Strippted Front Diff Drain Plug Removal Tips (aka: what not to do)

[alumarine]

All I can suggest is don't torque it to 48 ft lbs.
For drain and fill plugs I use my elbow torque wrench and just tighten it enough.
I've never had one get loose.

Also for allan and torx fittings make sure there is no debris in them.

So, after all this trouble getting the old stripped out drain plug and putting a new one in, torquing it to the proper 48 ft/lbs, and using the copper washer and all; Went to drain the front diff again last weekend and it was stuck again. Once again it was stuck enough that it ended up getting stripped again to where only the Irwin extractor would get the thing out (loves those extractors though!).

So, put another drain plug on order at the local Toyota dealership, but it got me wondering: is there a better solution that I'm missing here? I've read in a couple different spots now that have said the drain plug part number was updated so it now has a 12mm hex on it versus the original 10mm. The one I replaced it with was 10mm, though I got that off of Amazon. Hoping the dealership has one of these supposed upgraded drain plugs with the larger hex.

Grrrrrrr

 

[jahdai42]

Ended up getting the stupid plug out tonight. Dewalt 1/2" impact wrench, GEARWRENCH 1/2" Drive Hex Bit Impact Metric Socket 10mm, sprayed the hell out of it with the WD40 rust release. The impact wrench was smoking by the time it got the plug out.

 

[Riceye]

If I'm not mistaken, both front and rear diffs and the transfer case drain and fill plugs share the same m18x1.5 thread. Earlier this fall when performing my 4runner's annual service I had the fill plug round out on me when checking the fill level, even with a Snap-On six point socket. It's inevitable, sooner or later they fail.

Anyway, I didn't like the dealer price for a replacement so I sourced a plug and gasket through Dorman. The plug has a much more substantial hex, and the gasket is made from a synthetic. Cost me less than $3 at my flaps. I don't see another problem with it in the future. Dorman #090-042.

 

[4-Funner]

Thanks to having read a few threads like this when I started to wallow mine out I was ready with a backup plan. When I did get it out replaced that cursed 10mm Allen drain plug with the Lexus version (90341-24016) that has a 14mm hex bolt head instead. ...

 

[brillo_76]

Maybe it's mentioned above in this thread. [ I am sorry I didn't read the whole thread] However, we removed that plug I think by hammering a t -55 into the plug and it came right out.

Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk

 

[Rushthezeppelin]

Thanks to having read a few threads like this when I started to wallow mine out I was ready with a backup plan. When I did get it out replaced that cursed 10mm Allen drain plug with the Lexus version (90341-24016) that has a 14mm hex bolt head instead. ...

What did you hammer into that btw? Was it by chance a t70 torx? I know brillo mentioned t55 but that's equivalent of a 10mm Allen not a 12mm that's in the drain plug. I bought a set of impact torx that goes up to t70 but I'm debating on returning it and just getting one of those extractor sets to get the striped plug out of a diff I have getting ready for an elocker swap. Seems like they would have more use in the future than an impact torx set.

 

[96RedRunner]

A 2# hammer and dull 1" chisel striking the edge worked for me.

 

[Rushthezeppelin]

A 2# hammer and dull 1" chisel striking the edge worked for me.

Chisel did not work for me at all, even with 4# hammer. Even notched it with an angle grinder to try and get more purchase....

 

[96RedRunner]

Chisel did not work for me at all, even with 4# hammer. Even notched it with an angle grinder to try and get more purchase....

Yea I saw the notch. On the bright side it won't be so hard next time.