stripped 3/8 diff drain plug, how to extract?

[Kira]

Judging by the photos:
1) There doesn't seem to be enough clearance to grab with Vise-Grips or a small pipe wrench.
2) There isn't that much shoulder sticking up in the first place.
3) It looks like apallo18 tried the chisel approach at the 6 o'clock position.

Given the near universal reduction in material quality, it's safe to assume the auto maker selected the cheapest 'hex-hole drain plugs'.
Anyone objects?
Ergo, maybe, in this day and age, it'd pay to remove any such drain plugs from new vehicles and replace them with a stainless steel examples? ....stainless steel with Teflon tape added!

 

[nomas]

As corroded as that thing is , I would be afraid that it would crumble under a pipe wrench , etc. Probably the same result with driving anything into it . I would have a shop weld a nut on it . Just my opinion .

 

[aba4430]

The front differential drain plug on our 17 Outback was mangled up worse than the OP's plug. This set from amazon removed it easily. Just need to select the proper size, gently tap it into the hole and loosen. A SAE version is also available.

 

[Marrk]

Honestly - I’ve got pliers nearly that size - and the pipe wrench gives a much stronger grip. Pliers rely on the grip strength of your hand to bite into the work - but a pipe wrench uses the leverage on the handle, and the slight pivoting of the head, to bite into the work far harder than you ever could with a pair of pliers. Pliers scratch the surface. A pipe wrench digs in.

I haven't had a lot of happy times with pipe wrenches. A pipe wrench always seemed like a blunt instrument to me. Maybe I need more practice with them.

 

[Nukeman7]

Judging by the photos:
1) There doesn't seem to be enough clearance to grab with Vise-Grips or a small pipe wrench.
2) There isn't that much shoulder sticking up in the first place.
3) It looks like apallo18 tried the chisel approach at the 6 o'clock position.

The indentation at the 6 o'clock position looks as if the OP was striking the chisel in a vertical direction. I would suggest trying to chisel at the 3 o'clock position with force applied in a counter clockwise rotational direction. Using an air hammer chisel in this manner would likely loosen the plug enough to free it.

 

[D60]

The front differential drain plug on our 17 Outback was mangled up worse than the OP's plug. This set from amazon removed it easily. Just need to select the proper size, gently tap it into the hole and loosen. A SAE version is also available.

That's good to know. I got the same sets on Warehouse Deals but have never tried them
Post in thread 'New tool thread' https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/new-tool-thread.328515/post-6873411

 

[tbm5690]

Just to clarify, the OP does not have a hex bolt...that pic is not his drain plug it's some pic he pulled off Google as stated in his first post. He has a 3/8" SQUARE drive bolt. That said, most of the tips given still apply.

 

[D60]

If it was really 3/8" sq, it may have been 10mm? This is common and the proper 10mm sq bit makes a world of difference BEFORE you reach the point of needing extractors.

Most Ford 8.8s were 10mm and BW1356 drain/fill (the latter can and should be replaced with a square MALE head pipe plug available at any hardware store). Everyone uses 3/8" and gets away with it...until they don't

OTOH oil drains on CTD 5.9s and 6.7s seem to be legit 3/8" sq

 

[Astro14]

I haven't had a lot of happy times with pipe wrenches. A pipe wrench always seemed like a blunt instrument to me. Maybe I need more practice with them.

Totally agree - it’s a blunt instrument, even in a 12” size. It will make up whatever it’s used on, because it bites into the workpiece.

But I think this is a case where a blunt instrument is needed, and you’re not going to re-use that plug, so who cares if you gouge up the outside edge?

 

[Ursatdx]

Clean plug opening as best you can.
Try and tighten it a bit.
Plugs are, more often than not, stripped when trying to remove them.
Many times you can get a good bite on the plug in the opposite direction of which it was stripped.
If it breaks free it should be EZ to remove.

 

[joekingcorvette]

That looks like a very difficult job. Let us know how you solved the problem.

 

[Marrk]

Totally agree - it’s a blunt instrument, even in a 12” size. It will make up whatever it’s used on, because it bites into the workpiece.

But I think this is a case where a blunt instrument is needed, and you’re not going to re-use that plug, so who cares if you gouge up the outside edge?

Three Things:

1) A pipe wrench is ugly. It's d**m ugly. I need tools that are elegant and beautiful.

