Differential & transfer case service
Red Line gear oil in every axle, the correct fluid in every transfer case, and a look at every seal while we are in there. Flat prices, ordered for your vehicle ahead of time.
What gear service costs
Both differentials and the transfer case in one visit, with Red Line GL-5 in every axle and the right fluid in the transfer case. The price on this page is the price on the invoice — no shop supply fee, no disposal fee, nothing added at the counter.
Gear Service
$379Toyota $399 — the transfer case takes gear oilFront and rear differential fluid plus transfer case fluid, with a look at every seal while we are in there.
Grease & Torque
$139Every grease point on the vehicle, plus a torque check on all suspension hardware. If you run a lift, this is the one that keeps bolts where they belong.
Limited-slip friction modifier is included where the axle requires it. Gear oil is ordered per vehicle, so gear service needs to be scheduled ahead rather than added at drop-off.
The fluid nobody checks until it is too late
Differentials and transfer cases breathe through vent tubes. Drive through deep water and they pull moisture in as they cool, which turns gear oil milky and goes to work on the bearings. Low-range crawling, towing and long climbs cook it from the other direction. It is the service trail miles make necessary and the one most shops never bring up.
Water crossings
A hot axle dunked in a cold creek pulls water past its vent. One crossing deep enough to reach the axle tubes is reason enough to have the fluid looked at.
Low range and towing
Crawling in low range and pulling a trailer put the ring and pinion under sustained load, and heat breaks gear oil down faster than miles do.
Bigger tires
Larger, heavier tires ask more of every gear in the driveline. The oil protecting them is doing more work than the factory interval assumed.
Seals while we are in there
Every gear service includes a look at the axle, pinion and transfer case seals. A wet seal found now is far cheaper than the bearing it would starve.
Protect what you just serviced
A differential cover and a transfer case hang lower than almost anything else under a lifted truck, and they are the first things a rock finds. Gear service is the easiest time to armor them: the cover is already off and the fluid is already being changed, so a heavy-duty cover goes on in the same visit instead of meaning a second drain and refill later.
Heavy-duty differential covers
Thick steel or cast covers that take a rock strike instead of passing it to your ring and pinion. Many also move the fill plug somewhere easier to reach, which makes every gear service after this one simpler.
Differential & transfer case skid plates
Bolt-on plates that take the hit before the axle housing, the pinion or the transfer case does — so a misjudged line ends with a scrape on a plate instead of a cracked case and an empty axle.
The Full Maintenance Package
The hard part of maintaining a 4x4 is not any single service — it is getting the vehicle in the air in the first place. So when it is already up there, we do all of it: oil and filter, both differentials, the transfer case, every grease point, and a torque check on every suspension fastener on the vehicle.
Full Maintenance Package
$579$609 for 8-quart engines$627 if the same work is booked separately.
- Full synthetic oil & filter
- Front differential service
- Rear differential service
- Transfer case service
- Red Line GL-5 gear oil
- Every grease point
- Suspension torque check
- 4x4 inspection
Plan on most of a day. Gear oil is ordered per vehicle, so let us know when you book and we will have the right weight here waiting. Want it on a mileage schedule instead? See our 5K, 15K, 30K and 60K packages.
One gear oil, and it is not the cheap one
Every differential we service gets Red Line GL-5. We do not stock a house-brand gear oil and we do not offer a cheaper fill, because the difference between good gear oil and adequate gear oil shows up exactly where you cannot see it — on a ring and pinion, under load, hot.
It matters more than people expect on late-model Jeeps. The JL and JT call for a GL-5 gear oil meeting Mopar’s specification, and outside of Mopar’s own fluid there is very little on a parts store shelf that actually meets it. Plenty of vehicles get filled with something close enough. We would rather order the right oil for your axle and have you wait a day for it.
How often: once a year
Gear service once a year for any vehicle that goes off‑road
Most of our customers book it at the start of the season, so they head out on fresh fluid, or at the end, so the water and grit from a summer of trails comes out before the truck sits all winter. Either works — what matters is that it happens every year, whatever the odometer says.
