Final drive plug stuck!

[80xs11ms]

Drained my final drive fluid for the first time on my newest xs1100 (79 G). Glad i did, crummy. Got the 6m allen on the filler plug, no go. Used liquid wrench, heat, more liquid wrench, slight tapping on wrench and on top op plug, No go. Bought a socket 6m from Schucks, lifetime warenty, broke off in there after about 15lbs of preasure. As I try and get that piece out, any suggestions? Hate to drill a hole because of metal frags.
I'd be satisfied with a small hole in the plug just to get fluid in. Next time I'll try the fill plug first, before I drain.
All this after my successful clutch replacement.

[John]

Do you have a compressor? If you do, then you can stick a blower nozzle in the drain hole, and use VERY low pressure to blow any drilling fragments back up and away from the fill plug. Start drilling with a small bit, around 1/8 inch, and then start with the air. Too much pressure may blow out the seals on the back side of the drive. If you should get some frags in the housing, then you can just flush them out with some brake clean, or even some thin oil. You may have some luck using a vise grip on the plug. I have had to use a thin, tapered drift punch, set in to the allen hex in the plug, and whail on it with a hammer. That worked for me. Or you could take the final drive off the bike and turn the FD upside down, and drill it. That way frags won't fall into the housing. Maybe use a hammer and chisel and try to catch the edge of the plug and get it to start that way. While you have the FD off, you could grease the drive shaft to FD splines.

[DeanR]

Hammer and chisel to edge of plug worked for me

[skids]

Yup. Been there/done that. It pays to use a nylon washer...it will never get stuck like that again.

Originally posted by laxdad
Hammer and chisel to edge of plug worked for me

[skids]

Yup. Been there/done that. It pays to use a nylon washer...it will never get stuck like that again.

Originally posted by laxdad
Hammer and chisel to edge of plug worked for me

[fredintoon]

Pulling the plug

This worked for me when the hex key cammed out of the recess before loosening the plug. Gawd that's a stupid design putting a hex key hole where you can't push straight down on it. File two flats on the plug flange to get an open-end wrench on the thing. That should let you get it undone.
After the plug is in your hand, file the top of the plug flat and drill out the hex hole to 6mm. Saw off an M6 hex bolt to plug into the hole and braze it in place. Now you can replace & remove the plug with ease.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[TomB]

Too much pressure may blow out the seals on the back side of the drive.

Would the breather vent any over pressure?

[underdog57]

left hand drill

How about a left hand drill? Fastenall has them ...
The chips should be removed as it drills ...A thought...

Bob

[John]

Originally posted by TomB


Would the breather vent any over pressure?

Yes, but it must be very low pressure, and only apply the air after drilling the pilot hole. That will allow it to vent while you're drilling. I was doing the mod on an older 750 FD the other day, and I had soaked it in the parts washer, and then soaked it in water to rinse the sovent out. I blew air into it with both plugs removed, and then I wanted to make sure the vent was open, so I put the fill plug back in and hit it with air again in the drain hole. I had 120 psi of air and when I put the air to it, the entire pinion assembly popped out! It seems Yamaha didn't use the small screw to secure the pinion to the FD prior to 79, and I hadn't put any nuts over the flange studs to hold the pinion in place. If the pinion hadn't popped out, it may have popped the seal out, but luckily it didn't. Turns out the vent was open, when I turned down the pressure I could hear it escaping through it.

[xschop]

dremel

dremel a deep slot in it then hit it out COUNTERCLOCKWISE with a chisel punch....been there and it works....

[TomB]

John

I've had a look inside an old vent and the holes are very small so it'd work a treat.

I'll bear it in mind if I have this problem, and yes I do have a compressor.

I like the idea of dremmeling two flats and getting an open ended spanner (wrench) on it.

Makes you wonder why they didn't put a hex head plug in it in the first place.

[AlanB]

Hi Guys,

My XJ900 uses a 19mm hex-head fill plug on the F.D.; same thread as the one on the XS!
It also looks very like the drain plug on the XS........

AlanB

[goldcoastguy001]

I agree with both XSCHOP and SKIDS, only cause it worked for me too...lol.....and i havent tried the other things(thankfully i havent had the need to do it again).......Definitely use a nylon washer when you out it back on and only tighten it firm not HULK tight....lol.

[concours]

Center punch at an angle on the flange, (DO NOT TOUCH THE ALUMINUM CASE) will back it out. TIG weld (small beads) a nut on it when it's out.

These people have all the fasteners (including plugs) you could ever want... http://www.metricscrew-toolco.com/

A side note... there are differences in metric hex keys... Craftsman uses undersize stock=loose fit.... get some Bondhous or Snap-On for more tight fitting metric wrenching joy. JFWIW

[80xs11ms]

It's out!

After a chisel and hammer on both plugs thier out.
I like the indea of a nut welded to the top, or at least a nylon washer to keep it from getting stuck agian. Someone also said that dissimilar metals have a tendancy to bind up. Thanks guys.