2) A job ought to be done with more than brute force. It ought to be done with some finesse.

3) I need to believe that I am a smarty guy who can pull this off.

I'm on your side, Astro, and I don't want to be on any other side. I just have weird ideas, I guess.

 

[GON]

The number one question is have you gotten the fill plug loose? That is the thing you must do before trying to remove the drain plug.

The next is, do you actually have to remove the drain plug to remove the old fluid? If the fill plug comes loose, you can siphon the old fluid from the fill plug.

Thread 'Better than nothing rear differential fluid change'

Jun 12, 2021

Second owner of a 2002 F350 V10. 180k miles. Original owner appeared to be very frugal with maintenance.

Moving across country and towing about 10k. Went to change the rear differential fluid, noticed it had been done before- but likely not in a while. The differential cover and screws were oozing gasket. I was afraid to take the cover off, as I have a trailer to load and don't need a one hour job turning into a half day job. I purchased a new differential cover and a pre made gasket.

Decided to simply siphon the old fluid out from the fill hole. This took about 16 hours, as the fluid...

• GON
• Replies: 20
• Forum: Mechanical/Maintenance Forum

• 

 

[The Critic]

Penetrant
Heat
Pipe wrench

There appears to be enough “meat” on the outside of the bolt head to get a grip with a pipe wrench. The harder you turn a pipe wrench, the more the teeth dig in. I keep a small pipe wrench in my shop toolbox for that purpose.

I don’t see anything that you can insert into that buggered up hex hole actually working, it’ll just slip and round out that hole. I would work on it from the outside - welding would be great - but I bet that pipe wrench would wok, too.

Get a new plug and gasket before you start.

Pipe wrench is unlikely to remove that -- those plugs require an incredible amount of force to break loose. Something about a metal plug in an aluminum housing.

Chisel bit on an air hammer or welding a nut are the two most realistic options.

 

[4WD]

Weld a nut to it and turn it out with a hex wrench or socket

^This, not just a fresh head to wrench - but heat to break the bond.^

 

[4WD]

Three Things:

1) A pipe wrench is ugly. It's d**m ugly. I need tools that are elegant and beautiful.

2) A job ought to be done with more than brute force. It ought to be done with some finesse.

3) I need to believe that I am a smarty guy who can pull this off.

I'm on your side, Astro, and I don't want to be on any other side. I just have weird ideas, I guess.

Oddly enough - I find a pipe wrench works well on pipe

 

[4WD]

if you cant weld, a muffler shop would probably do it for near nothing.

Done a number of things like that - our small town guy is idle half the time and $20-$40 jobs are welcome …

 

[dlundblad]

Before doing anything, start spraying it with penetrating oil daily for at least a week. I’d be afraid of applying heat because of the aluminum housing. Maybe a propane torch would be okay? I would be inclined to still pass.

This would work. Use a slightly oversized one and tap it into the hole. If that doesn’t work, you may have to drill a hole into the drain plug and take it out that way. You’ll definitely be able to get something to but then. https://www.harborfreight.com/multi...MI9rq8rqS7igMVkDbUAR0m_S3GEAQYASABEgJXmPD_BwE

 

[John105]

+1

Provided you can weld. I just had to do this on my Lexus front diff.

You can try heat and a chisel.

Edit: That pipe extractor will unlikely work, the allen key hole is 1.) not likely the right size, 2.) not deep enough to grab the requisite material to do the job.

Just had a caliper bolt break in the rear of my Lexus. Shop could not extract it (they tried and I believe them) and they had to do the heli coil. That's fine and dandy, but the rear spindle had to come off of the car (bad design that bolt is exposed on the other side whereas the others are not). That's why I'm interested in threads like these to see how the issue gets solved...

 

[burbguy82]

Just had a caliper bolt break in the rear of my Lexus. Shop could not extract it (they tried and I believe them) and they had to do the heli coil. That's fine and dandy, but the rear spindle had to come off of the car (bad design that bolt is exposed on the other side whereas the others are not). That's why I'm interested in threads like these to see how the issue gets solved...

There are countless ways to extract broken stuff. It all depends on the application, position and the materials. The best thing one can do as a pre task, task, is to generously soak in a penetrating oil. My favorite is ATF and Acetone mix.

It is rare, that if a bolt head has broken off, a drill in extractor will get it