ไม่สามารถเล่นวิดีโอนี้
ขออภัยในความไม่สะดวก
Stripped Differential Drain Plug Removal
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 มิ.ย. 2018
- Did our video help you? If so, consider buying us a beer: bit.ly/3feE6tJ
In this video, we show you what to do if you are faced with a stripped drain or fill plug on the front differential of your 3rd Gen 4runner or 1st Gen Tacoma. Toyota usually does things right but they really made a poor decision when they decided to use a hex head plug for the fill and drain plugs on the front differential. These plugs get really stuck into the differential and people end up stripping the allen head.
In addition to showing you a few techniques to getting the stripped plug out, we offer you a suggestion to get the plug out before you've done the deed of stripping it.
**The welding was done at "One Off Customs" in Morgan Hill, CA
www.oneoffcusto...
Wes prefers taking on big projects but he does entertain smaller jobs like this when he has the time. If you're in the California Bay Area and need some welding, custom fabrication or a big project like a complete vehicle restoration or custom build, give Wes a call. (408) 802-3299
*Torque Specs*
Front Differential Fill Plug - 29 ft-lbf
Front Differential Drain Plug - 48 ft-lbf
*PARTS*
*Front Differential Drain Plug #90341-24014
www.ebay.com/i...
*Front Differential Fill Plug #90341-18032
www.ebay.com/i...
*Front Differential Fill Plug Crush Washer #12157-10010 (10 Pack)
amzn.to/37Et8VI
*Front Differential Drain Plug Copper Washer #90430-24003
amzn.to/37uARFO
*Red Line 75W90 GL-5 Full Synthetic Gear Oil (I.2 quarts is the capacity for the front differential. I use Red Line for the transfer case and both differentials)
amzn.to/33eDHeq
*HELPFUL TOOLS*
If you're looking for other tools not used in this video, check out Timmy's Master Tool List.
www.amazon.com...
*1/4" and 3/8" Flex Head Ratchet Set - (nice super functional ratchets. The 3/8" size is more than enough to break free the fill and drain plugs provided they aren't really locked on)
amzn.to/2ql8nNA
*Metric Allen Head Socket Set (using an allen head socket is much better than using a standard allen wrench to loosen and tighten the fill and drain plugs) amzn.to/3Mfbag7
*Impact Socket Adapter and Reducer Set - (in case your 10mm and 12mm allen sockets are 3/8" drive and you want to use a 1/2" breaker bar for more leverage to break free either the drain or fill plug, a reducer will be necessary) amzn.to/34DwxlA
*1/2" Drive Breaker Bar - 24” Long (this will give you extra leverage to break free a stuck drain or fill plug. Just pay attention and make sure the drain plug isn't stripping. If it's taking a ton of force, heat up around the plug to help facilitate breaking it free) amzn.to/343Vcix
*Butane Torch - (to heat up around the drain plugs to make them easier to remove)
amzn.to/2L0IeuR
*Mapp Gas - (fuel for the torch)
amzn.to/34nVnG8
*Chisel & Punch Set - (in case you wanted to try the chisel technique to remove a stripped drain plug. This is a nice complete set) amzn.to/37Fwdor
*Ball Pein Hammer - (to use with the chisel to knock the drain plug loose)
amzn.to/2W5eHV5
*CDI 3/8" Drive 10-100 Foot Pound Torque Wrench
- (to torque the drain and fill plugs to spec when you're all done refilling the differential) amzn.to/2U2vUA4
**As Ebay Partner Network members, we earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
**As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases.
*PLEASE READ THIS COMMENT AND THE VIDEO DESCRIPTION FOR HELPFUL INFORMATION*
Just helped Sean do some fluid changes on one of his 3rd Gens. The front differential fill plug came plug came out without a fight with a 1/2" breaker bar around a foot long. I tried to break the drain plug free with the same breaker bar and it wouldn't budge. Instead of switching to a longer breaker bar with more mechanical advantage, I broke out my butane torch and heated up the area around plug for around 30 seconds. Tried breaking it free with the same breaker bar and it loosened no problem. So, I confirmed that HEAT IS DEFINITELY YOUR FRIEND when trying to break free the drain plug on these differentials. If I would have gone to the longer breaker bar, I might have been successful breaking the drain plug free but I also could have stripped the head of the plug instead. Do yourself a favor and USE HEAT FIRST when faced with a stuck drain plug.
**If you want to get rid of the allen style drain plug, supposedly this Lexus hex drain plug #90341-24016 works as a replacement.
Quick tip, as a heavy duty mechanic I deal with these types of plugs in large diffs frequently in construction equipment. Same problem happens, they get stuck, get stripped. Before you break out the torch, insert the proper sized socket type allen in and apply force in the directions of spinning the plug out, use a breaker bar not a ratchet. Strike the back of the bar with a hammer directly in line with socket so the force transfers into the plug threads, with a decent amount of force. Usually only need to do it once or a couple times. The percussive force will remove most stuck plugs before you risk bringing a torch near your vehicle.
Thanks for sharing your experience with this problem.
I’m gonna try your trick, I’m a truck driver with a kenworth truck, my coolant drain is stripped. Only the hose with the drain plug is metal and not as hard to tap on it, but I’ll give it a shot anyways
that is basically whut i did, travman, with a 1/2" hex bit after thoroughly cleaning crud out of the hex hole on the plug so a Firm seating of bit was to be had
+1 on this experience. I tried a pneumatic chisel with no luck. Eventually, went to Harbor Freight and picked up a good hefty cross peen hammer and a large punch (as opposed to a chisel). The punch helped me keep the point of impact as isolated as possible, to ensure that all the force was focused where I wanted it, and not into the diff housing. I heated it up as hot as I could with a propane torch, and did about a dozen hits with as much zen-like focus as I could, taking my time and really knocking it hard with each hit. Eventually, it budged a little and I was off to the races... Thanks again guys for another great video. Keep it up!
