On our below listed 2010 Damon Challenger 368 on the F53 chassis the rear dif is welded in on the back. No way to get the cover off. I did notice on the front of the diff, right at about where the drive shaft slides in is what looks like a drain/fill plug, about half way up the diff on the passenger side. The type you insert a socket wrench with an extension. I'm assuming I need to siphon out the fluid there and fill there as well?Also, on our transmission there is a small bolt on the bottom of the pan on the driver side. Looks like a 7/16, maybe 1/2". Could this be a drain plug? This small? I wanna drain and replace the filter and gasket so I'm gonna take the pan off anyway. It would be nice to drain the fluid out before I drop the pan though. Thanks,Bob

Are you sure you don't also have a drain plug on the bottom of the dif. It will be like the fill plug you found on the side. The plug in the drain pan on the trans. is the drain plug. You may also have a inline trans filter. On my friends F53 it is up near the radiator pass. side in the return line for the trans cooler. Looks like a small can that unscrews.

John Wayne wrote:Are you sure you don't also have a drain plug on the bottom of the dif. It will be like the fill plug you found on the side. The plug in the drain pan on the trans. is the drain plug. You may also have a inline trans filter. On my friends F53 it is up near the radiator pass. side in the return line for the trans cooler. Looks like a small can that unscrews.Thanks for the quick reply. I'm sure there is no drain plug under the diff. Didnt know there was a trans inline filter, I'll look for that tomorrow or Friday. Thank you

I think you have a Dana S110/S130 axle.From the S110/S130 Service Manual (Page 46):"Remove the bottom two carrier to housing capscrews and allow the lube to drain into a suitable container."

I think you'll find all the bolts on the F-53 are metric. The rear axle was filled with synthetic gear oil and it shouldn't need changing. Be sure to check you're owner's manual so you'll be able to correctly select the lubricants you need. As I remember, the 2000 F-53 had a drain plug on the torque converter but that was eliminated in later years. :(

I just asked this question on he Forest River Forum and Ford Truck Forum. It's not an S110, but even bigger. It holds near 5 gallons of gear oil. There is a drain plug on the bottom of the housing, and then fill it though the fill plug on the side or back of the cover. It's not going to be a cheap service as the fluid is around $10 qt!The trans is easy, drain the fluid through the drain plug and drop the pan and replace the filter. The pan basket is reusable. Should be Mercon LV.

Diff, transmission maintenance questions | Good Sam Community

13 Replies

tderonne
Explorer
Oct 03, 2019
I think you have a Dana S110/S130 axle.

From the S110/S130 Service Manual (Page 46):

"Remove the bottom two carrier to housing capscrews and allow the lube to drain into a suitable container."
RJL
Explorer
Oct 02, 2019
John Wayne wrote:
Are you sure you don't also have a drain plug on the bottom of the dif. It will be like the fill plug you found on the side. The plug in the drain pan on the trans. is the drain plug. You may also have a inline trans filter. On my friends F53 it is up near the radiator pass. side in the return line for the trans cooler. Looks like a small can that unscrews.

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm sure there is no drain plug under the diff. Didnt know there was a trans inline filter, I'll look for that tomorrow or Friday.

Thank you
John_Wayne
Explorer II
Oct 02, 2019
Are you sure you don't also have a drain plug on the bottom of the dif. It will be like the fill plug you found on the side. The plug in the drain pan on the trans. is the drain plug. You may also have a inline trans filter. On my friends F53 it is up near the radiator pass. side in the return line for the trans cooler. Looks like a small can that unscrews.

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Diff, transmission maintenance questions

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