Rear Axle Fluid Fill Plug Stuck

[hungryeddy]

I can't get this stupid thing off... my friends seal started to leak and we want to put in a little oil to buy some time to fix it but we can't get the fill plug off... we damn near stripped it by now. tried a ratchet, impact wrench, ect... even tried welding on another bolt and turn that one but it just won't come off... any ideas? what can i do??

 

[Gerdo]

Try an impact wrench. Short bursts tighten then loosen, repeat.

PS apply some anti-seize when you close things up.

 

[hungryeddy]

tried the impact already... the plug has been pretty much rounded off... junk yard axle time?

 

[hungryeddy]

can we add oil through the diff breather for now?

 

[Atlanta_man]

I've seen amazing things happen when you hammer near what you are trying to loosen, while trying to loosen it. Don't even have to hit very hard.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Can you still get a socket to grip the bolt? If so try putting a long piece of pipe over the ratchet.

 

[DC runner]

I had this same problem. A combo of age and rust... I tried everything. Eventually I had to take it to a mechanic's shop and they and to drill it out......


You may need to do that.

 

[helo-mech]

I've seen amazing things happen when you hammer near what you are trying to loosen, while trying to loosen it. Don't even have to hit very hard.

Yeah before the drill out, which may be needed, I would soak it PB Blaster for a while (days maybe) and try the hammer. In fact a combo of all of the above might do the trick. Breaker bar with a friend holding a socket on the bolt after soaking it in PB Blaster, alternating between tighten and loosen directions and stopping every once in a while for the hammer tap.

After that, I would look at grinding a little on a flat to make a spot for LARGE flat tip screw driver up high on the flat for maximum pivot angle. Couple of blows might knock it enough for a socket/breaker bar.

 

[Bad_Vision]

if it was my truck that had a stuck bolt o would get a small piece of bar stock and weld it to the nut so you could put another wrench on it and spin it out and put a new plug in. i have done this MANY times on stuck and broken bolts and nuts.
fast easy cheap.

 

[Tanner]

First idea that came to my mind is to just take the diff breather out and fill through there; for the time being.

For getting the bolt off; people have already posted some great idea's. Couple other idea's is grind two flat edges and clamp some vice grips on there and try that. Another is to weld a nut onto the fill plug and use that with a breaker bar/pipe.

 

[KidVermicious]

can we add oil through the diff breather for now?

Yes, although that'll be a PITA. You'll need to measure how much you're adding, as opposed to just filling until it spills out the check plug.

If your corners are near rounded, find a cheap socket one size smaller, hammer it on flush, then get your breaker bar on that. I've tried cutting slots, I've tried welding nuts, but nothing works as easy as brute force.

When you replace the bolt, get the one made for an allan wrench, and use lots of antiseize. Or just tell your buddy to change his fluids more than once every 5 years.

 

[cgaines]

where can i find a replacement plug, especially a hex head? I have been looking everywhere

 

[Dropzone]

where can i find a replacement plug, especially a hex head? I have been looking everywhere

the dealer
24 mm
https://toyotapartsestore.com/
or
Magnetic Drain Plug w/Aluminum Washer - Trail Gear

i have tossed more of those than I could count.

junkyard too, it is the same plug for most Toyota truck transmissions, transfer cases and differentials

 

[Bmerr98]

Craftsman and maybe some others make sockets for just this kind of thing. The plug/nut/etc will need replaced after, but that was going to need done anyway. Just Google sockets for stripped nuts. There's a bunch out there. This plus the PB Blaster and some hammer time with some patience should do it.