Check yer Front Differential

I've been chasing front brake squeaks lately. '86 Cutlass needed pads, '92 Bravada would've needed some this summer...changed'em out anyway and '97 Bravada pads were in great shape. Applied brake squeak grease to the contact point on the caliper pistons on all so quiet should return BUT while I was checking things out while I had the wheel off the '97, it occured to me that after all these years, I hadn't checked the front differential lube level on either Bravada, so I put the tire back on, let it off the jack and squeezed under with my trusty 15mm combo wrench and removed the plug. Stuck my little finger in and removed same dry. :22yikes: Tried again and the little rascal was dirty but dry. Took about a pint to get a normal level. Same thing with the '92. I'll check the rears real soon.

i watch for coupons and take mine to one of the quick-lube shops every 5k miles. i know they check the diff cause they bring me a sample of the old on a white plate to show me how bad it is and try to upsell me on a gasket and fluid change. i just tell them no thanks, just top it off. don't forget to check the transfer case too. as you said, Chris, dipsticks don't tell the whole story on fluids.

i haven't changed my own oil again since that incident where the load leveler's siamese cat fell into the the drain pan and ran all around the garage shaking off oil and leaving footprints everywhere. well worth the $20 not to ever have to scrub a cat down with dish soap again.