Hey Mike, good job getting your drain plug out. Glad you like the video and of course we're going to keep on keeping on. Happy Wrenching!
The Cold Chisel method worked so easy on 2005 Sequoia Drain plug. Could believe it.
Good to hear that technique worked for you.
Had to deal with a stuck diff lug on a '13 Highlander. Fortunately I was with my father who is way more experienced at this kind of thing than I am. Funny he went through the same solutions you show in your video!
First he said "apply some heat" Go the torch out, didn't work.
"Apply more heat" Still no joy, and then the stupid plug stripped...
Dad said "just weld the 10mm hex socket to it, or a nut or a bolt".
Thing is, on the Highlander, there isn't much space to weld down there, it's very cramped.
"Let's try a chisel". At the 3rd hammer blow the plug was spinning, it was rather easy.
Turned out the chisel only made a small nick in the plug, and we were able to reuse it. We welded a big 3/4" bolt on it. The plug went back in and all is good!
Good thing you have a dad that's mechanically inclined and good job getting that plug out.
Hi Timmy, both fill and drain plugs were seized on my front diff. I heated the fill plug once for 30 seconds and it came free with a loud crack. The drain plug took a combination of heating multiple times and hitting it with a 3 pound hammer and old spark plug socket placed in the middle of the face of the plug. It came free too but was much more involved. What a relief to get both out. I now have standard hex plugs I bought aftermarket. Great video, saved the day big time. Thank you very much.
Hey Andrew, good job getting them off without stripping them. We're glad the video helped you out and you're very welcome. Do you happen to have links to those replacement plugs you purchased? Happy Wrenching!
@@TimmyTheToolman Yes no worries, the drain plug is here www.kaon.com.au/toyota-hilux-kun26-prado-90-120-150-fj-lc-200-seri
For the fill plug, I just bought a M18 x 1.5mm sump plug from the local autoparts store. Drain plug is 24mm hex and the fill plug is 19mm hex.
Easier way to remove and cheaper is to use a dremel and cut a slit across the fill plug. Then use a large flat blade on an angle into the cut , then with a hammer and tap counterclockwise loose. It worked great on mine👍🏼
lukestoyz We talk about this method in the video using a hammer and chisel. Using a Dremel tool to create a slot is a good idea.
I just did this too. Worked like a charm!
exceptional video quality here, Timmy!! ... six months later and my forearm has NOT fully healed from breaking these fill/drain plugs for the first time on my mother's 2o11 Tacoma single cab at 77k... i did not slip + strip the plug but i damaged my forearm with absolut crap leverage with a 1/2" socket and small pipe over the handle that would barely clear hitting the ground... the sound of the POP once the drain plug was freed sounded like i broke my stupid old craftsman 1/2" ratchet, YES! it was that LOUD when it broke free
The key is using some heat before getting onto the drain plug with your allen socket and ratchet. I believe the culprit that makes the plug so hard to get off, is the copper washer. That washer ends up bonding very firm to the differential and very firm to the drain plug creating the difficult situation to get it broken free. The heat helps break the bond.
@@TimmyTheToolman thanks for the education... I must get one of those heat-induction tools! i did not replace the copper washer because i had not gotten a new one because i was ignorant at the time
@efil4kizum A butane torch works well. You don't really need one of those fancy induction tools.
After two failed attempts to remove the front diff fill plug using a 10mm Allen on my very rusty 2008 4runner, I switched to 55 Torx. One more failed attempt and it was going to be completely rounded out. The Torx gripped so much better than the Allen, even though it was already partially rounded out, and the fill plug broke free.
Well, you got it out and that's great. Good job!
Future tip never use an Allen always use a torx save the headache lbs
Spiral screw extractors work splendidly with ease.
They do work, but for this application, I'm so sure. I've actually stood on a 24" breaker bar to break free one of these drain plugs. No screw extractor is going to grab tight enough for some of these stuck plugs.
The key is to use heat and I've also heard shocking the plug with a few hammer strikes helps to break it free. The goal is to avoid stripping out the plug in the first place.
@@TimmyTheToolman Ouch!… stuck that bad eh?… gotcha bro…
I suppose perhaps try an extractor first then if that’s a no go then go medieval on it if you have to.
9 times out of 10 these problems arise from professional mechanics and/or lube workers being too lazy to use their torque wrenches…. What?are they installing the drain plugs with air impact wrenches??… a good 10-20 hits on the impact ought to do it yee haw! 🥴
@@trevorkolmatycki4042 I don't think this is from overtightening. It's due to the copper washer getting really bonded to the differential and drain plug.
Another option: drill out and tap for a left-head thread that is smaller than your bolt diameter. Thread in a hex-head left-hand bolt to your newly tapped hole, and as your left-hand bolt tightens completely, it will transfer force to your right-hand bolt, spinning it left / counter-clockwise. You essentially give yourself a hex head to get a wrench on. I tried it on this 24mm drain plug w/ Allen drive. Using a 5/8" - 11 LH tap and bolt (5/8" = 15.875mm, so well within the 24mm bolt diam.), I got this out smoothly. Sourcing the parts/tools you need is the biggest pain as they're not readily available to grab same-day, but once you have them, you can use again in the future. Might be a good option for someone who runs into the situation often. Best part is: if it doesn't work, you still have the ability to drill out for an even larger extractor such as a Walton REPS, or weld on a nut. Extractors can snap if overtorqued and are difficult to remove if broken, so I view them as a last resort.
Thanks for sharing this.
Whhaatt????
Your the most helpful person on youtube! You cover everything so thoroughly! Thanks!
Thanks for the nice compliment Tiffany. We really appreciate it!
You could also use a marked container to catch your diff fluid. Then you know exactly how much you will need to put back in. Then use a 7 foot clear hose and funnel to fill it up from the side of truck with the exactly amount. Great tips, thanks for the video.