What the manuals say
Every manufacturer publishes a severe-service schedule for trucks that tow, see dirt roads, or go off-road. Treat these as the minimum. A truck that sees water crossings or spends its weekends in low range needs the fluid changed more often than the mileage alone suggests.
| Vehicle | Differentials | Transfer case |
|---|---|---|
| Jeep Wrangler JL, JK & Gladiator JT | Every 40,000 miles for off-road use or frequent towing | Every 60,000 miles with frequent towing; inspected at 30,000 |
| Toyota Tacoma & 4Runner | Every 15,000 miles when towing; inspected every 15,000 | Every 30,000 miles on dirt or dusty roads |
| Ford Bronco | Front axle every 30,000 miles or 2 years in hard off-road use | Every 30,000 miles or 2 years in hard off-road use |
| Ford F-150 | Any time an axle has been submerged | Any time it has been submerged |
| Ram 1500 | Every 30,000 miles for off-road use or frequent towing | Inspected at 150,000 |
| Chevy Silverado & GMC Sierra 1500 | Inspected, no set interval | Every 50,000 miles on the severe schedule |
Summarized from current owner’s manuals and maintenance guides. Whatever the mileage, fluid that looks milky after a water crossing should come out.
Related services
Oil Changes
Full synthetic oil and filter with a 4x4 inspection, on its own or in the Full Maintenance Package.
View → 02Maintenance Packages
Gear service built into a mileage schedule for your specific vehicle.
View → 03Seals & Bearings
A wet pinion or a leaking axle seal found during gear service, fixed before it costs you a bearing.
View → 04Ball Joints
Play we find while the front end is up usually traces back to a joint that has had enough.
View →Gear service FAQ
How much is differential and transfer case service?
$379 for both differentials and the transfer case, or $399 on a Toyota, whose transfer case takes gear oil. A single differential is $179 and the transfer case alone is $99. 3/4- and 1-ton trucks are quoted because their axles hold far more oil.
What is included in the Full Maintenance Package?
Oil and filter, front and rear differential service, transfer case service, every grease point on the vehicle, a torque check on all suspension hardware, and the 4x4 inspection. It is $579 up to 6 quarts or $609 up to 8, which saves $48 over booking the same work separately. Plan on most of a day.
Why does gear service have to be scheduled ahead?
We order Red Line gear oil per vehicle rather than stocking every weight, so we need to know what is coming before you drop it off. It is the trade-off for putting the correct oil in your axle instead of whatever is already on the shelf.
How often should differential fluid be changed?
On a street-driven vehicle gear oil lasts a long time. Off-road use changes that: any water crossing deep enough to reach an axle vent can pull moisture in as the housing cools, and milky gear oil needs to come out before it damages bearings and gears. If your rig sees water, deep mud or hard towing, have it checked at least once a season.
What is a Lube Locker and do I need one?
It is a reusable differential cover gasket that replaces silicone sealant. It makes future service cleaner and quicker, and it will not weep the way a poorly applied sealant bead can. We install them where one is made for your axle, at $55 per axle. JL and JT Jeeps already come with a reusable gasket from the factory.
Why do you only use Red Line gear oil?
Because we would rather use one excellent gear oil than several adequate ones. It also solves a real problem on late-model Jeeps: the JL and JT call for a GL-5 oil meeting Mopar’s specification, and very little on a parts store shelf actually meets it.
Do you regear or install lockers?
No. We service differentials and transfer cases — fluid, seals and gaskets — but we do not regear axles or install lockers.
Are there extra fees at the counter?
No. The price on this page is the price on the invoice, with disposal and shop supplies already covered. Limited-slip friction modifier is included where your axle requires it.
What customers say
5.0 from 46 Google reviews
Great guys! Met them by chance off a 4by4 form and go to them for my oil changes, change filters and run specials so watch for them. We joined their group on Facebook cant say enough about just good people.
I had brake pads, rotors, & wheel bearings replaced and brake lines flushed on a 1992 4 WD Toyota Pickup by Zach Adams, Owner | Off-Camber 4x4 Garage. I live in Hawaii and my son is living in Greeley attending college at FRCC. I contacted Zach by e-mail asking if he could do this work for me since other businesses would not work on the truck because of the year. Zach was very professional, helpful, and accommodating through the whole process. I highly recommend him for any 4x4 work !
Zach and Keith put new brake pads and rotors on my equinox in under 3 hours. They were kind and professional. I highly recommend Off-Camber 4x4 Garage for any work you need done on your vehicle.
My rear brakes were grinding. And I was worried about the bearings. So I took it in and they identified the problem and fixed it in just a few hours with new rotors brakes. I’ll be referring many people there. Great people great service easy to work with.
Replaced Rotors and new pads. Outstanding service and workmanship. These guys are my new go to mechanics.
Great job repairing my rear tire mount.
Zach did an excellent job replacing my Jeeps ball joints. Very satisfied with the joints he suggested and the work that was done.
Zach did some suspension work on my truck and it came out great, he was quick and the price was fair. Will definitely be back for more work in the future.
Get your gear oil looked at
Differential and transfer case fluid service with Red Line gear oil in Windsor, CO, for 4x4s from Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland and across Northern Colorado.