This practice is NOT always true , as I found out .
I always cared about my diffs , changing oils every 25- 30 thou. miles . Never experienced any shavings or black crud on magnetic plug or discoloration in oil and yet my front DIFF started to growl and grind on deceleration indicating a failing left bearing inside diff by half shaft.
I also wanted to add , that my front diff was noise free right until around 165 000 miles or so , so care is important.

 

Morris, this is exactly what I am planning for a later date, but at this point I only forsee getting an airlocking rear. MAYBE front down the road but I need the cash for other projects...

I may PM you at some point, that kit is exactly what I am eyeing.

Appreciate the advice, but aren't you talking about a D2, not a D3? I haven't seen diffs for anything less than 900 online (refurbished), and parts trucks for the D3's in scrapyards seem to be rare at this point.

For all others: thank you for your input! Currently strategizing on where to source either a diff, or the parts to replace bearings and seals. Looks like the current plan is to go for broke with a few bearings/seals and if that doesn't solve the problem then I will eventually swap the unit. Following that up I will eventually also replace the rear with a locker from ARB, but for now my objective is to simply address the slightly growling front diff, especially for the high mileage the truck is getting weekly (~500mi)

 

I think he was definitely thinking a D2 diff. Ive never seen an LR3 diff go for $80.

And to clarify, I was speaking of the $400 Atlantic British bearing kit that was linked in the original post, not an entire diff. And yes, $260 is what we sell it for.

 

I think the $80 was for a scrap yard diff.

 

Even then I have never managed to find a 3 in a scrapyard myself but I have to imagine IF I did find one and they knew what it was it would cost me at least a few hundred.