[joshsill]

Is there anything special I need to do to remove my fill and drain plug from my front differential? I can't seem to get enough leverage to get them out. I'm using the square end of a 1/2" extension, is this correct? Perhaps I need an impact or something? I just don't want to strip the head because that would be a real mess. Any tips or suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Hertz]

Get your hands on an impact gun and pound away at it. It will come off. Use an extension you don't care about.

 

[chainsaw]

Just put a cheater pipe on the ratchet or what ever you are using, If you use an impact be prepaired to take a bath in gear oil.

 

[Hertz]

Just put a cheater pipe on the ratchet or what ever you are using, If you use an impact be prepaired to take a bath in gear oil.

Just break It loose with the impact if you're worried about getting oil everywhere. But I still can't see how you would 'take a bath' in it.

Oh and try spraying some PB Blaster on it and leaving it set in for a minute or two. That stuff is the shizz.

 

[joshsill]

Thanks for the replies.....guess I'll search for an impact.

 

[chainsaw]

Just break It loose with the impact if you're worried about getting oil everywhere. But I still can't see how you would 'take a bath' in it.

Oh and try spraying some PB Blaster on it and leaving it set in for a minute or two. That stuff is the shizz.

Just being cautious, Ive seen people who dont know impacts who just sweeze the trigger and out she comes!!

 

[rorybellows]

i have the experience of using an impact on oil containing devices and having had the said oil bath. think cat c-15. anyway, given the material that the diff is made of, id have to disagree with using an impact on it. use the ratchet and the cheater pipe to break her loose. youre running the chance of stripping the threads or worse, cracking the case. (no fun)

 

[MITOK]

You might benefit from letting some PB Blaster work its magic overnight. Also, it's a good idea to remove the fill plug first; if you pull the drain plug and then find that the fill plug is FUBAR, you're stuck with an empty diff and no way to fill it.

 

[lane.mcpeak]

This might be a stupid side question, but do you tighten the plugs back up to a certain torque, or just as tight as you can get 'em?

 

[smizwhiz]

From the 2003 FSM...

Fill plug:
Front R200A: 43-72 ft-lbs
Rear H233B 43-72 ft-lbs
Rear C200 29-43 ft-lbs

Drain plug:
Front R200A: 43-72 ft-lbs
Rear H233B: 43-72 ft-lbs,
Rear C200: 29-43 ft-lbs

I've never seen such a broad torque range.

 

[lane.mcpeak]

Yeah that's.... quite a span between 43 and 72....

 

[chainsaw]

Alot of stuff on these trucks is like that, weird.

 

[gm_2001se]

Is there anything special I need to do to remove my fill and drain plug from my front differential? I can't seem to get enough leverage to get them out. I'm using the square end of a 1/2" extension, is this correct? Perhaps I need an impact or something? I just don't want to strip the head because that would be a real mess. Any tips or suggestions? Thanks.

Do the fill plug first, that way, you can at least drive it if you can't get the drain off (not true the other way 'round).

I used pieces of box cutter blade taped to my 1/2" drive to make the drive fit more snugly in the plug.

I had a shop do it the 1st time (both diffs, trans, and Xfer case), and noticed a couple of new plugs. Ha-ha, the risk of using air tools?

Slap a little thread sealer on there to keep them from weeping.