I guess you could do that so you know how much you need to buy but a differential, transfer case or manual transmission is hard to mess up filling. If you're on flat ground, you fill with gear oil until it starts spilling out the bottom of the fill hole threads and that's when you know you're done. Happy Wrenching!
I had this exact issue with my 02 Sequoia front diff. I used a Multispline extractor bit (made by snap on). I’m no mechanic but it seems to be a hardened steel bit with threads cut in it so that it “bites” into the softer metal of the drain plug which makes removal a breeze. No need for heat or cold chisels. Hope this helps someone...love the channel Timmy!
Thanks for the comment. Yes, I would imagine an extractor tool would work. Obviously the key is to avoid stripping the plug in the first place but I guess most people find our video after the fact. I've now removed several stubborn drain plugs and the solution is heat from a butane torch. I just heat up around the plug for around 1 minute and it breaks free pretty effortlessly. If it still fight me, I use more heat until I can break it free with a moderate amount of force. Without the heat, you're most likely going to end up stripping the plug. Its my belief the plug gets locked in there because of the copper washer. The washer gets really bonded to the differential and to the plug. It's not the actual threads of the plug getting stuck into the diff.
Who would thumbs down this? It was soooo helpful!
Because people are A-holes. That's why. We literally have people that stay subscribed to our channel just so they can give a thumbs down to everything we post. There's Haters and there's Trolls and they frequent our channel. But, glad you found the video helpful.
I can confirm that the heat-chisel-hammer method works. The trick is to start banging while the drain plug is still hot. If allowed to cool, this method may not work. I almost bought a welder! Thanks for your very helpful video.
Good to hear the chisel technique worked out for you. You're very welcome and thanks for taking the time to comment.
Great video, the heat helps alot to break a seized plug. But also tapping the plug with a small hammer helps loosen the plug. Tap with a hammer and apply heat. Thanks again for your helpful video.
Hey Ramon, I've heard of the hammer technique but I haven't tried it yet. I think I'll try it the next time I'm faced with a seized differential plug. We're glad you like the video and we appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Wrenching!
I did stripped my drain plug on my front diff on my 99 Toyota Prado 95 series which has same front diff setting with the third gen 4runner. Mechanic said he had to weld it which baffed me but now I know why. Maybe I'll teach myself to weld and do it myself. Thanks for the tip Timmy The Toolman
You're welcome. Welding would be a nice skill to have. I want to learn as well.
Most important thing he said in the whole vid was always break free the fill plug first!
Damn this just happened to me... so glad Timmy the tool man has a video! Gives me hope!! Thanks for all you do
That's a bummer Bailey. Heat up the drain plug with a torch and then give the chisel and hammer technique a try. If all else fails, you could do what we did and get somebody to weld an allen socket onto the plug and you'll definitely get it out then. Let me know if the chisel and hammer trick works for you.
Timmy The Toolman I’ll let you know how it goes! Gonna order the new plug then I’ll get the old one out when it comes.
This is a great, simple how-to...its good general knowledge for ALL SUVs. I have a 2015 Xterra Pro4X and my rear diff drain plug was stripping, it even uses the 4 sided/square 3/8" socket which is less likely to strip over an allen style bolt.. Ill be applying heat to see if that helps, but with such low mileage I'm surprised it got stuck in the first place.
Thanks for the compliment and you're very welcome. Yes, definitely try some heat first. I helped a guy who had stripped his rear diff fill plug. It was rounded off. I used heat and got a pipe wrench onto the bolt and was finally able to break it free.
Now I know the name of Wes’s shop, thank you. I need to get my seat fixed because one of my front bolt holes rusted through to now I have a zip tie holding the seat down. Also cool to see all these videos coming out at one time. Keep up the great work.
Give him a call and describe what you need. He does take on small jobs when he's not busy with some of the bigger jobs he takes on.
i am in the same boat and these comments helped me, so here my 2 cents. 2 days of PB blaster, then cold chisel to make a grove at 3'o clock and little bit heat ( 1 min blow torch), bang slightly hard with big hammer. Had to jack up the tundra for better access, it helps
Thanks for sharing your technique and success story with this problem.
I used a pipe nipple extractor, and it came out fine, just with a little force
Good job.
This was sooooo helpful, gave me everything i needed to know. thank you so much
You're very welcome. Good luck getting that drain plug out.
that is the most beautiful 3rd gen I’ve ever seen, gorgeous underneath unlike my stocker
Your comment would make Ash smile.
Here just looking for proper rounded side crush washer orientation... Thanks for the video! 👍
You're welcome.
It helped me. Can’t wait to try the chisel method tomorrow. I can hardly wait! Thanks a bunch and fantastic video!👍🏻
Good to hear William. Remember to use some heat before hammering away with the chisel. You're welcome and I hope your successful. Let me know how it goes for you.
Great vid Timmy! I would check the vent on that front diff. When they purge like that that means they are not breathing and have a little back pressure. Replace the vent cap or do the breather mod. An old dealer mechanic told me that when I had a little weep. The vent cap was plugged up with dirt and grime. Replaced it and never saw the weep again. Saved me from getting a seal job getting done.
Glad you like the video. From my experience, the quick purge of the gear oil from the drain plug is because we had the fill plug all the way out. The fill plug out allows the quick escape of the gear oil because the fill plug hole is acting like a big vent hole. It's the same principal if you have a jug of water with a tap on the bottom and a cap on top. With the cap secured on top, the water will trickle out slow. When you open up the top cap cap, that allows air to flow in and speeds up the delivery of the water. Or, it's like the sewer pipes in your home. They have to be vented in order to drain properly.
When I drained my front diff for the first time on my 2000, I had the same thing happen to me. I started the drain with the fill plug still partially threaded in and the gear oil was slowly glugging out. As soon as I removed the fill plug, the gear oil shot out past my drain pan and made a mess. So, the key to a controlled drain of the gear oil is to keep the fill plug in, at least until the majority of the volume has drained out.
Timmy The Toolman totally get that.. A bad vent and a poorly centered seal will cause a weep on the axle.
