Ok, here is the deal. I changed my front differential oil yesterday, and even with my friends 24" breaker bar, I had a REALLY hard time getting the fill plug loose. When I went around to the rear axle, i found the shoulders to be quite round on my fill plug. I put a 15/16" socket on there, because that's what felt right, and put just a regular ratchet on it. It just rounded the bolt even more. I then put a pair of channel locks on the thing, but I couldn't make it budge. If this thing is on anything like as tight as the plug up front, I think I'm in BIG trouble. How in the hell am I going to be able to get this thing off? Any tricks/advice would be appreciatiated.

Thanks,

K.Ray

 

Maybe weld a bar to it and get it off like that then get a new plug

 

lots of people having this problem lately. tap (pound) the bolt head with a BFH. give it a few squirts of liquid wrench and worst case scenario, weld on another bolt to the head. have a new bolt ready to replace the old one before it is removed.

 

Get some PB blaster on it. Let it sit overnight.

And get some metric tools, as you have found "felt right" ain't right.

 

Hey KRay, I've had this trouble with a few of those bolts. Here's a surefire way to get it off:

1) Go to the store, buy a can of PB blaster and a sturdy, medium sized chisel.
2) Go the Toyota stealership and buy a factory replacement bolt.
3) Squirt the PB all over the stuck bolt, let it sit for a few hours or overnight.
4) Tap on the edge of the bolt head, with the blade tangent to the shank of the bolt. In other words, NOT pointed straight toward the center of the bolt head. This will shock-load the bolt in torsion and it should come right off.

Your old bolt is now out and destroyed, replace it with the new one.

If this does not work, then get a torch and heat up the bolt. Try the chisel trick again.

 

Thanks guys. Rustbucket, isnt it a bad idea to have a torch under there? I just bought the truck, but as I recall, the gas tank isnt far away. I will have to try that. I do have metric tools, but I think the shoulders are too far gone for a metric socket to be of much help. I will have to do this when I get home for Christmas break. I go to school in a small town of 9,000 and we have no stealership. How much does that bolt run?

 

remember....right tighty lefty loosey.

Thats all the helpful advice Ic an dispense for today.

 

I had this problem on my old car. I used Rustbucket's method, works pretty well. Just make sure you have a good sized hammer

 

Ray,

All you need is a little propane torch, you're not going to be in any kind of danger of explosions

http://www.wabfab.org/products/diffe...ferentials.htm

Wab Fab sells diff drain plugs that are better than stock. Just pick one up there, pretty cheap.

 

when i have a stripped bolt i soak it in pb blaster. then get a 6 point socket, have a new bolt handy so you just trash the old one once you get it off. then go get some valve lapping compound. apply it to the head of the bolt around the rounded edges. use a 1/2 inch drive ratchet with a big bar on it.. usually i use my jack handle. the Valve lapping compound fills in the gaps from being rounded off. trust me it works. i had a headbolt on a honda stripped and i mean rounded to death!! put the lapping compound and bam it came off.....

 

One other trick I've used to get locking lug nuts off of rims is to go one size down on a socket set and pound it on with a BFH. Do this after you use PB blaster. Then all you need is a long breaker bar to take it off. It ruins the socket but it works.

 

Hummm. . . yeah I thought of that, but I do like my sockets. Maybe if I borrowed a friends socket. . . . .

 

Buy a cheapo Stanley socket from Wal-Mart, etc.

Rob

 

The OEM drain/fill plugs suck as I just had to weld something on one of mine to get it out and then I am replacing all of mine with these on my 85 ext cab.


Magnetic Drain Plug
Magnetic Drain Plugs are a great way of keeping metal from building up in the oil. Low profile design uses recessed 10mm Allen socket. Your choice of Aluminum or steel washers. Aluminum washers are designed for transfer cases, and aluminum transmissions (G, W & R series). Steel washer is designed for axle housings and steel transmissions (L series).

http://www.wabfab.org/products/diffe...ferentials.htm

 

Use an impact socket, it will withstand being beat onto a larger bolt head without getting trashed.....regular chrome socket will be toast. You can also use a flat file to get you close before using the BFH on the impact socket.

 

Never try and remove a stubborn bolt with a 12 point socket. Hammering it a lot with the use of PB blaster works wonders. May have to beat it until you are tired but it works. Parts stores have special sockets for rounded heads. Heat works too.

 

I recently (week and a half ago) did the same thing. tried getting the bolt off with a 12 point 24mm socket. rounded the shoulders.

couldn't find a 6 point socket ANYWHERE! sears: nope, home depot: nope, friggin' pawn shops: NOPE! finally settled on using the "gator grip" that i got from sears. it actually worked! was semi-surprised. maybe it'll work for you too? it's even on sale...may be worth it.

got the new bolt from the dealer for $4.34. add all the gaskets to replace the old: totaled $15.16! not bad. i like the ones brian are selling though...i even bought a new set of hex sockets from harbor freight for $14 to remove the front diff bolts (10mm and 12mm for pre-1999 diffs). these would work with the new bolts from wabbit. good luck!

p.s. i found a six point 24mm socket from GI Joe's two days ago...

 

24mm 6 point wrench

 

The easiest way is to take a large bolt, cut the shaft so that it's 1/4" long (just enough to give you room to weld), put the cut end of the shaft on the head of the diff plug, and weld it on. Just the heat generated from welding will loosen the plug, then you should be able to spin it off with a 1/2" ratchet and correct size socket on the new bolt you welded on.

 

+1 on the torch to heat it up. PB blaster works wonders. Also beating the hell out of it. I dont' know if you can but a stripped bolt removing socket that big at a local parts store. I have some but I think they only go up to like 17mm.