Wrench for differential plugs

[Chuck Tribolet]

In pathfinder-qx4-general-information-and-q-a-t549378.html, towncivilian
correctly points out that the hole in the differential plug is 13mm, 1/2 inch (12.7mm), and points to an
inexpensive Harbor Freight set. I see two problems with the Harbor Freight set: 1) it's Harbor Freight,
2) it fits 3/8" tools, not 1/2"

Here's a couple of other options:

A) http://www.ultimatetoolco.com/drainplugs.aspx It's pricey at $29.50 for a single socket, but looks
very well made. Besides the 1/2 socket connection, it also has a hex head that will take a 24mm wrench
for close quarters. It's also out of stock at the moment.

B. K-D Tools used to make a wrench, their p/n 2329. It's not in their current catalog. I picked one up in
an auto parts store about 30 years ago, and ran across it today in an obscure corner of my tool chest.
It's not a socket, it's just a piece of steel about 1/8" thick with a 13mm square piece on one end.
If it were still available, I'd guess it would be about $10 today. I couldn't google one up, but it might
be worth putting a watch on eBay.

At least Pathfinder HAS differential plugs. My '87 Corvette has no drain plug. You have to pull the back
off the diff to drain the oil

Chuck

[Towncivilian]

I'm actually needing to purchase that stupid 3/8" drain plug socket set since I plan to change my rear diff fluid soon. I have a 1/2" drive to 3/8" drive socket adapter (also part of a set from HF I bought on sale for something like $4), so the size should be no big deal, but paying about $14 (after HF's copious 20% off coupons) for a single socket is mildly irritating. I doubt I'd use any of the other sockets.

I'll probably get one of these multi-use transfer pumps from HF to pump the gear oil into the diffs from the bottles to avoid a smelly mess.

[Chris.m]

Am I missing something?

When I changed my front and rear diff fluids, I used a ratchet.



*Edit: I really ahve no clue why the picture is sideways, but you get the idea.

[miamiheat3332]

Yeah same here.

[Towncivilian]

I tried using a 1/2" breaker bar to remove the fill plug. The plug started disfiguring. I bought a new fill & drain plug and brought 3 quarts of gear oil to the local dealer, and they changed it for $30 + tax and disposal fees. I didn't want to deal with potentially rounding off the plug(s) as Empty V did.





This is how he got it out:

[Chuck Tribolet]

I'll probably get one of these multi-use transfer pumps from HF to pump the gear oil into the diffs from the bottles to avoid a smelly mess.

The local auto parts store will have a pump that screws onto the bottle of diff oil for about the same price as the
HF. It's convenient because you can work it one-handed. I think I have three of them kicking around because I don't like to mix lubes:
One for the lower unit on my boat, one for trans oil, and one for something else that escapes me. Store them in a
doubled freezer grade ziplock with a couple of paper towels inside.

Chuck

[Towncivilian]

I'll pick up one of those then, thanks.

[Densetsu]

Make that a third on just using the wrench. Might have used an extension, but that's about it. I've heard of some people having troubles with the socket wrench being a bit loose in the plug... that was usually solved by wrapping electrical tape around the end so it fit more snugly.

As for that transfer pump, I used an almost identical one and it broke halfway through me filling the rear differential. I hadn't even started the front yet. It's made of cheap plastic and felt flimsy when I first started. It was hard to operate -- the oil must have been too viscous -- and then all of the sudden it failed. The plunger must have broken/snapped inside; the reviews on Canadian Tire are very mixed. I went back and brought this solidly-made suction grease gun and it's lasted me since then. Simple concept and an all-metal, solid build.

[Towncivilian]

I have one of those suction guns from Harbor Freight, but it's contaminated with used PSF & brake fluid (which is all I use it for; siphoning fluids) and I still would rather not use it for transferring gear oil after cleaning it out with brake cleaner due to its tendency to spill its contents fairly easily. I'll just pick up a pump that screws onto the gear oil bottle as Chuck suggested.

[fueler]

avoid harbor freight tools, for anything other than hammers and jackstands. Chinese tools will cause you WAY more trouble than the savings are worth.