You make a good point and it's something to look at while you're under the rig. Visualizing the rubber vent tube connection to the hard line on top of the diff is a little hard to see but it can be done. A telescoping mirror can help.
Totally dealing with this issue, makes me want tissues
Two vids in one day, noice!
The way Sean and I do it, I go through the video first doing the rough cuts to get the content and flow I'd like to see and then I hand over the project to him so he can make it much nicer to watch. I have a lot more free time than Sean and I can also edit video at work because I'm not always running calls as a firefighter and there is down time at the station. So, we recently did several short and easy videos and I quickly did my end of the editing because I had the time. When Sean finally found the time to work on them, he was able to knock out 3 videos in one day.
I am reading on the forums while researching this job. A lot of people are using a Torx lol. That's where the stripped allen portion is coming from lol.
I don't know why people would use a torx socket on allen plug, but yeah, that's a bad idea.
Thanks for another cool
Video tim! Ill be doing this sometime this summer since i was never able to brake loose my fill plug.
Hey Jay, I wish I would have known to apply a little heat to the drain plug when I struggled to get mine off. After I stripped itd, I paid the Toyota dealership $150 to get it off and put a new drain plug back on.
Sorry if this is a repeat
Lexus hex drain plug 90341-24016
Fits front differential and eliminates Allen
Thanks.
Same thing is wrong with my Caddy srx. Thnx for the video, going to try hammer and chisel.
Good luck!
Real danger if you ignite the oil around and inside the case. Better to try heat gun instead. Great video on how to address this problem.
I don't think it's a concern. The combustion process needs oxygen. There's very little available oxygen inside that differential clamshell. It's basically a sealed off unit other than the breather which isn't going to offer enough oxygen for combustion to be sustained. Many people have welded nuts onto these drain plugs so they can remove them and not one person has reported any issues with fire. Now, if it was really oily on the outside of the case and you didn't bother to clean up the excessive oil before taking a torch to the plug or welding on it, then yeah, I could see a fire starting. But, a couple pats with a rag and the fire is out.
Thanks Tim! I’m gonna try putting some heat to it. I was gonna suck it out with a vacuum via the fill plug.
Apply heat and tap the plug with a hammer and give a try. If it doesn't budge with a fair amount of force, use more heat and whack it again. The key is to not strip it and be forced to use the chisle technique or have to weld a nut to the drain plug. With enough heat, you will be able to break it free. I used this technique on a guys rig and on the 3rd application of heat and whacking the plug with a hammer, I finally got it free. Let me know how it went for you.
Also use the longest half inch breaker bar you can...the heat as well as that leverage from the added length breaker bar usually is enough to solve the issue....anti sieze and then new plug 1/4 turn passed finger tight is plenty
You just don't want too much force because then you strip the head of the plug which is what you're trying to avoid. I think the main thing is using enough heat that you don't require a 2 foot long breaker bar to get it loose.
With it being somewhat open it would've been easier to use a grinder with metal cutoff wheel cut a notch then use a flat blade air chisel i did that on a 18 tundra took all of about 5 mins buzzed it loose the person stripped it and asked if i could help 🎉🎉
That is definitely another method.. one slip and you could knick your axle house/cut into the thread causing more headache. We like to take the path of least risk.
- Sean
Nice video!!. I'm glad you helped your buddy!!.
Tim you have helped me so much with my 1st gen Tacoma restoration replacing the front end suspension and steering, this is my 2nd Tacoma and I’m on my 3rd 4Runner currently 4th gen v8 still miss my 2 3rd gens thx again keep up the good work
How you doing, thank you very much for taking the time and making the video I have a 2016 RDX Acura and it's a 3/8 ratchet .
I didn't strip it yet but I'm on the way so I stopped and looked at your video.
One I have a little 1 ton b******* Jack the transfer case is too center of the vehicle for me to reach it don't know what to do?
Please help a thank you in advance
I don't understand what the bottle jack has to do with your drain plug problem.
They make upgraded bolts to replace this hex bolts. To normal. Ones you can get on. They stripped mine. Before I bought my truck. So it's 30k miles over do. 2nd gen Tacoma.
Read the comment I pinned (1st comment you see). Lexus makes a hex drain plug that will work as a replacement.
The question is did he buy a new one or leave the welded one in there?? I was thinking about welding a 1/2 large flange nut but I kinda like your method first. Worst case I cut the 10 mm Allen socket off and then try the nut. The fill one came out easy so I pushed hard and twisted the cap screw and fouled it fast!!
We replaced the plug. Having one with a welded nut on it would be nice for future servicing. I don't overly tighten that plug and it generally comes off without much of a fight. If one does fight me, I use heat around the plug and that breaks the bond of the copper washer from the plug.
@@TimmyTheToolman since then I started to think I’ll by a sacrificial torx socket, pound that in and then hit it with the mig I think that will do it. I have an AllPro IFS skid there so I might leave the modified plug on? It won’t get damaged but I’m buying new plugs to have handy before I get crazy
@@Flyanb That would do it.
Nice video. MacGyver is back🎬🎥
Yes, he is back with a vengeance.
Timmy I recently drowned my 1st gen tacoma... to the roof with water once it was home I began by draining all the fluids and neither of the differentials had water in them... factory axle breather system no extensions no check valves
Any ideas as to why?
The rear differential breather actually has a spring check valve in it. When enough pressure builds up to overcome the spring pressure, it opens releasing the pressure then closes. Now, I think the front breather is a simple breather with no check valve. The breather hose runs from the differential to the driver side fender well where the breather hose with the breather on the end attaches to a clip on the fender. At least that's how it is on the 3rd Gen 4runners and I assume it's the same for the 1st Gen Tacomas. How no water got into the front diff is perplexing.
Thanks for the video! I was able to break both rear diff plugs free on my 2002 Highlander after around an hour of penetrating oil baths and chisel whacks.
