Rear Diff Fill Plug - Welded on?!? Help!

Nothing wrong with filling by the breather. Just have to fill by volume rather than to the level of the fill plug.

 

C'mon guys.... do it right the first time with the right tool: http://www.sears.com/craftsman-10-p...1x000001&kpid=00952166000&kispla=00952166000P

 

TOTALLY BRO, BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE TOOL AND METHOD AND YOU CAN ONLY FIND IT AT SEARS, choice of the professional mechanic...

 

You lucky Americans get all the good stuff, and for cheap! (Compared to CAD prices)

I may give the chisel a shot before filling through the breather.

I reckon the last person to change the fluid used an impact gun to reinstall the plug. Bastard!

 

@YYC, if you choose to extract the fill plug, don't replace it with the same part. Order a front diff fill plug from the dealer. It has a socket head:

This set goes up to 19 mm. The fill plug is 24 mm. Not sure if the plug has worn down enough for it to fit.

 

Good call KenLyns! You keep the drain plug at 24mm?

I'll cry if that thing doesn't come out after all this...

 

I KNEW YOU WOULD SEE IT MY WAY...

 

You think so? I like the hex key if torqued correctly, but I'm being biased based on this experience. If the previous person torqued the 24mm right, I'd be fine.

 

The socket head fill plug has what looks like a zinc plating that's holding up better against road salt than the shallow black plug. I bought a 10mm allen key socket and torqued it to the same 36 ft-lbs.

 

I've seen a couple threads on here where guys have stripped out there front plugs.

Just be careful to torque properly and I'm sure you'll be fine as long as you seat your 10mm hex socket in there fully.

La0dogs was so tight I broke my shitty craftsman 10mm 3/8 drive hex socket, ended up using a HF one to get it out... kind of off topic... anyway...

 

I cannot think of anything that hasn't already been posted.

I really just wanted to say that that is by far the most fucked up drain plug I have ever seen. Really!

I think in this case that heating would work better heating the housing around the plug making the hole actually larger rather than heating the plug.

I wish you much luck!

 

Your fill plug looks like it has been on the ocean floor by the Titanic...

 

You have 4 options.

Get a can of air. Turn upside down. Spray cold fluid on the nut for about 30-40 seconds. This may break the rust? Try pliers again.

or

Get a torch (and fire extinguisher) and heat up the nut as much as you dare. Then get wet rag to put on to cool. Then try pliers again.

Or

Drill hole in center of nut. Use easy out to try to take out.

OR

Take large nut and try to mig/tig/arc weld it to your bolt and use pliers again.


If non of these work you are fucked and should sell the POS.

 

Hit it dead on (like you are trying to pound it through the hole, but not quite that violently) with a small hammer a couple of good sharp raps, and I bet you'll be able to spin it out with your vice grips if there is still enough to get a grip on, or try the chisel method mentioned above. This will compress the sealing washer more, take the tension off the threads, and break the bond. Then do that to all your other plugs BEFORE you have results like this - will save you $$ in plugs, just be sure to replace the washers.

 

Thanks again everyone for the opinions. I'll report back on the method that works although I really thought the pipe wrench would do it...

Previous owner likely skipped a wash or two during winter, which is why I want to service all the fluids I can.

Worst case, I'll try and lubricate with the tears of frustration - posting a sale ad for the Titanic Replica...

 

Yes, grind that sucker flat and weld a new nut to it. The heat from welding should free up the rust.

 

?!?!

Why not just remove the shifter and fill it from there?

 

this

 

actually, it's a worse "duh" than that
i didn't read the OP/Title well enough
i thought he was talking about his transmission, not his diff

 

my transmission was leaking from the top shifter plate, and, within the last week, i black RTV sealed it up; but dumped equal to what i thought i lost from the leak in there before i reconnected the shifter

i'm actually considering entirely filling it that way the next change i do
it would actually take less time (i think) removing and replacing the shifter and just dumping it in there than what it takes to pump it in the fill
especially if i'm gonna do it in the winter; i'd rather fill it from the warm cab than lay in the snow with a pump