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Servicing the RDM

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#62 ·
Does anyone know if I should have the jeep on level ground or is it ok if it’s on some low profile racing ramps with the front of the car raised by like 2 inches? Will I still be able to fill the RDM relatively full or should I remove the ramps and have the jeep completely level/flat ground ?
 
#63 ·
yodog said:
Does anyone know if I should have the jeep on level ground or is it ok if it’s on some low profile racing ramps with the front of the car raised by like 2 inches? Will I still be able to fill the RDM relatively full or should I remove the ramps and have the jeep completely level/flat ground ?
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I would do it on level ground, or if you need more room, put ramps, or boards of equal height under all four wheels...😉😎
 
#65 ·
sanghill said:
I have 3 quart bottles of RDU gear oil. The old PN, the new PN and some bottled from leftovers. Make me an offer I can't refuse, I'll never need it. I don't think it will ship very well. It is probably considered to be a hazardous material. I can leave the bottles at a local Jeep dealership and you can pick them up there. Anywhere in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, preferably in MD. Or in Garrett County, MD, there are 2 Jeep dealers there.
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Unfortunately I'm in Texas. Just picked up a quart of 68227765AB for $25.35 from the local dealership.
 
#66 ·
Gary Kline said:
10mm may be ok but again, the slot absolutely is made for 3/8" (hence it's square the same as the socket. It's a 3/8" in the photo below). Note, you may have debris/rust in the square that's just making it feel tight. If you have a wire brush or something similar, take out any debris in the hole. This plug is pretty wide and thick. Even using a breaker bar, you won't damage it. Good luck.

View attachment 234371
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I think you misread my post. I said the 3/8 extension seemed loose, not tight. Hence the reason I wanted to try a 10mm square head socket which is a tiny bit bigger than the 3/8in extension.

Also, I don't see how I would fit a breaker bar or a torque wrench unless I put the vehicle on jack stands which I was not planning to do because I don't even have jack stands.
 
#67 ·
rumrunner said:
still working on my 1st cup of coffee, let's see what foggy brain can remember

since my Dad fell & eventually passed a way 2 years ago I've driven about 80k miles to my parents house, now my Mother's house. all that driving finished off Cherokee #1 (also a 2014) w/ 204k miles, it was a limited. got Cherokee #2 last April w/ 24k & now it's up to either 60k or 70k. sorry can't remember, it's such a moving target

so on the sport I've done tires, topped my RDM oil, changed spark plugs & ignition coils. I had 1 coil fail on one of my road trips. the guys here helped me diagnose & fix it roadside w/ the help of an auto parts store. you picked a good forum!
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Oh no, it can be scary to have a vehicle die on you on a road trip in the middle of nowhere or some unfamiliar town. Were you not able to drive it at all with that one failed coil? It's a fear of mine because I take my Cherokee to go skiing a couple times a year.

Couple questions:

1. You mentioned changing spark plugs and ignition coils on your Sport, but I noticed the maintenance schedule says to change spark plugs at 100k miles? So is it better to change them way sooner than 100k miles and also change coils at the same time?

2. Have you had any trouble with he shifter? I heard some people get a "Service Shifter" warning on their dash and they end up having to replace the shifter bezel and wiring which seems to be easy to do for a DIY'er. I am curious if I should order these (bezel and wiring) because it will soon happen to my Cherokee. Again, I only have 39,000 miles on mine.
 
#69 ·
yodog said:
You make me laugh! 🤣 or I could just be extra unsafe and jack up the rear while the front is on low profile ramps! lol!
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I have enough room under mine to do just about anything with it on the ground, with the exception of maybe dropping the transmission or something, but I also have a lift, if needed...😁😉😎
 
#71 · (Edited)
Okinawa Diver said:
Were you not able to drive it at all with that one failed coil?

1. You mentioned changing spark plugs and ignition coils on your Sport, but I noticed the maintenance schedule says to change spark plugs at 100k miles? So is it better to change them way sooner than 100k miles and also change coils at the same time?

2. Have you had any trouble with he shifter? I heard some people get a "Service Shifter" warning on their dash and they end up having to replace the shifter bezel and wiring which seems to be easy to do for a DIY'er. I am curious if I should order these (bezel and wiring) because it will soon happen to my Cherokee. Again, I only have 39,000 miles on mine.
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do not fear all possible negative thoughts. work the problems as they arise
keep you ears & eyes open
get to know your machine, so you can recognize something amiss
if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

it was drivable but just barely. you can read the roadside repair issue, as-it-happened ... here
Darnit on the side of the road

I think I posted a link earlier in this thread toward "4wd temporarily unavailable" turned out to be the battery, but I topped off my RDM anyway
 
#72 ·
yodog said:
Does anyone know if I should have the jeep on level ground or is it ok if it’s on some low profile racing ramps with the front of the car raised by like 2 inches? Will I still be able to fill the RDM relatively full or should I remove the ramps and have the jeep completely level/flat ground ?
Click to expand...
No problem as long as your angle isn't grossly off (e.g. front elevated by 8-10"). The differential in the RDM picks up the gear oil and flings it around inside the unit while driving anyway so it take a significant drop in level to cause a negative effect.
 