You're welcome Matt. Glad the chisel technique worked. Don't forget about the application of heat. Some heat from a butane torch might have helped you get those plugs out easier.
@@TimmyTheToolman MAP gas must have played a large role in helping! I heat up the case right behind the plug.
@@mendosa10000 Gotcha. You did it right.
So I took a 10mm hex key, annealed it, cut the ball end off with a bandsaw to 2" long up the shank, then heat treated and tempered it. My plan is to use this in an impact driver to get the plugs out. Wish me luck, I'll give the full report
This might work but it might just strip out. I really think using heat around the plug to help loosen the bond the plug has on that copper washer is important. So, maybe use some heat first with a butane torch before taking an impact to it. The key is to avoid stripping it out so you're not forced to use the chisel technique or maybe weld an allen socket onto the plug like we did. I got one out that was really stuck and I applied heat 3 times before it broke free. Definitely let us know how it works out.
@@TimmyTheToolman Dude! A resounding, overwhelming success! It gave some resistance, but it came out, cold and with no PB Blaster. If you or anyone wants one, I'll get a P.O. box going; send me a hex key
@@zenjon7892 Good to hear your idea worked.
Timmy, Could you do fuel injectors replacement. I've seen refurbished injectors very affordable on EBay. Looking forward to your news video. Learn a lot from your channel. Thank you.
We will eventually do a video of replacing a fuel injector. I don't know if I'd suggest somebody go in and replace all of them just because. This would be a situation of somebody having a misfire of a cylinder and the injector is suspected of being bad. Our valve cover gasket video basically takes you all the way in there to the fuel rail. It's not much more work to get the fuel rail off and pull the injectors out.
I find if I heat up the drain bolt then use an ice cube to cool down the drain bolt, that his helps the bolt expand and contract.
Thanks for the tip.
Well I just stripped my 14 Tundra front dif drain plug with a breaker bar and now just made an appointment at Toycarcare to deal with it. Sucks because I know how to work on fill & draining a front and rear diff but this was unexpected. And the front diff has never been worked on my 14 Tundra. My truck has over 141,000 miles and has never been touched and the drain plug has been stripped. Sucks I got to burn a hole in my pocket to have to get this done but it has to be done.
Well, you could try some heat and the chisel and hammer technique. I bet you can get it off yourself and save some money.
Great video. I have an FJ Cruiser. My rear diff is a bolt. 24MM. Bolt is stripped. I'm having some trouble finding replacements. Any idea where I might find them? Thanks.
Just get one at your local Toyota dealer. They're not that expensive.
I have a stubborn 24 mm hex differential fill bolt , 2001 Toyota 4Runner. Do I heat the bolt or the differential casing to get bolt out. Or does it matter? Thanks for your awesome vid.
Yes, heat a little around the bolt hole. You don't have to get it crazy hot. Before you get onto it with a wrench, whack the bolt with a hammer a couple times, Not super hard just a couple light blows. Since it's a hex bolt, you should be able to get onto it with a big ratchet or breaker bar and not risk stripping it.
I encountered the super tight drain plug and proceeded with WD40, break bar, 2.5 lb hammer and a then air wrench resulting in a stripped the plug. Now it will be your suggestions. First heat and chisel a la caveman style. Thanks for the info
You're welcome George. On my 2000 4runner, I stripped mine as well. This is a super common problem for these rigs and that's why we made this video. Hopefully a decent amount of people have been able to watch this video before actually stripping out the drain plug. Good luck getting it off.
I have the same easily stripped differential plug on my 2.8L 1999 Audi A6 Avant Quattro. (Same setup on a 2.8L VW Passat.) Luckily, the replacement from ECS has a hex bolt.
Yeah, a hex bolt is much better.
Same things just happened on my Hilux, Cheers guys!
Good luck getting it off. When you get if off, let us know what technique worked for you.
I gave you big fat thumbs up
The fatter the better! Appreciate the kudos bro 😎.
Have you made a video on how to Change oil pan gasket ?
Bruno A Soria Martinez I'm assuming you're talking about the engine oil pan and not the transmission oil pan. The video we have for replacing the front differential is most of the work. Once you get the differential out of the way, it's just a matter of removing all the ;pan bolts and then using a pan separator tool to break free the pan from the bottom of the motor.
Here's a link to the front differential swap video: th-cam.com/video/w_gPiDvh9v4/w-d-xo.html
Make sure you read the video description and the comment we pinned. There is a MUCH easier way to get the front diff out than we show in the video.
To get an idea how to separate the oil pan from the engine, check this video out: th-cam.com/video/tuGazNhuEtM/w-d-xo.html
You will want to use Toyota black FIPG (Form in Place Gasket) to re-seal your pan. You can buy it online or at your local Toyota dealer. Good Luck!
Speaking of stripped things, I stripped the plastic threads on the adjustment bolts of the headlights.
What would you guys recommend? Is there a way to fix it myself with some common hardware or, should I pony up the cash and buy new Headlight Housings?
Obviously a 3rd gen 4runner :)
It’s a problem for almost all 3 generation 3rd, 4th and 5th Gen. I don’t know why Toyota hasn’t done any changes. I’m going to tackle this today on my 4th Gen and will replace it with a Lexus GX drain plug
Don't know why either. A regular hex plug would have been better. Good luck. Remember, heat is your friend.
You can also just tap the drain plug with a hammer and it usually allows it break free pretty easily if you don't have a torch.
Good to know. I haven't tried this technique out yet but maybe I will on the next plug I find really tight.
@@TimmyTheToolman it has worked for me every time so far. Few good taps on the face of the drain plug seems to break free whatever seizes the threads.
I've never tried the heat method, but it makes sense it would work though.
My bolt hole is stripped on my steering knuckle that holds the brake calipers. The bolt is m12x1.25 and the threads on the knuckle are trashed and can't be chased. Would you recommend helicoil on such a critical part? If not any other thread repair kits you recommend or maybe tap to a bigger size? Trying to save myself from replacing the whole steering knuckle.
