The bracket is blocking the plug, not the tool.
At least that's what it looks like to me.
Mazda transfer case fill plug blocked by bracket.
- Thread starter pbm
- Start date
At least that's what it looks like to me.
Hard to tell from the camera angle but looks to me there may be at least a half inch between the top of the plug and bottom of the bracket.
A rubber backer and sanding discs are the bomb-diggity. Or a flapper wheel is a more expensive (long term) option.
I use the Dewalt 4945 backer with quality zirconia discs -- leave that AO (aluminum oxide) stuff for the carpenters
CleanSump
Site Donor 2022
Dremel/Generic Dremel/die grinder = short work to thin the bracket where needed to allow the plug to clear the case.
Flapper wheels and rubber disc with sandpaper? I don't have all day.
I would probably use an end mill in my drill press.
Flapper wheels and rubber disc with sandpaper? I don't have all day.
I would probably use an end mill in my drill press.
What are you even talking about? A quality ZA disc on a rubber backer cuts as fast or faster than grinding wheels and leaves a better finish.
But the fact that you'd consider an EM in a drill press does suggest you're a metalworking masta
CleanSump
Site Donor 2022
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I’m going to side with Trav and move the bracket. I can’t see how removing it for a short period of time will harm anything, and I find it somewhat hard to believe that one bracket is holding up the entire back end of the drive line. There has to be a cross member somewhere beneath the transmission to add support to the system.
IIRC it's less than a 1/2 inch clearance. I'm leaning toward supporting the cae with a jack and removing the bracket temporarily rather than grinding metal away. I'll get to this in late June when my daughter goes on vacation and I have access to the car (and time to experiment). I'll let you guys know how it goes but I am a bit disappointed in Mazda for this 'engineering'.
Here's an update...I had access to my daughters CX-30 and to a lift and an array of mechanics tools today. I removed both the upper and lower bracket bolt (while having a threaded jack underneath the transfer case) and couldn't get the bracket to move to provide access. My mechanic friend who owns the garage that I worked in said "I never mess with that fliud unless it leaks"....so I'm going to leave it alone for now (37K miles on OE fluid)...I still think it's shameful that Mazda made this fill plug virtually unaccessable.
No such thing
Truly shameful and I generally like Mazda.
Another update:
If you go back to the original thread in CX30talk.com that I posted in the Post 1 of this thread you'll see that some guys have figured a workaround by grinding off some of the overlapping metal to access the fill plug. It's too tight to get an 'angle grinder' in there but I'm going to give it another shot with a Dremel tool and burr bits when I have access to the Mazda in a few months (when my daughter goes on vacation). I'll keep you posted.
If you go back to the original thread in CX30talk.com that I posted in the Post 1 of this thread you'll see that some guys have figured a workaround by grinding off some of the overlapping metal to access the fill plug. It's too tight to get an 'angle grinder' in there but I'm going to give it another shot with a Dremel tool and burr bits when I have access to the Mazda in a few months (when my daughter goes on vacation). I'll keep you posted.
I love it and see no downside. The one guy made it look like he used a cutoff wheel on a Dremel, which is probably THE worst option.
A carbide burr is the ticket, as you said. Quality ones mow metal and are of course safe on non-ferrous (unlike common cutting wheels). Just wear good eye protection because they spray metal everywhere!
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