Help Getting Front Diff. Drain/Fill Plugs Out.

I just went and grabbed some "PB Blaster Penetrating Catalyst". I will spray some on tonight and see if it works better than WD40. I will also try whacking it with a hammer.

 

i used a 1/2" drive ratchet that is 15" long and still had to give the ratchet a few taps. it'll come loose. and yes...it's easier on a lift.

be sure to get new crush washers!

 

PB penetrating oil is good stuff. I've used it a lot in the past on rusty or stubborn bolts and it almost always does the trick.


If you still have trouble with it, I'd probably take it to the dealer like others have said. Its not worth stripping, breaking the bolt, or even worst damaging the case.

 

Already got'em Question though, are the drain and fill plug washers different? The ones I got from the dealer were both different. One was basically a copper flat washer and the other was an actual crush washer, like the one that goes on the rear diff. The guys in the parts department seem retarded to me.

 

I set mine up with the copper washer on the fill and crush washer on the the drain. I figured the better seal would be the crush washer and that should be on bottom...

 

Well I put an impact wrench on the plug and STILL can not get them to come loose. I think the only option I have left is to take some where. I am really starting to get concerned as to why the front diff plugs won't come loose.

 

It's just ridiculous that this turning into such a freakin chore. It's almost stupid.

 

Well it's been a few days since I posted in this thread. Here's the latest: I ended up stopping at Harbor Freight and picking up some impact hex sockets for like $24. I go home and pull out the impact wrench and put it on the plugs. STILL won't come loose. I come to find out that my current impact wrench, the one that came with the compressor, is really weak. It can only do like 110 ft/lbs. So I decide to swing past HF again and this time I pick up a Central Pneumatic Earthquake impact wrench. it is suppose to do something like 625 ft/lbs max. I read a few reviews and found a Jeep forum where a few people had one and for the money its suppose to be a pretty damn good impact wrench. So today, once I get going here, I am going to go out and try the new impact wrench to see if I can finally get the damn plugs out. I am going to get these plugs out one way or the other........this is getting personal now

 

Well, I "gotter done!! That impact wrench I picked up from Harbor Freight seemed to be just what the doctor ordered. The Harbor Freight one could do like 625 ft/lbs of torque. It was the Central Pneumatic Earthquake. It was like $86 plus I had a 20% off coupon. It's similar to the Ingersoll Rand Thunder Gun, but way the hell cheaper. In any case I put the new impact wrench on the bolts and they came right out, so much so that when I did the drain plug it spun out and put oil all over the garage floor. When it first started to drain it looked silver. Also, on the plug itself there was metal shavings stuck to the magnet. Glad I finally got it changed. Cue music "We Are the Champions" by Queen.



Thanks everyone.