I jacked my front diff drain plug! /:

Well, now what? I was living the thug life all amped up on some Tupac and I messed this thing up, it's in there good!!! Who on earth was thinking 10mm hex for this as a side note, that was seriously stupid!

Can I service this thing from the top plug only, I'm guessing no due to metal shaving and such. Any thoughts or ideas would be useful, the front fluid is old but the 4x4 hasn't been used more than 10 miles the entire life of the truck.

I can weld or chisel or whatever else has to be done so give it to me straight and hard, I can take it!

 

I did the exact same thing. I ended up paying the dealer to fix it. In retrospect, I would've pulled the front drive shaft so I could get better access. Then you can hit it with an air hammer - or maybe get in there with a hammer and chisel.

 

You're probably not going to get an air hammer in there. I have tried before but the space is too tight. I use a 10mm hex socket and then put a long breaker bar on it. I would weld a 10mm hex socket on the drain plug and use the breaker bar if it is all stripped out. Then replace the drain plug.

 

I had a 10mm allen wrench which I lopped about 2" off of and used with a 1/2" 10mm socket, other than not working that worked great! I could just weld the 2" chunk of that in there I guess, not sure if I would even need to replace the thing as the solution will be there for the future.

 

Did the same on a first gen. Plug stripped so I tack welded the hex socket onto it and heated around the plug with a torch a little bit and it broke free eventually.

 

You have enough room to get in there with a hammer and chisel without removing the axle. That stupid plug is so soft, I now keep a spare on hand for the inevitable time I round the foolish thing off. I've got a replacement in there, and it already is in danger of giving way.

OP, you can get spare plugs either online or at the dealer. I would hold off your drain/fill until you get a new plug. Then you can gently heat the bottom of the case with a propane torch or heat gun(I prefer torch) and turn the plug with a hammer and chisel. It will come right out.

See the two places I my chisel was able to grab.

 

Seems like there are weld guys and chisel guys, I'm thinking I fall into the latter. I was thinking air chisel but are you thinking that's a bad idea? I've used them on everything from stuck nuts to wheel locks in the past. I've also gone the welding route but worry about that causing some internal pitting or something like that.

 

Why not just use a bolt extractor? Did that on my buddies 3rd gen 4runner when the drain plug stripped on us

 

You might try hammering a torx head socket into the stripped hex-head spot. I've done this before with good results on other stuck fasteners. I'm not sure how stripped out your plug is but the metal seems pretty soft so this might work. I'd hit the plug with the heat wrench first just to help get it loose and some PB blaster or WD40 the day or two before working on it.

 

I would also add that you should take a small flat head screwdriver or something and dig any shit out of the plug before you try to remove it. If you don't, the Allen wrench may not be fully inserted into the hole, increasing the possibility of stripping it.

 

My go to for snapped off bolt heads or rounded off bolts and plugs is to weld a washer with an inside diameter just slightly smaller than the fastener,to the fastener. On bolts,you want to hammer the hell out of the welded washer just as soon as the weld turns from red to the normal color. This loosens the rust between the threads.usually you can take a pair of channel lock plyers or pipe wrench and turn it out with the washer. If you know it's going to be a tough one,do one or two more washer , weld , pound cycles. The more you heat cool and pound,the more you loosen the fastener.
NOTE- on tapered plugs, like the drain plug in question, tap instead of pound. You run the chance of ruining the housing, if you go postal on it. More weld / cool cycles is the way to go. With limited access in this application, welding a nut to the washer for removal is the best option.
As an electrician/ mechanic for 43 years for Morton Salt, I've removed hundreds of snapped off fasteners with a 99+% success rate

 

Pricey as hell, but may prevent the rounding out problem http://www.drainplugmagnets.com/toyotalexandnissaninf.php

 

Great find, thanks

 

Prolly best to use the right size tool bit during removal and a torque wrench when tightening doesnt always work like it should. Glad you got that bugger out.

 

Rounded the drain plug on mine changing to synthetic. The way I got it out was to hammer in a torx bit, don't remember what size, then added a little heat with a propane torch and it came right out. The top one was tight also, so I heated a little with the propane torch before loosening and it came out no problem.

 

Id smash/hammer in a torx bit that is a little larger then the hex size, used that method on the wifes car after the hex stripped... worked like a charm.

 

Instead of hammering a torx into it, Id try a triple square first. It should bite better when hammering it into place.

 

I've rounded mine off as well. I really do hate these stupid hex plugs. Same thing happened to my wife's Pontiac Vibe. I ended up siphoning all the oil out to get me by.

 

I already tried it when I dealt with this same issue. It does not fit properly. Threads are fine, but the head is too large and makes contact with the case before it can apply pressure to the gasket/washer. I ended up buying another oem plug and fingers are crossed that it'll come out easier next time.

 

Should be nothing to chuck it in a lathe and machine the flange smaller. For $35, you shouldn't have to but it wouldn't be the 1st time brand new parts need modifying to fit.