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

What'd you do?

 

Don't ask, don't tell (as long as the Dealer gives you a warranty on the repair)?

 

I just had the Toyota mechanics remove it for me. Was 30mins of shop time and approximately $40. When I asked how they broke it loose, 'shop tricks' is the description I got.

It's good now so I'm happy. Didn't want to have to pay for a fluid change but oh well.

 

I'm guessing they did a combination of what someone said. Weld a nut on,let it cool...then heat the case around the nut...and spray the bolt with canned air. Expansion for the case and shrinkage for the bolt .

 

Well at least it turned out alright. Sucks to have to go through all that.

 

I'm guessing they ground out 2 parallel flatspots on the bolt and took a long handled pipe wrench to it... That's probably what I would have done.

 

not sure if this is how they did it, but they have sockets with reverse cut sharp ass teeth to bite on stripped out bolts. might have used that at a long ass breaker bar?

 

You are a major cheapskate. It took a year for you to decide to spend $40????

 

Vise grips, no, no, just no.

 

Hey now...I didn't realize it would be that inexpensive! Besides what's the point of looking up DIYs on TW? Got a lot of neat ideas to try and ultimately, I am cheap

Kinda forgot about it too, until I was driving past the dealership one afternoon.

 

Op probably had tried all the suggestions and with driving around for a year the thing worked loose and the mechanics took it out by hand had a good laugh and wondered what they should charge him.

 

That's why they are professional mechanics.

I would say, that they used a combination of the practices already discussed in this thread; only a bit more forceful.

The vise grips and pipe wrench; may have made it look worse than it was. Then after being chewed up like that, made it harder for any tool to work.

I have seen this before on heavy/offroad equipment; and heat (gas tip) and a good welder, would have gotten it out. The shop tricks he would have used; make him a professional.

 

Hahaha...that made me laugh out loud. Sad if true