Front diff fill plug

Mirror

Original poster
Member
Jan 27, 2014
335
I'm having a very hard time removing the front diff fill cap. Using a socket and extension is a pain since the socket keeps tilting and wrecking the head of the cap. No room to access underneith. Even tried a basic air gun.

Might need to find a more powerful airgun and an air tank with 1/2" hose.

Anyone else ever had an issue with this? I know that can be a pain to get turning but this is nuts.
 

Capote

Supporting Donor
Member
Jul 14, 2014
24,227
Atlanta, GA
I'm having a very hard time removing the front diff fill cap. Using a socket and extension is a pain since the socket keeps tilting and wrecking the head of the cap. No room to access underneith. Even tried a basic air gun.

Might need to find a more powerful airgun and an air tank with 1/2" hose.

Anyone else ever had an issue with this? I know that can be a pain to get turning but this is nuts.
Do you happen to have a blow torch? You could heat up the plug. I've read that some have also hammered on the plug a bit too and that helped as well.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,262
Ottawa, ON
When I got one off a junker in a yard, I used a 6 point 1/2" socket, extension and breaker bar. Those SOBs can be tight, I guess from the large diameter. You might have to remove the wheel. An impact wrench is another option.
 
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mrrsm

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Supporting Donor
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Oct 22, 2015
7,642
Tampa Bay Area
If I could follow on with @Capote 's suggestion ... but from the 'Lord Kelvin' side of the Thermometer and suggest a 30 Second Blast of CRC FreezeOff and shock the plug with a dose of Deep Cold Lubricant... and perhaps coax it out that way.
 
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gmcman

Member
Dec 12, 2011
4,656
The first time I removed mine, I used a pipe on a breaker bar, short extension. ...not sure how long....all 3/4" drive.

You could lift the vehicle, remove the tire, and maybe use a jack stand to support the end of the extension near the breaker bar to reduce deflection.

It definitely was stubborn, I didn't think that plug would fight back like it did.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,262
Ottawa, ON
It's not uncommon. I sent one from a junker to @trailblazer075 in France when he stripped his.
 

Mirror

Original poster
Member
Jan 27, 2014
335
Mine is now rounded, now what the hell do i do. Only way i can think to change the fluid is to raise the driver side up high enough and pull out the cv axle.
 

Tiggerr

Member
Jun 6, 2013
1,324
Perrysburg, OH
Mine is now rounded, now what the hell do i do. Only way i can think to change the fluid is to raise the driver side up high enough and pull out the cv axle.

Your going to probably have to get some heat on it. Pound a larger socket in it, if its an inside hex.
I've used a torx in the past in that situation. The torx pounded in, will usually bite pretty good...sometimes the act of wailing on it to pound in the torx will do the trick to get it broken free...and/or get an impact on it if you can...
 

Mirror

Original poster
Member
Jan 27, 2014
335
It's an outside hex so i would have to pound a smaller socket on to it. Wouldnt applying heat on it be dangerous, seeing how it's attached to the vehicle and has fluid in it?

Also if i do get it off, is it possible to weld a socket to the cap? Not sure what type of metal it is made out of.

Also i did apply anti seeze to it last time.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,262
Ottawa, ON
You should use a nut extractor like this:
IRW-394002_MED.jpg


Unless you totally go nuts on the heat, it won't catch on fire. Heat the case around the plug, not the plug itself as you want the outer to expand away from the plug. Since it's aluminum, a propane torch will be enough and not melt it.

I'd recommend just getting another plug. I had no trouble getting one off at a pick-a-part. Anti-seize and the judicious use of moderate torque are your friends putting it back on.
 
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Mirror

Original poster
Member
Jan 27, 2014
335
I had to change the hub assembly so i lifted the driver side as high up as my floor jack allowed. It was enough angle to pull the cv out and put fluid in.
 

WarGawd

Member
Sep 2, 2012
468
Because I've just been though this myself, I thought I'd add my clever solution to this problem.

In the midst of doing a rack and pinion R&R, I realized I never got around to changing (or even checking) the front diff fluid when I bought the vehicle in 2012 with 170k kilometers on it. I've driven it 6 years and additional 200k km since then!

So while it was up on jack stands I figured this would be the perfect time to get it done and changed over to synthetic. Drain plug was quite easy, probably due to the plastic washer and whatever fluid remained in the diff (there wasn't very much and it was black as hell). However there was NO WAY that fill plug would budge - not after torch, not with impact, not with 4 feet of leverage added to my 2 foot breaker bar (and 6 point socket). I was actually scared I was going to break the case.

So, I took 6 inches of rubber brake line, jammed one end into the end of my fluid pump hose and inserted the other end into the differential drain hole. The brake line was snug enough to keep the fluid from leaking out as I slowly pumped a measured quantity of fluid into the differential, plus a touch more for the anticipated loss when I replaced the brake hose with the drain plug.

I figure if the (very little remaining) OE fluid lasted me this long, any new synthetic fluid at the proper level will be good for the rest of the vehicle life. Hopefully this solves a problem for others in the same boat.
 
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