Hey Ernie, a helicoil would be fine. As long as you can hit the torque spec 90 foot pounds, you're good to go.
Whats the drain/ fill plug made of? Have a buddy who might be able to weld something on mine, but says he cant work with aluminum.
Johnny D Good question. I think it is made of aluminum but Wes has a mig welder had no problem welding the alllen head socket onto the drain plug.
This happened to me. Ended up going the hex bolt tac weld route and got another drain plug from Toyota.
Hey Nathan, yep, the hex bolt tac weld technique is one of the more popular fixes. I think this is the technique recommended by most people on the Toyota forums.
is the plug steel or aluminum? have a buddy that might be able to help me with mine
Dumb question: what about cleaning out the plug, putting some JB weld in it, and then putting the allen head socket in there? If you didn't have a welder, it could create a "weld" that might distribute the force a little better and keep it from rounding off. Mine is totally doing this right now.
A year or two ago, I got a stinking turkey baster and put some rubber hose on the end and stuck it down into the front diff and sucked out as much oil as I could get out, and then replaced it. After this video, I might get brave and see if I can work on it again.
Is yours stripped already?
@@TimmyTheToolman Not really, but it started to yield tonight, as in deform. I was afraid it would, and once I felt it give (not break free), I stopped.
@@toastrecon Use a butane torch and heat up around the plug. Then take a hammer and hit the plug a few times. Don't hit it with all your might. Just hit it with a pretty easy blow a few times. If the plug still doesn't budge, use some more heat. If you end up stripping it, you could use the hammer and chisel technique to break it free. But, sacrificing a socket and having it welded on like we show in the video worked really well. You could go to a muffler shop or a fab shop and they probably would only charge you $10-20 to weld it on for you.
I don't know about the JB weld ides. I'm not familiar with it so I don't know if it would really hold for this application.
Do you have any video of changing the bushings in the front diff for the CV ?
I don't understand what you're talking about. Are you talking about the bushings in the front differential mounts that connect to the frame? Or, are you talking about the oil seals on the ends of the differential that the CV axles mate with?
Timmy The Toolman I’m sorry for not being clear. They are bushings that the inboard end of the CV to the diff behind the oil seals they support the CV ECGS
@@OHIOMANUSMC Gotcha,. I thought I remember that there is a bearing behind the seal, not a bushing but I may have just forgotten. But no, we haven't replaced those yet for anyone.
Timmy The Toolman I was going to replace the needle bearing and install the update bushing on the drivers side. Maybe I will make it my first video.
Yeah, you should make a video of it. People will appreciate it. I know I definitely will.
I welded a bolt in the plug, and the bolt apparently couldn't handle the heat. It snapped right off without hardly any pressure. That's when the chisel came to the rescue. Thanks for the ideas!
You're welcome. Good job getting it done.
Is it ok to apply heat with the oil inside the diff?
Yes, it is.
I ran into this problem when I changed my diff fluid. It's very difficult to remove. I sprayed the plug with liquid wrench.. tapped with a hammer .. repeated about 10 times and the plug just came out after 30 mins
Thanks for sharing this technique.
Can you just replace the drain plug with a different bolt like from the transfer case?? So you don’t mess with the Allen head?
I was told this Lexus drain plug works #90341-24016.
@@TimmyTheToolman thanks man! I appreciate it.
@@mujtaballa3105 You're welcome.
@@TimmyTheToolman I’m going to use redline MT90 for my manual trans on my 3.4 tacoma and then use redline 75-90 for my front/ rear diff and transfer case. I plan on getting all new bolts and washers. Your videos give me confidence.
Just worried about the rear diff, not sure if I will harm it by changing the oil. Back in the day my dad changed the oil on our 89 pickup and the rear diff started howling. So ever since I’ve been scared to change the fluid.
@@mujtaballa3105 I'm running the Redline 75w-90 in my front and rear diffs and transfer cases without issue in both my 3rd Gens. It will be fine.
If it won't break free, go straight to impact wrench before you strip it.
Impact won't strip it? I think I'd try the application of heat many times before hitting it with an impact.
@@kayjay4060 Yep, the key is to try not to strip it in the first place by the application of heat first. I've used the heat technique and it works well. You heat it up, give it a try and if it doesn't budge with a fair amount of force, use more heat and keep trying until it breaks free. You're not heating directly on the plug but the outer circumference around the plug.
@@kayjay4060 You're welcome. Good luck with all the work.
Great explanations and comments!
Thanks Timmy the Toolman for all your help!
Im lazy asf i just pop off the abs sensor on my rear differential to fill up lol old 1990 f250 xlt 4x4 7.3 idi
Well, that's certainly one way to do it.
I just stripped by 50% my diff drain plug. It's an 1986 F150. There is an irritating bump near the hole so I need an extention. I assumed it's a 1/2 " socket. Could it be metric? The 10 front diff bolts are 13 mm. Thoughts please? Anyone? Thanks.
David
Alberta
Wish we could help you David but we don't have experience with Fords unfortunately. I wonder if there's a Ford forum you could post on to get your question answered.
Thanks for responding. The Ford forums mention most of the things you do...heat, hammer, chisel, 1/2 inch socket extention because there is a mysterious hump bear the insert so I can't get close to it with an ordinary ratchet. So, I must use a long extention, the only one I have, and I cannot get a proper fit and not good leverage, etc. I'm grinding a slit into the bolt (there is only about 1/4 " sticking out), and with a chisel, I'm pounding it a little counter clockwise after I heat the bolt around the edges with a blow torch.
Curiously, it seemed to move when I thought about tightening it since I thought I'd try something else. That is inexplicable to me.
Next stop. ....my mechanic who has all the tools, hoist, skill, etc. And an ordinary bolt after. What was Ford thinking? A very bad engineering idea.Its welded and rusted where it screws in. I'm convinced of that. Thanks again.
