For years, few if any Standard-Triumph cars had a diff drain plug. This was
one of those hare-brained concepts aimed at reducing service costs so the
salesman (sorry, salesPERSON) could onward sell 'cost benefits.' The idea
was that oil was so good, it would last the life of the
car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fine or just OK, if the planned vehicle life was ten years at the maximum
(which is what it was anyway) and as much use as parsley on boiled fish if
the car lasted as long as it has - which many have.
AFAIK, both my Triumphs are still running oil in their diffs that was first
put in at 1970 and 1974 build!!! Sure, the diffs are noisy (but few are
quiet anyway) and when I sniffed the oil after probing with a finger, it
smelled as though a thousand tomcats had been in there. A drain plug is an
excellent idea but care needs to be taken to avoid swarf getting in the
gears when drilling and tapping the hole. I've fitted a plug in one of my
spare diffs but ensured the inside was totally clean before any work was
done. Removed the backplate, washed off the gear cluster and inner case with
kero under pressure, allowed to drain off, and then we drilled and tapped
the hole.
Ensure the jiggle pin at the top of the diff is sloppy in its housing to
allow the diff to breathe when re-fitted.
Jonmac
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