Front differential metal shavings.

Joe did you happen to look through the oil when you drained it? In other words did you dump it through a strainer or maybe take your hands and reach around there and see if you felt any pieces that the plug did not catch?

Another thing you could do is if you're going to swap plugs for a while you could put conventional oil instead of synthetic. And then at some interval even if you don't see anything on the plug you could drain that conventional out at like 25 - 50,000 miles or something like that and pour through a strainer and see if you see any other pieces of metal.

You've got to isolate if it's going to get worse or if somehow that was it.

 

If you didn't do it, there's always a chance buddy dropped the plug in the pan and it grabbed the chunky from there.

 

I dont know how you otr guys deal with the stress of being an owner op. Its bad enough being local. Hopefully when you check the plug next time, it will be clean. Good luck op

 

Wow, I bought the rear half of a brand new truck the was hit in the front for 3,500 bucks. Still had paint on the brake drums. Just had them torch the frame and took it home.

 

Who needs a lab when parts are checking out? Fine metal is normal wear. Pieces is trouble.

 

I've seen some pretty nasty oil and magnetic drain plugs that come out looking like Christmas trees. And who knows how long they had been like that and they continued to run like that.

If there isn't excessive play on the input or output shafts (up, down, side to side and rotational) and not making much noise I probably wouldn't worry to much. But in the other hand if you are OTR would suck to have to get towed to who knows where to get it replaced. If you plan to keep the truck I would seriously think about replacing it. If you are going to sell the truck and it's something that has value in the first place new parts never hurt resale

 

I agree, oil samples are more for the crankcase, to show bearing bits and coolant. Axles and transmissions, metal is metal.

 

Mine was leaking when I bought the Truck, at 875k. Started leaking again, around 1.5mi. Yoke came loose. Almost lost the driveshaft. Replaced seal again. Torqued the yoke again. I’ve since bought a upgraded 750lb torque nut for the yoke. Haven’t put it on yet. I hear they’re one time use. Might explain why it came loose. Now I’m at 2.3 mil plus. Only changed the oil once at about 1.3 mil. Still looks new. I can only say what I would do, not what’s best. I’d run it. Maybe check it again, if it haunts me. Maybe drain the new fluid into a clean pan, check it, and reuse it. I’d probably just pull the drain plug once or twice over the next couple months, hold a rag over the hole, check the magnet, put it back and top it off. When I first bought the Truck, I figured I’d need new rears around 1 mil. Now after 2.3 mil. I hardly think about them. Drive it right, don’t ever let them spin, not even a little bit. They’ll last a long time. If I recall, Synthetic is good for 750k, same as new factory warranty on rears.For what it’s worth, when I changed mine, I used the thicker 140w instead of 90w. One 5 gal. Bucket, Super S synthetic, and 1 gal Lucas 140 synthetic in each. I preferred Mobil or Shell, but the Super S was half the price at the Companies Retail store. I decided to use the expensive Lucas, just for good Luck. Thicker oil probably cost me some fuel economy, but like Luggers Drives. Worth it to Me.

 

you are lucky to have found that