David
Alberta
That ride is clean and mean
I don't know if Ash will see your comment, but it he does, you definitely put a smile on his face. He LOVES his rig.
Can you weld to a drain plug that is in an aluminum case? I have an allen wrench broken off in my plug. Flush with the head of the plug.
Yes, we did it in this video. We welded an allen socket the the drain plug. Others weld a nut on so they can get on there with a 6 point socket. But, you can still get if off without any welding by using some heat, a chisel and a hammer. Have your chisel and hammer ready. Heat up around the plug evenly with a small butane torch and then use the hammer and chisel to knock the plug counter clockwise. If it doesn't break free after a few good whacks, heat up around the plug some more and give it another try.
@@TimmyTheToolman I just wondered if it would damage the aluminum. Your dif looks like cast iron.
@@mckrackin5324 Ahh, I get what you're asking now. The heat from the welding process is probably pretty minimal. You would just be tacking a nut onto the drain plug. I know aluminum is heat treated for it's strength but I'd be shocked the heat from the welding process would do anything to change the strength properties of the aluminum case. To be sure, you could just consult a journeyman welder and ask them their opinion. If you have a fab shop in your area, I'm sure there's probably somebody on staff with a lot of experience who would know for sure.
@@TimmyTheToolman Thanks.
ALWAYS torque these to spec. No reason not to. If you do this you’ll never have a stuck plug!
We agree, always torque if you’re a beginner, use your torque elbow if you have a decent amount of experience.
- Sean
Well, I purposely tighten these by feel, and I know I'm not going to the full spec. Since tightening them by feel, I've never had a hard time getting them broken free. The torque spec is way overkill. Snug and a little more is all you need. - Timmy
im watching this because i stripped my screw as well on my rav 4
Good luck getting it out.
Does Toyota or an aftermarket company make a replacement plug with a different head?
This is a good question. I've never heard of an alternative from Toyota and I don't know if an aftermarket company makes one either. I have a feeling nobody does. The key to not fighting the fill or drain plug in the future is to just use a moderate amount of force tightening them back up. We have the torque specs in the video description but I'm guessing I'm not coming close to the torque spec of 29 ft-lbf for the fill plug and 48 ft-lbf for the drain plug. I just snug them up firm and call it good. I've removed them afterward for the next scheduled renewal of the fluid and they weren't hard to break free. If I did find one or both was really fighting me, I'd use the suggestion I gave in the video and apply some heat with a butane torch.
Timmy The Toolman aussie company KAON make a 24mm head replacement bolt with bigger magnet
Hey Tim what's the part# for the front diff drain plug? You only added part # for washers
Yeah, that was a major oversight on my part. I don't know the part number off the top of my head. Your best bet is to just visit your local Toyota dealer and pick one up. Even though it's the dealer, that part can't cost that much.
@@TimmyTheToolman yes will do thanks Tim🤙
@@michaelt9558 If you get the part number, please comment back so I can add it to the video description. Thanks!
Ok as soon as I get the part I will
Hey Tim so I called my local toyota parts store and part# for drain bolt is 90341-24014 and fill bolt 90341-18032. Looked on Ebay and it was few dollars cheaper than parts store
The trans oil drain plug in my 08 Scion xb is striped and the 24mm isn't working.
You could try using an extraction socket but I don't know if they make them in a 24mm size. Like these: *Bolt Biter Extraction Socket Set amzn.to/32YpFOh They're good at grabbing rounded off bolts. Or, you could just try a pipe wrench. I took off a stripped 24mm drain plug off a 3rd Gen 4runner differential with a big pipe wrench. I first heated it up around the drain plug with a butane torch to help loosen it's bond to the differential.
@@TimmyTheToolman I actually just ordered one, a Irwin and had good reviews from Toyota owners.
Thanks
@@YeskaSmoke420 Cool. Hopefully it works to get the drain plug out.
Good stuff: But WHO keeps their Toy that clean underneath?
You just met him in the video. Ash does. You could eat off his undercarriage. When people see his rig, that's always one of the comments. "Man, your rig is spotless." And, Ash does 4wheel his truck. He just spends more time than most keeping it really clean.
Thanks. Actually some folks do. Check out a guy on T4R by the name Tyler James Inc for example. He's even in the PNW but works to keep his 3rd Gens detailed underneath. And for more practical reasons when one is in salt environments since these rigs can be known to rust to pieces if not cared for.
Will a MIG welder work?
Yes, a mig welder would work to either weld on a nut or allen socket onto the plug to get it out.
@@TimmyTheToolman Thanks. Where's the best place to attach the ground? I'm doing the allen on drain plug weld.
@@stevemcgavren7645 Maybe hook it up to one of the bolts that attach the support brackets to the differential. I'd disconnect the negative battery cable just to play it safe so you don't fry your ECU.
My hex head bolt is aluminum so I can't weld it
What kind of vehicle do you have?
Horrid design by Toyota. I don't know if previous owner used red threadlocker or if it's just corroded in place. Thanks for these suggestions.
Yes, we agree with you Mike. Toyota should have used a regular bolt head instead of an allen head. I doubt someone used red loctite on it. They just get really locked on there. I believe it's the copper washer getting locked onto the plug and housing and it's not the threads of the plug getting locked into the housing.
@@TimmyTheToolman currently unable to get that plug loose on my '01 4Runner. Hex head is not stripped (yet), and I've tried heat, hammer and chisel, and air impact (150- psi). Doesn't appear to have any washer at all. Other topic; I wish you had another way to donate besides PayPal, as I've discontinued use of Paypal and PayPal credit card due to their f'ing up my autopayment, which made it "late", and just their general dickishness. A few years ago I did throw $30 your way, in appreciation of your "steering wheel play" video.
@Terebrate Use more heat. Heat around the plug, but not the plug itself. You'll get it. Also try shocking it with some hammer strikes on the plug. Don't worry about the donation. Knowing you appreciate what we do is payment enough. Good luck!
