intend to do on my Swing is to drain the oil out, then pour it into the catsup bottle to give me an idea of how much it holds, then mark the level.  I will then fill the bottle to just over the mark when refilling the drive, making sure the new oil is level with the filler hole.

I have used oil cans too, not so hard to overfill when using them.  Whatever works the best for me is what I'll stick with.

I've found out that a squeeze bottle like what you see at a hot dog cart for mustard and ketchup, with a small piece of hose on it works great. And if you do it at the same time you change engine oil you will have the right amount to fill the final drive left over from the last quart. That way you don't have any oil left over and you only have to remember when to the engine oil.

I see sctr199 beat me to the post. So I guess the only thing I added was you will not have to measure out how much for the final drive as it will take just what's left after filling the engine. I should add that it applies to when you are changing oil and filter, if you don't replace the filter then you would have still measure the oil for the final drive. I always change the filter but some people don't so I figured I would point that out.  

I would like to add something to this. Many owners drain their final drive oil early and comment how black it is. It's supposed to be black! There are no combustion byproducts in the final drive. The initial factory fill is heavily dosed with molybdenum (moly) to help the gears bed in and reduce friction. Moly is pitch black.

I wouldn't change out that factory fill until close to the recommended time/mileage in the owner's manual.

I use a 300 millimetre hair die bottle and a 12 " 1/8 aquarium air tube.It don't make a mess.

JeffR,

We do have Harbor Freight in MN. AND, they are building one in St. Cloud, MN which will open soon. Another place to browse and kill time in. YIIPEEE!

We don't have any Farm and Fleet stores that I'm aware of but we do have Mill's Fleet Farm. I kind of think that both stores are sort of related. When we get our mailer ads from Fleet Farm some of the items say they are not available in various towns in WI. I've heard they have an agreement between them to not sell items that sort of compete with the other stores. Or something like that. I read that long ago and I'm OLD so the brain doesn't remember like it used to. LOL I'll probably remember it all word for word once I hit "Send". That's usually how it goes.

So – Just out of curiosity and to see what the rear-end oil looked like and to take a look that the CVT etc. so I’m familiar with it when I really have to replace something, I replaced my trany oil at 50 miles on my new 2012 Swing.  The oil came out a nice clear honey color.  I felt thicker that a 10/30 oil.  I replaced it with, as I did on my Majesty for 6 yrs, Amsoil 20/50.  I’m no oil expert but the original oil felt as think as the new Amsoil.  I was impressed with the CVT itself.  I seems well built (not a surprise) and rugged.  I started the engine and observed how the whole assembly operated; very similar to the Majesty.  Anyway – just wanted to add my .02 on the trany oil.  Thanks,  d   PS: Thanks for the oil change tip etc.  It made the job very easy.  Just received my helms service manual and will poor through that for a while.

tinman wrote:

I use a 300 millimetre hair die bottle and a 12 " 1/8 aquarium air tube.It don't make a mess.

Sounds like the easiest of all. . . I only have 4200 miles on my '12 Swing, probably will wait until 10k for the first change.