Stripped Front Diff. Hex Drain Bolt
- Thread starter josh.bunch
- Start date
mtbtim
Elite Member
Well, you are sort of correct. If you're having difficulty breaking it free, apply heat and then try again. BUT, if you've already stripped it, now you need to find a way to get it out. There's not a tool I know of that could get onto that front diff drain plug. It's recessed between two fins of the diff and not even a plumbers basin wrench would fit in the there. You pretty much have to do what we did by welding the socket onto the plug, welding a nut onto the plug so you can get a socket on there or your use a hammer and chisel to knock it loose.
Last edited:
mtbtim
Elite Member
Like I responded to [MENTION=78997]Drcoffee[/MENTION], I think the application of heat is a great idea to facilitate the removal of the plug. But, once the plug is stripped, you have to figure out a way to loosen the drain plug and the method we used is one of 3 I've heard that works.
Drcoffee
Senior Member
Okay so what I did was to torch it, then used a chissel and hammer on the outer edge of the drain plug to rotate the plug. Then installed a new plug. $12.
You want all my secrets.
mtbtim
Elite Member
It's not a secret anymore [MENTION=78997]Drcoffee[/MENTION]. A video will be coming out soon to a theatre near you mentioning your secret chisel and hammer technique.
thenightman
New member
Why get a new plug, and go through all this again? Why not put back in your improved plug back in. I put my welded bolt plug back on. This plug design is not Toyota's crowning achievement in engineering. I did not want to go through all that hassle again. I had Intended on smearing some anitseize on the threads as well, but forgot.
Snowden
New member
Definitely that is one idea. And I absolutely did think about doing exactly that. Pondered the idea for a while. But in the end, for me, decided it would just seem a bit too odie'doh hanging there like that. It's cool, next time I'd take heat to it first if it gave me any struggle, before strtipping the darn thing which was my initial mistake this time. But yes definitely one could do as you suggest I don't think there is any clearancing issue at all that would prevent that.
Clearly I am not alone in getting to a 'rescue mission' on this darn drain plug. The last time I had the front diff gear oil changed I had Toyota do it so I'll bet they torqued that plug down hard again. The idea of Tim [MENTION=120071]mtbtim[/MENTION] doing a little film on it is to promote solution sharing for the folks that ended up in this same position many of us have. Also allot of these Runners are being bought on the used market now with hundreds of thousands of miles and I'd wager many of those never had the front diff gear oil changed ever. I'll bet those plugs are damn near welded to the diff housing at this point.
Last edited:
Looking forward to it Tim
mtbtim
Elite Member
Stripped Differential Drain Plug Removal
Hey Dudes,
Here's the video [MENTION=133775]Snowden[/MENTION] and I made for addressing a stripped front differential drain plug.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hFnOejt3VIU" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Hey Dudes,
Here's the video [MENTION=133775]Snowden[/MENTION] and I made for addressing a stripped front differential drain plug.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hFnOejt3VIU" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I am going to do my fluid changes soon. I am definitely going to go to heat BEFORE I even try to turn the plug. Thanks for all the input on this thread.
One thing I want to try is using Liquid wrench for a couple of days then hit the plug with a torch. I am going to then hit the plug with "canned air". I think (hope) the heat and then instant cooling with the air will expand and contract the metal enough to break the plug free.
Any particular fluids you guys like for the front and rear diffs and transfer case?
One thing I want to try is using Liquid wrench for a couple of days then hit the plug with a torch. I am going to then hit the plug with "canned air". I think (hope) the heat and then instant cooling with the air will expand and contract the metal enough to break the plug free.
Any particular fluids you guys like for the front and rear diffs and transfer case?
mtbtim
Elite Member
I was helping [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] recently with some fluid changes on one of his 3rd Gens and of course the front diff drain plug would not budge. I evenly heated up around the circumference of the plug with a butane torch for around 30 seconds and then tried again. The plug broke free without a fight. Heat is definitely your friend when trying to get that drain plug out.
Ron Burgandy
New member
also tap the wrench with a hammer while your putting tension on it will often shock it loose, with heat of course.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
mikesayboom
New member
has anyone tried jb welding a hex socket on the drain plug? Stripped mine a couple of days ago during my long list of maintenance I’ve been doing. Was going to bug jb weld tomorrow and try it out.
You can try it, but quite sure it won't work.
Good luck though!
The trick is to make sure the inside of the hex bolt is free of all debris and you use a good quality hex wrench that's the correct size.
Then you have to make sure that you apply force parallel to the bolt head.
Not angled at all.
Good luck and cursing appropriately helps as well.
Joshv4runner
Member
Dammit. Add me to the list too.
Stripped my front drain bolt on the diff. Saw where a guy on YouTube bought a Irwin 7/16 screw extractor to get the bolt out. I cannot get the extractor deep enough in the stripped bolt to be able to turn. Is it safe to keep hammering it down till the extractor is fully seated in?
Stripped my front drain bolt on the diff. Saw where a guy on YouTube bought a Irwin 7/16 screw extractor to get the bolt out. I cannot get the extractor deep enough in the stripped bolt to be able to turn. Is it safe to keep hammering it down till the extractor is fully seated in?