Thanks for all the tips - I always usedd a propane torch -no more - NOT ENOUGH HEAT. The MAP gas torch did the trick although it cost me an arm, leg and half my earlobe in my small town to buy the tank and torch (to have it NOW while I had the exhaust off the RAV4.) The Japanese design great cars but are very stupid, especially Toyota, with all the hex-drive plugs - especially in rust prone areas (don't even get me started with their retarded tiny hex drive-only to "attempt" to remove sway bar links - half of them have to be cut off. Even the cheap O'Reilly's replacement part had an alternative beefy and large open-wrench "bolt-head" in addition to the dumb rust-magnet OEM hex drive.) Detroit Iron got this one right - I have NEVER stripped a 3/8" or 1/2" socket drive SQUARE drain plug. Anyhow, beyond the extra heat, the key was the chisel method - very effective once you have enough heat on the threads. I would have preferred a permanent welded solution but don't have a welding setup available at home where I was working.
You're welcome. I've good luck with my map gas torch. I agree that those allen head plugs weren't a good idea. My theory is the copper washer gets really stuck to the diff and plug. It has nothing to do with the threads.
I’m watching this too late… I just stripped it lol
Break out the chisel and hammer or weld a nut or allen socket like we did and getter dun.
I wish I was at this problem, I’m stuck on the damn bolts on my struts. I hate the east coast
The rust you guys deal with is something I don't envy. I guess you get pretty use to using lots of penetrating oil and a torch to get fasteners unstuck.
Timmy The Toolman me and my cousin managed to chisel and split two of them. The 3rd one is toward the front of the vehicle and slightly behind the castle nut. Do you think a dremel with a saw attachment would be able to do it? We were able to saw the top of the bolt off
@@NOLAnwa87 I think the Dremel could handle it with a metal cutting disk as long as you can get the Dremel into the area you need to. Just have some extra disks available because you might burn through or break a few.
Timmy The Toolman with a little more cutting and a lot of cursing i finally got the last bolt and removed the strut. Now to work on the other side lol. I’m gonna end up replacing my steering knuckle eventually along with the rest of the front suspension
@@NOLAnwa87 Good to hear you finally succeeded. Like I said, I really feel for you guys that have to deal with the gnarly rust. I know that it would take a lot of the fun out of it for me if I had to deal with it every time I needed to do some wrenching.
🤙🏼
that shit got no rust lol
Ash is pretty anal about his rig. You could eat off his undercarriage. There's no dirt or grease anywhere.
Phucking Toyota, I really wish they would stop slipping their standards with dumb ideas of using hex plugs, and instead use bolts.
It is pretty weird they would select an allen head plug instead of a standard bolt plug. The person at Toyota that made this decision was hopefully kicked hard in the nuts for this stupid move.
Easy... Mine is aluminum :(
Everyone's is aluminum.
i hate the guy who torqued on my truck
Those drain plugs for some reason have a tendency to really get locked on there. I'm not so sure it's always due to somebody cranking down on it with too much force.
FIRST
next time weld on a bolt or nut so you don't have to waste a good tool :)
Ash paid $5 for the allen socket from Home Depot. I told him about the nut route but he had no problem losing a $5 socket.
Timmy The Toolman to each their own!
You'll be at Pismo this weekend I hear? If so I'll see you there, I'll be in my 1st gen Grey Tacoma, trd 5 speed with a sunroof. Names David.
I will be there David. See you soon.
I cant stand car manufacturers. I swear they make bolts like this to make it difficult to keep up the maintenance on your own vehicle.
It is a bad design. I believe the main issue with these plugs is the copper washer. That washer really bonds to the plug and differential and makes it hard to break free. A little application of heat breaks the bond so you can break the plug free.
@@TimmyTheToolman Thanks for the explanation! Ive been battling for 2 days with sealed transmission fill plug in a 2016 fiat. Wish I had taken my time and tried to get the fill plug out first before draining the transmission fluid.😞 🤦
@@jessielivermore1826 Can you get in there with a hammer and chisel? Or, do you have a welder so you can weld a nut onto the plug?
@@TimmyTheToolman going for a longer chisel today. If I had the time and resources, I would just pull the motor out, get out the stuck screw and do all the maintenance that will need to be done next year.
Thanks for your suggestions!
@@jessielivermore1826 OK, I hope you get it.
USE ANTI-SEIZE, PEOPLE!! FFS!!
It might help. It's not really the threads of the plug binding with the threads of the diff housing though. It's the face of the plug locking against the copper washer. The key is to not over-tighten it. It doesn't need to be on gorilla tight, just snugged up.
@@TimmyTheToolman Yeah, that was a hot-headed comment. I spent the better part of an afternoon beating the shit out of my Tacoma's rear diff fill plug, rounded the wrench flats off and all! took a pipe wrench to finally get it
@@jonp.6131 Anyone who turns wrenches long enough knows exactly what it feels like to fight something and get super frustrated. So, you're not alone. I also had to take a pipe wrench to a guys rear differential fill plug but it was because the guy used the wrong socket to begin with, a standard size, and he was the one that did the damage to the plug rounding off the edges.
I used this when mine stripped. The bolt is big enough that this should grab on and not break. It was on super tight when it finally came off.
www.amazon.com/IRWIN-HANSON-53227-Multi-Spline-Extractor/dp/B0002SRG66
Thanks for tip. Good to know this type of extractor works well. I might have to get me a set.
Timmy The Toolman the little ones not so much. For 8-12mm head bolts, I’ve had them all break inside =\. Warranty is decent from Irwin (takes a while) but the set is made in USA
Honda is just as worst.
Honda's have the same issue too. Maybe it's a Japanese Automotive thing.
@@TimmyTheToolman No, I think they use Global Parts (Made in USA).
Can you believe that Honda's stripped & never change the fluid like many oil change shops?
What was the part number plz for the plug
Expand the video description by clicking on "Show More" and you'll see the part number you're looking for.