Differential Questions

[msommers]

1) I rounded the darn drain plug on the front diff and now I'm wondering how the heck I'm going to get it off. The fill plug was no problem but the drain is fairly mangled - whoever designed these allen-key bolts I've bought a new drain plug already.

2) Is it fairly easy to take the rear diff cover off without dropping the entire diff? I drained the oil and the drain plug basically had no metal shavings on it but it was pretty sluggy so I'd like to give the inside a wipe if I can without too much hassle.

Thanks!

 

[Gabex35]

The rears don't have covers. The third member slides into the diff. The front Allen head plugs are dumb.,.

 

[eddiebx]

1) I rounded the darn drain plug on the front diff and now I'm wondering how the heck I'm going to get it off. The fill plug was no problem but the drain is fairly mangled - whoever designed these allen-key bolts I've bought a new drain plug already.

2) Is it fairly easy to take the rear diff cover off without dropping the entire diff? I drained the oil and the drain plug basically had no metal shavings on it but it was pretty sluggy so I'd like to give the inside a wipe if I can without too much hassle.

Thanks!

Try either hammering in a slightly larger allen head socket, or maybe even a torx head socket (whatever fits in better)...then hopefully it has enough traction to undo the bolt w/o stripping further.

I'm talking about these kind:

 

[diverscale]

since I have welding equipement in my garage, I would weld a bolt in there, after some superficial surface preparation.

If you have no access to welding equipement, eddibx offers a great solution, and there is a thread about your very problem in the maintenance section, and there is a member in there that offers a really good solution to your problem, I just can't remember what it was!

Edit, I remembered the solution, it was to take a chisel, and hammer it on the side of the fastener, making the chisel penetrate the metal of the fastener, in the counterclockwise direction, you probably sacrifice the chisel, but you might get your bolt undone.

Edit 2:there are the threads and some solutions:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/maintenance-detailing/104236-cannot-remove-front-diff-drain-bolt.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/102711-stripped-front-diff-hex-drain-bolt.html

 

[Antman]

X2 on the bigger torx bit. Hammer it in there, KEEP IT STRAIGHT, and ratchet it out.

If that don't work, you could:

1- use an easy-out
2- Drill it out (last resort)
3- Weld a nut onto the plug and wrench it off.

 

[msommers]

Thanks guys. Sad and kinda relieved I'm not alone on this. Sounds like it'll take some man-handling and a lot of cursing. What a weekend I'm going to have...

 

[jbstrd]

This thread brings up a good tip for DIY'ers changing diff fluid. Always remove your fill plug before your drain plug. Then , if you can not get your fill plug off you can still drive until you figure out a solution instead of being stuck with an empty diff.

 

[<<<<]

Bolt Out:

 

[Canazes9]

X2 on the bigger torx bit. Hammer it in there, KEEP IT STRAIGHT, and ratchet it out.

If that don't work, you could:

1- use an easy-out
2- Drill it out (last resort)
3- Weld a nut onto the plug and wrench it off.

In my limited experience, I have attempted to use an easy out exactly twice and it resulted in exactly two broken easy outs stuck in the damaged bolt. The easy out is made of really hard steel and you can't drill it out (drill bit wears away not ez out...). Then you get to spend a few days using small drill bits to drill around the ez out to finally get that POS out, so you can then drill the damned bolt!

I would reverse your list:

1 - weld a nut onto it, wrench it off. If you don't weld, take it somewhere. This really is the best idea.

2 - drill it if, you have too.

3 - throw those damned ez outs in the trash before they screw you royally! :frisky:


David

 

[Jeremy556]

If you're going to drill, use some reverse drill bits.

 

[Antman]

In my limited experience, I have attempted to use an easy out exactly twice and it resulted in exactly two broken easy outs stuck in the damaged bolt. The easy out is made of really hard steel and you can't drill it out (drill bit wears away not ez out...). Then you get to spend a few days using small drill bits to drill around the ez out to finally get that POS out, so you can then drill the damned bolt!

I would reverse your list:

1 - weld a nut onto it, wrench it off. If you don't weld, take it somewhere. This really is the best idea.

2 - drill it if, you have too.

3 - throw those damned ez outs in the trash before they screw you royally! :frisky:


David

You do realize that I do most things completely the opposite of the masses, right?:loco:

 

[msommers]

Yeah I think I'm going to find someone to weld a nut on. I thought the torx was working and then it got really easy all the sudden...:faint:

FYI, the stock allen key size is a 10mm, 12mm is oversized. T-55 torx seems about stock, T-60 is oversized.

 

[eddiebx]

In my limited experience, I have attempted to use an easy out exactly twice and it resulted in exactly two broken easy outs stuck in the damaged bolt. The easy out is made of really hard steel and you can't drill it out (drill bit wears away not ez out...). Then you get to spend a few days using small drill bits to drill around the ez out to finally get that POS out, so you can then drill the damned bolt!

I would reverse your list:

1 - weld a nut onto it, wrench it off. If you don't weld, take it somewhere. This really is the best idea.

2 - drill it if, you have too.

3 - throw those damned ez outs in the trash before they screw you royally! :frisky:


David

That tool steel is a MAJOR pain in the arse for sure! I've done something similar...I broke an impact bit in the head of the screw that hold the rotors on to the hub, simply because I was too lazy to go grab my drill and drill the screw out (the impact screwdriver was closer, lol).

Long story short, after I broke the bit on the first screw, I spent over an hour and 10-20 drill bits to get that f-in broken bit out. Guess how long it took me to drill out the untouched screws on the other 3 rotors...about 1 minute total, and one drill bit :frusty:
[MENTION=69815]msommers[/MENTION] sucks to hear it's still not budging. In the meantime while you're looking for someone to weld it, maybe you can try the chisel method someone else suggested above. Why Toyota used such a bolt is beyond me. It's as if they purposely want it to get stuck and we have to take it in for service, lol.

 

[msommers]

Yeah I was considering the chisel but I think I'm going to end up needing a welder anyways Otherwise I might just suck it out with a turkey baster or something... Until I have to change the oil again! Maybe being it into the dealer lol

 

[eddiebx]

Yeah I was considering the chisel but I think I'm going to end up needing a welder anyways Otherwise I might just suck it out with a turkey baster or something... Until I have to change the oil again! Maybe being it into the dealer lol

lols, man you've gone this far already, just do it once and do it right! Good luck sir :canada:

 

[msommers]

Got a nut welded on this morning finally. Was a piece of cake to turn after that. He barely put any effort into it to get it off. I must have loosened it before Apparently this is common with the heat to really help loosen it off.

Hopefully some anti-seize helps on the new drain plug when I go to change it again. Otherwise there will be no f*cking around and straight to the welder.

Appreciate all the feedback. Otherwise I'd still be under the truck cursing away!

 

[Canazes9]

Got a nut welded on this morning finally. Was a piece of cake to turn after that. He barely put any effort into it to get it off. I must have loosened it before Apparently this is common with the heat to really help loosen it off.

Hopefully some anti-seize helps on the new drain plug when I go to change it again. Otherwise there will be no f*cking around and straight to the welder.

Appreciate all the feedback. Otherwise I'd still be under the truck cursing away!

Glad you got it fixed! Thanks for posting a follow-up report to let us know how things were resolved.

David