Using heat on front axle oil plugs

[Muck Spreader]

I can't seem to free the oil plugs in the front axle of one of my JD's without the risk of the plugs square slot rounding off. Is heat a safe option or borrowing/buying an impact wrench a better bet?

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Whack then hard with a good solid lump hammer or even a small sledge. They will come off then

 

[mobileweld]

I wouldn’t use an impact on them. What tool are you using now? They will sometimes try to roll out if the tool isn’t a good fit to begin with and if it’s not holding square when you’re putting force on it. Decent flexi head bar will help to pull square. If heat is the resort then I’d use mapp gas rather than oxy on an axle I think. Might not need much.

 

[TelesnaAg]

I can't seem to free the oil plugs in the front axle of one of my JD's without the risk of the plugs square slot rounding off. Is heat a safe option or borrowing/buying an impact wrench a better bet?

Use impact rated extension bar, apply pressure, may need piece of pipe over the socket bar, and have someone belt the socket bar head with a hammer, they will come loose.

Trick is to make sure when applying preasure you dont face plant something when it lets go.

Heat would be absolute last resort, id nearly weld a nut onto plug before using heat.

Ant...

 

[Nearly]

Remove wheel and lower hub onto blocks. Allows a straight turn without flex of the tyre.

 

[Landrover]

Thai sort of stuff can be useful if your nervous of heating something https://www.coxmotorparts.co.uk/hon...uuKQJpnIAY8TyRZvc9Vw63aK46xe8VPxoCLx4QAvD_BwE

 

[Phil P]

Whack it hard with a hammer you can even put an old 1/2” extension in a whack that if you don’t want to chip the paint. They usually fall out after a few good hits.

 

[David1968]

As @Phil P and @Mur Huwcun say, give it a couple of cracks with a hammer and try again

No need to over complicate it.

 

[Muck Spreader]

Thanks' everyone, job's a goodun. A dozen hard hits with a lump hammer and they did indeed virtually fallout.

 

[ACEngineering]

Thanks' everyone, job's a goodun. A dozen hard hits with a lump hammer and they did indeed virtually fallout.

I was going to say go buy new plugs first so you have something good to put back in if they do round out. Probably too late now.

 

[Muck Spreader]

I was going to say go buy new plugs first so you have something good to put back in if they do round out. Probably too late now.

Is there any benefit in greasing the plugs or ptfe taping them or just a matter of correct torques? I suspect the corrosion is mostly on the outside edge anyway.

 

[Sam Partridge]

Is there any benefit in greasing the plugs or ptfe taping them or just a matter of correct torques? I suspect the corrosion is mostly on the outside edge anyway.

always find those types of plugs are absolutely solid when you come to undo them no matter what so we just don't do them up very tight to begin with

 

[Nearly]

Mechanic tight, not farmer tight.

 

[Muck Spreader]

Mechanic tight, not farmer tight.

Must admit I've seen plenty of rounded off or stripped thread sump and oil plugs in my time, but I can't say I've ever had one come unscrewed and fall off.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Must admit I've seen plenty of rounded off or stripped thread sump and oil plugs in my time, but I can't say I've ever had one come unscrewed and fall off.

i had trouble with an iveco engined NH engine drain plug on its 50 service which i was doing myself,it was 10 or 12mm hex and rounded quickly and hopoelessly, so i spot welded something on for leverage to undo it then after before replacing it i welded a the head of a cut off bolt on to it, one of a decent size something like 24mm iirc ,never had trouble with it again.

 

[Neil MP]

Is there any benefit in greasing the plugs or ptfe taping them or just a matter of correct torques? I suspect the corrosion is mostly on the outside edge anyway.

Most are supposed to have a copper crush washer for sealing.

 

[Cowabunga]

Most are supposed to have a copper crush washer for sealing.

Same use a solid washer that is quite thick and hard. So they all usually need a moderate whack with a hammer to get them to undo even if only reasonably tightened last time.

 

[Neil MP]

Same use a solid washer that is quite thick and hard. So they all usually need a moderate whack with a hammer to get them to undo even if only reasonably tightened last time.

Yeah, I always thought it was common knowledge! “If in doubt give it a clout”

 

[Cowabunga]

Yeah, I always thought it was common knowledge! “If in doubt give it a clout”

It even worked on black and white televisions so its not exactly news.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Same use a solid washer that is quite thick and hard. So they all usually need a moderate whack with a hammer to get them to undo even if only reasonably tightened last time.

Italians didn’t place them in the easiest place to give then a whack though unfortunately , especially with wide tyres or a narrow track spacing or worse a 4cyl with front fenders, loader, side exhaust and wide tyres!!! Especially clean stock farmer tractors on farms with lovely clean concrete