Another Front Diff Drain Plug Stripped

Went to change the gear oil in the rear and front diff, when I was trying to get the drain plug off the front,I ended up rounding off the hex hole in the drain plug, tried hammer and chisel to get it out(that didn't work), any idea's on how to get the drain plug out short of welding a nut onto it?

 

aerokroil soak for a few days.

One size bigger allen head socket, if you cant get that in, A torx head socket pounded in there. Buy a replacement plug first though.

 

Im just having a muffler shop weld a hex socket on the plug when i get closer to my change time again, i already have a new plug and gasket on hand ready to go whenever i have some time to stop by a place to get it done.

 

Yeah I just went and bought a new drain plug, probably just going to have a shop weld a nut onto it. thinking about getting one of these: https://www.kaon.com.au/store/p17/Diff_Plug_24mm_Toyota.html

 

$30 bucks?!?

 

id bet you could go to a proper hardware store or an auto parts store and find an oil pan drain plug with the same thread diameter n pitch that would work great and have a standard outer hex head.

 

I like this idea^^^ why toyota ever put a different style of plug in there doesnt make much sense to me.

 

Shit I just $15 for a Toyota replacement that's probably going to strip out again

 

What brand of HEX sockets are you using? Just curious I've worked in many shops and dealerships over the years and invested in high quality insanely expensive tools. I understand this is a common issue but I wonder if a Snap on socket would get it out but not a auto parts store socket . I've seen guys with lesser quality tools strip fasteners but I'd still be able to get it with a Snap on socket. Plus 1 for the welding a nut on there.What brand/weight of fluid are you going with? A wise man once taught me to check the fill plug/cap first to see if you could refill it before you drained it all out.

 

What I want to know is what Allen heads you guys are using to strip these things out... I’ve done several tacomas and haven’t stripped one out. A quality 10mm Allen head socket and a long ratchet is all I use.

 

It's a Craftsman brand hex socket, 1st time I ever had this happen to me( have had roughly 10 different Tacoma's in the past 20 years) and never had an issue before with the front diff drain plug.. Filler plug is fine ( made sure of that before trying the drain plug).. Using Mobil 1 75w90 gear oil

 

Id bet 95% of the time one of these plugs is stripped is due to the allen head socket not being fully embedded in the bolt, due to debris in the hole or otherwise.

 

This or use of a shitty chinese made 10mm that’s not really a 10mm

 

could be.

Zero issues with my HF tools ever for plugs like this.

 

Dremel it out to the next size and try again?

 

I'd be interested in seeing how you can "Dremel" out a hex socket head cap screw plug to the next size.

Got a video?

 

Use a blue wrench to loosen it up.

 

you read my mind never had it in all the way

 

usually once u get the original plug out for the first time, its much easier to remove the same plug from then on

 

No, I don't. Just thinking out loud. I've done it on a Jetta before where I boogered screws on the ABS pump and dremwlwd in a slot and jammed in a large flathead. By next size I meant the next tool, idk. Maybe wouldn't work. Personally would just have welded on a nut but seems OP doesn't have a welder