Potential help for those pesky diff and transfer case drain and fill plugs.

[LTrain0800]

Those drain and fill plugs are really low profile and tend to slip when using a socket on them. To eliminate the slippage as much as possible try grinding down your socket to eliminate the bevel. The bevel is there to make it go on easier but on really low profile fittings that causes slip. This will allow full purchase on the fitting insuring the best chance of removal without damage.

 

[OGBeno]

Or, just s***can the 24mm ones and get the 10mm allen socket plugs.

 

[Mxndrnks]

MMMMmmm.... Me likey that idea Onur.... Might have to find some!

 

[LTrain0800]

Or that... 24s gotta come of first though.

Thanks for help with the parts order last week. Very helpful.

Joel

 

[CappyKD]

MMMMmmm.... Me likey that idea Onur.... Might have to find some!

Marlin Crawler has them.

 

[LTrain0800]

Onur has them too...

 

[spressomon]

Or, just s***can the 24mm ones and get the 10mm allen socket plugs.

Except when you drag a rock across the socket head cap screw face aka "allen" and eff up the internal hex...then they're a whole lot more fun to get out.

At least when the protective diff collar gets pushed into the hex bolt head you can with just a little Dremel/die grinder work get the hex socket on the head of the bolt.

Been there done that.

OP: Good idea!

 

[pfran42]

Quick question about those plugs...I just changed my front, rear and transfer case oil. I purchased the correct crush washers and the aluminum looking gasket for the transfer case and torqued them to spec. I think it was 24 ft lbs for front and rear and 36 for center...something like that.

Anyways when the wrench clicked, it felt like it was a little over what I call "snug". Taking the bolts out (even if they were a little siezed required 3-4 times more torque. I checked and rechecked the FSM and even used a different torque wrench to ensure I had tightened the bolts correctly and I eventually consoled myself in the fact that the washers are made from soft material and that over-torquing them would defeat their purpose.

A day later I go to inspect my work and the front diff is slightly damp with diff oil. I dried it off and checked the next day and it was slightly wet looking again. At that point I put a clean shop pan under the diff and rechecked 12 hrs later to see if anything was actually leaking. Pan was clean and no spots on the driveway.

I remember over-filling the front diff a little when I switched out my passenger side axle last week and since the pass side was up way higher than the driver, it took more fluid before it started running out of the fill hole.

Could an over filled front diff leak out of the axle seal? Should I crank down on the fill and drain bolts a little more? I honestly can't tell where the leak is originating from but it is a very slow loss of fluid.

- Sent from a very small supercomputer.

 

[OGBeno]

Except when you drag a rock across the socket head cap screw face aka "allen" and eff up the internal hex...then they're a whole lot more fun to get out.

At least when the protective diff collar gets pushed into the hex bolt head you can with just a little Dremel/die grinder work get the hex socket on the head of the bolt.

Been there done that.

OP: Good idea!

Well considering that 99% of 100 series owners don't wheel their junk like you, I think the majority of the population will be ok.



Joel: elegant solution by the way. Glad you are using a Craftsman as opposed to a Matco or a Snap-On.

 

[Mxndrnks]

ooohh Snap!

 

[Phx99Cruiser]

A day later I go to inspect my work and the front diff is slightly damp with diff oil. I dried it off and checked the next day and it was slightly wet looking again. At that point I put a clean shop pan under the diff and rechecked 12 hrs later to see if anything was actually leaking. Pan was clean and no spots on the driveway.

I remember over-filling the front diff a little when I switched out my passenger side axle last week and since the pass side was up way higher than the driver, it took more fluid before it started running out of the fill hole.

Weekend before last I did the diffs and xfer case on my son's '99 4Runner. I also filled until gear oil starting coming out. On the front diff which has the hex key bolt, (others are the 24MM socket like the LC sounds like) I did notice a slight pooling of oil below the bolt within a couple hours of the refill. I wiped it dry again and gave it another tug with the key hey (didn't have a key socket to torque with) - I used a small deep socket with the extension as a cheater bar

I check a couple days later and it was now ok, could not see any seeping. I think the design of the seating for the hex bolt is different where it seems to accumulate more oil around the seal for some reason. That, or it's just my imagination.

I, too, used new washers/gaskets for all of the drain plugs.

If it continues, double check the torque of the bolt. Worst case I was thinking was that I'd have to re-drain the diff and clean the seating really well, maybe some particles got around the seating area for the gasket. Luckily it seems ok now as I said.