A craftsman 1/2" breaker bar with some tape wrapped around it, will do the trick. I tried it without the tape and it started to deform the plug. Add some duct tape, you'll be alright. You may need a cheater bar. I last changed my diff fluid in like 2005 or something but i remember that even then, it was seized in there pretty good. I can't imagine opening one today in 2012.

[m0nkeyprince]

lol

i bought a butane torch from home depot (under $20) then lit the plug up for like a minute. I new it was gonna be a b**** to change because before i took auto tech in college a long time ago, i took my car to the shops but i would watch the mechanics work, I remember him using loctite red on the plug, afterwards, i used the jack pushing the ratchet trick, and that got it to work.

i used loctite blue to seal everything back up

[Pathy415]

+1 on the torch, mine came out like butter after I torched it for about a minute.

[Chuck Tribolet]

ultimatetoolco.com now has the 13mm socket in stock. I've ordered one. Watch this space.

[dk203040]

*Edit: I really ahve no clue why the picture is sideways, but you get the idea.

The 90 degree photo rotation display can happen as a result of shooting with an iphone in the vertical position rather than sideways. Some software will display the photo properly corrected and some won't. Best to shoot all iphone photos sideway like a regular camera.

[Chuck Tribolet]

Off-topic, but that's because the iPhone records the orientation in the EXIF data, but creates the image file the same way the sensor is laid out.
Good programs obey the orientation data, lazy ones don't. In this case it could be the browser (Firefox for me) or it could be whatever you
used to resize the image smaller.


Chuck

[Chris.m]

When I take a picture on my phone sideways, sure enough, it turns out sideways.

The strange part is that when I rotate the image in Microsoft Office Picture Manager (and save it), it appears the right way up (in the containing folder), but the image hosting service I use (Imageshack) turns it sideways again.

The way that I have "fixed" this, is by right clicking on the thumbnail and selecting rotate.

This was an old pic I had, so I had already rotated it in Microsoft Office Picture Manager, and then didn't really bother to rotate it in the thumbnail form because it looked the right way up in the containing folder.

[Chuck Tribolet]

The socket arrived yesterday. Kudos to ultimatetoolco.com and USPS. I ordered it on Saturday of a holiday weekend,
it shipped in an hour, and USPS delivered it in the next mail. Shipping was free.

It seems to be well-made. I'll be tackling the diff oil change in the next week or two. Watch this space.


Chuck

[yngw13]

do I need that Chuck? if I have air tools already? have a 1/2" impact wrench with 1/2 extensions if ever....

[Chuck Tribolet]

There are a number of people who have reported problems with rounding out the square hole using a 1/2" (12.7mm) ratchet
in a 13mm hole. Others have been successful. You can take your chances if you like.

Chuck

[Towncivilian]

Today I changed my rear differential fluid. I used the 13mm Harbor Freight drain plug socket. It fit in quite well. I used a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter. The fill plug loosened off with a couple raps on a 24" breaker bar. The drain plug also loosened easily using a slightly shorter breaker bar (actually a broken torque wrench with its ratcheting mechanism still functional). I had no problems tightening the plugs either using a working, unabused torque wrench to 50 ft-lbs.

The old fluid was Valvoline High Performance (white bottle) 80W-90 gear oil in use for approximately 11k miles. There was some fuzz on the drain plug magnet, but not a giant mushroom cloud. The fluid looked amber and clear when draining, but in the drain pan it looked greyish. 3 quarts of Mobil 1 75W-90 gear oil went in. I used the gear oil pump that fits in both quart and gallon jugs. It made the job significantly easier and cleaner, and I was done with the entire service in approximately 45 minutes.

Be sure to use a 20% discount coupon if you purchase the drain plug socket set from Harbor Freight. I had one printed out in my car, but it had expired on 5/31 and I ended up paying full price.

[yngw13]

EDIT >>>> NVM its actually there...so tired my eyes failed me

town > whats the part# of the drain plug set? I saw one online but it dont have the 13mm socket....

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-piece-d ... 94961.html

[Chuck Tribolet]

That set does have the 13mm. They just don't list them in order.

Chuck