#73 ·
Just to make sure, topping the RDM in my Cherokee 2015 TH AD2,
1. Both right and left fill holes should be topped, and with the same oil, 70w80 (no ATF or servo or only right hole).
Right?

2. Couldn't find Mopar 70w80 here and couldn't get it from the US (tried several places but "the gear lubricant is classified as a hazmat item and may not be able to ship international").
These are the closest ones I found here - which one do you think fits?
75w80:
  • Valvoline Gear Oil 75W80 RPC
  • Motul Motyl Gear 75W80
  • Castrol Transmax Manual 75W80 V
75W85:
  • Motul Motyl Gear 75W85

3. Top or replace the oil? with the above oil, what do you think?
 
#74 ·
Assi said:
Just to make sure, topping the RDM in my Cherokee 2015 TH AD2,
1. Both right and left fill holes should be topped, and with the same oil, 70w80 (no ATF or servo or only right hole).
Right?

2. Couldn't find Mopar 70w80 here and couldn't get it from the US (tried several places but "the gear lubricant is classified as a hazmat item and may not be able to ship international").
These are the closest ones I found here - which one do you think fits?
75w80:
  • Valvoline Gear Oil 75W80 RPC
  • Motul Motyl Gear 75W80
  • Castrol Transmax Manual 75W80 V
75W85:
  • Motul Motyl Gear 75W85

3. Top or replace the oil? with the above oil, what do you think?
Click to expand...
#1. For your 2015, correct, both sides are regular oil. Note, there was a change on newer AD2 RDMs (2018 or 2019+?) where there's no reservoir on top anymore. I haven't seen one of those 'live' but I'd assume it's the same setup. Only way to be sure is to open the fill plug and confirm it's the same gear oil as the left.

#2. If you cannot get 70W-80, I'd go with any of those 75W-80's that say "GL-5" on the label. (in a 2015, you could probably get away with the 85 also but I'd probably stick with a GL-5 80). In the end you don't really need 70W in Israel (seasons are hot, hotter and hottest) ;)

3. Suction some out and look at it. Is it brown and clearly worn or does it not look bad? If bad, replace, if not that bad, you can just top off. Note, the RDM shouldn't really need topping off unless it's leaking (which is usually through the driver's seal which I think in an old post you mentioned was happening to your Cherokee, no?)
 
#75 · (Edited)
Image
Gary Kline said:
#1. For your 2015, correct, both sides are regular oil. Note, there was a change on newer AD2 RDMs (2018 or 2019+?) where there's no reservoir on top anymore. I haven't seen one of those 'live' but I'd assume it's the same setup. Only way to be sure is to open the fill plug and confirm it's the same gear oil as the left.

#2. If you cannot get 70W-80, I'd go with any of those 75W-80's that say "GL-5" on the label. (in a 2015, you could probably get away with the 85 also but I'd probably stick with a GL-5 80). In the end you don't really need 70W in Israel (seasons are hot, hotter and hottest) ;)

3. Suction some out and look at it. Is it brown and clearly worn or does it not look bad? If bad, replace, if not that bad, you can just top off. Note, the RDM shouldn't really need topping off unless it's leaking (which is usually through the driver's seal which I think in an old post you mentioned was happening to your Cherokee, no?)
Click to expand...
My RDM doesn't show any signs of leaking. But when I opened the fill holes there was some oil missing (see the picture). The oil itself actually looks not so bad.

I vacuumed most of the oil, filled with
Motul Motyl Gear 75W80
And done.
 
#76 ·
Assi said:
My RDM doesn't show any signs of leaking. But when I opened the fill holes there was some oil missing (see the picture). The oil itself actually looks not so bad.

I vacuumed most of the oil, filled with
Motul Motyl Gear 75W80
And done.
Click to expand...
Hey @Assi,

Yes, that's not bad at all. Just for comparison, the photos below are from when I did the first vacuum/fill of my RDM about 2 years ago. About the same.

=====BEFORE=====
Image
Image



=====AFTER=====

Image
Image
 
#78 ·
sanghill said:
I top up at least annually. My left axle seal weeps. My magnetic plugs have never had that many metal filings. Only a slight amount of very fine particals. I use OEM gear oil.
My offroad trips are not nearly as severe as yours.
Encouraging you figured out how to remove gear oil. I never figured it out.
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How many miles do you typically drive annually and how much gear oil do you add annually (approximately)? The reason I ask is I just added a little bit of gear oil to my RDM and I am trying to establish how often I should be adding gear oil.
 
#80 ·
Gary Kline said:
Hi @Okinawa Diver,

Question.... is your RDM leaking? (the RDM is a sealed unit so doesn't lose oil unless there's a leak - usually from the driver's side axle seal).
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Yes, it is leaking. Discovered the leak several weeks ago at approximately 38,500 miles. Added probably no more than 200ml of gear oil recently.

Now I figured I should set a strict interval of how often I should be adding gear oil to my RDM. Maybe every 3000 miles?

And of course now I will be paranoid about taking my Cherokee on long trips. What a nightmare.

Can this issue actually be fixed or is it likely to start leaking again once the seal is replaced?
 
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