Recommended grease for 4WD disconnect?

[Shdwdrgn]

Getting ready to change my front differential next weekend, and since I've been questioning the disconnect (although it does still work reliably in warm weather), I was going to clean it up and pack with some new grease. The question is, what KIND of grease? I think I've seen synthetic recommended before. Are you guys just using a standard axle grease, or something special? And when I take it apart, will I need to replace any seals or anything else? I'm trying to get all my supplies on hand before I start disassembly.

 

[hockeyman]

I literally just changed/upgraded a rear Axle in my 2006 GTO today, and I loaded this grease in it:

 

[Sparky]

If you're going to be taking it apart anyway and if it hasn't been done in a long time I'd be tempted to just go ahead and replace the common wear parts (3 bearings, 3 thrust washers, the inner seal, and the outer seal).

I used the same mobil 1 grease as that is what was recommended to me. Everything seems fine so far and that was about 50k miles ago.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

I was actually referring to grease for the disconnect, not the axles.

And no, NONE of it has ever been taken apart. I have new seals for the front diff, but otherwise not sure if I should even crack the new one open. I don't have a replacement gasket for the body of the diff. I opened up the rear diff and checked the seals... don't know why it never occurred to me to re-grease the bearings while it was apart. Fortunately the rear is MUCH easier to get to.

 

[Sparky]

Wait wait.... Maybe I'm misunderstanding here...

You don't grease the bearings in ANY differential. Gear oil only in those. The gear oil lubricates all the bearings. I wouldn't crack open the front diff unless I absolutely had to.

The disconnect on the passenger side of the pan is the only thing that gets grease. If you have never serviced it, I would recommend doing it if you're going to have stuff apart.

Here's a how-to article on it complete with part numbers and stuff for the entire thing. Usually the main components to wear are the bearings, seals, and thrust washers. Sometimes the fork breaks but then it wouldn't ever work, so if it still functions that's probably fine.

Offroadtb.com Front Axle 4WD Disconnect

 

[Shdwdrgn]

OK, yeah I got confused there as to where you were actually going with that. The disconnect isn't making any unusual noises, but there were a few really cold days last Winter during blizzards where it just didn't feel like the front wheels were engaged. Considering what I've seen of how the factory grease can get hard in there, I'm betting it just needs some fresh lube and it will be fine. And if not, it doesn't look like its that difficult to service again once we've gotten all the bolts broken loose the first time.

I've always had great luck with Valvoline products in the past. I know most folks around here swear by Mobile 1, but I don't know where to get it locally. I've been using Amsoil because I have a dealer 4 blocks away. I see they have some different types of grease (racing and off-road), but I don't know if anyone here has experience with how well that holds up?

 

[Sparky]

I got the mobil 1 from Autozone. Just a tube for a grease gun but the packaging doesn't really matter. The Valvoline synthetic would probably be fine also.

The way I see it is if you're going through the hassle to take it apart, and if it has 100k miles+ especially, then I'd just go ahead and redo the wear parts so as to not do it twice. Also, the way it usually works for me is if I don't get the parts then I take something apart to just grease and find out stuff is worn and now the truck is apart for a few days instead of an afternoon while I wait on new parts to arrive. That's what I'm doing right now actually - my truck has been apart since last Monday. Hopefully the parts arriving tomorrow are the last I need

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Right then... got those part numbers handy?
Also, were they dealer-only, or did you find a local parts store that carries them?

 

[Sparky]

They're in the link

26053326 Needle Bearing (3 used)
12471625 Outer Thrust Washer
12471629 Middle Thrust Washer
12471623 Inner Thrust Washer
12479302 Outer CV Shaft Seal
15801507 Inner Shaft Seal

They are dealer parts only, or online from somewhere like GM Parts Giant, GM Parts Direct, etc.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

They're in the link

Oh, you mean that link you took the time to post and then I failed to read?
Thanks for the info though... I'll be calling my dealer back again tomorrow. BTW, do you remember what the cost was on the bag of parts?

 

[Sparky]

Oh, you mean that link you took the time to post and then I failed to read?
Thanks for the info though... I'll be calling my dealer back again tomorrow. BTW, do you remember what the cost was on the bag of parts?

I think I spent around 60 bucks for the bearings, thrust washers, and seals, shipped from GM Parts Direct. I ended up busting my housing when trying to remove it however, so I then spent another $100 on a junkyard disconnect to get a good housing.

Now if you find you need a shift fork I think that thing costs as much as all the bearings and washers combined. But I have a spare in good shape from that other disconnect I bought (along with a collar and possibly a set of gears too), so if you need one let me know before shelling out for the new one.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Thanks, I appreciate that... but hopefully it won't come to that. Any tips on how not to break my housing?

 

[Sparky]

Pray hard.

If it is stuck real good it might break no matter what you do. Most don't break, but sadly some do. I was an unlucky one, but that seems to be typical for my vehicles What I probably should have done is tried more rotational pressure after the bolts were out instead of prying outwards so much, as prying outwards on one side can cock it in the bore and cause it to bind more. Not sure HOW I would have gotten a twisting motion going...

When you do get it off, I would suggest cleaning the bore on the pan and the collar on the disconnect really well, then apply a thin film of anti seize or grease or something on those surfaces so they won't stick together as easily in case you ever have to pull it apart again.

Aside from the inner seal you could probably overhaul the rest of the disconnect with the inner housing still attached to the oil pan. It wouldn't be near as easy as on a bench, but it could probably be done.

 

[seanpooh]

I've tried the Amsoil grease and that's one product I'm not a fan of. Not saying that it is a bad product but the Mobil1 which is my first pick overall in grease is that it's thicker and tackier which seems to hold well in any application. That's some of my conditions when I look into grease. The Amsoil was a bit to "runny/thin" for me.

 

[Playsinsnow]

but there were a few really cold days last Winter during blizzards where it just didn't feel like the front wheels were engaged. Considering what I've seen of how the factory grease can get hard in there, I'm betting it just needs some fresh lube and it will be fine. And if not, it doesn't look like its that difficult to service again once we've gotten all the bolts broken loose the first time.

This was my symptom right before the disconnect crapped out on me. I would lube this up before driving in 4x4 again because the internals have already seen wear if the grease doesn't hold up in the cold. Mobil1, the thick pink stuff, is what I know cold weather guys to use. The stuff hockey man posted should be good too.