Final drive filler cap wont budge

[madmax-im]

Randy and I are going to do surgery on MadMax tomorrow...in doing the pre-surgical prep..one of the things to do is drain the middle drive and final drive fluids.With a 6mm allen tool the filler cap on the final drive wont budge.So I tried to heat the bolt with a torch using Mapp gas...Ionly keptt the heat on it for a long minute...it wasn't enough..net result...no change...SO my question is...How long should I heat up the bolt before trying to loosen it?Any other method more effective...???

[red bandit]

You can use a hammer and chisel to try to turn it will someone else uses the allen wrench. Randy nows how.

[randy]

Ben, if you're using heat, don't heat the bolt, that will make it tighter as the heat expands the bolt. let everything cool, then use heat on the HOUSING around the bolt. When you're ready to wrench it, tap the bolt first with a small hammer. This method always work for me.

[79XS11F]

And when you put it back in use a little bit of anti seize on the threads and torque it only to the manual specs.
Rob

[Ken Talbot]

And use a new crush washer too. A gently used washer from a sparkplug will work, as will a nylon washer if you can find one that size.

[mro]

How long should I heat up

What they said.
Aluminum expands faster with less heat than steel.
One minute should be enough...altho
guy brought his XS to my shop because he could not get the filler plug out. First tried getting it out with an impact goody, then with propane tourch and impact. Wound up using hammer/chisel


mro

[mason79]

rode for a while to heat up the housing then try again worked for me. then use antisieze and don't over tighten

[madmax-im]

Thanks everyone for their input... I appreciate the value of experience...I will be heading back out to the garage now...

[madmax-im]

Dumb$### Award

Went out to heat up the housing around the final drive filler bolt and I followed previously given advice abt how to remove the bolt but in the process I managed to strip the head with the allen tool ...God I HATE allen heads...so not sure what to do in this case.I think I will wait for reinforcements...just goes do show you who should get the dumbsh## award for the month

[wa407mpp]

Impact driver.

Am I the only one on this site who owns an impact driver, they were invented for jobs like this, if you don't have one, buy one, it will save you a lot of work, frustration and striped parts.

[Flatlander]

Originally posted by randy
Ben, if you're using heat, don't heat the bolt, that will make it tighter as the heat expands the bolt. let everything cool, then use heat on the HOUSING around the bolt. When you're ready to wrench it, tap the bolt first with a small hammer. This method always work for me.

I've found that to work also, Randy.


And with two differenrt metals, I've also taken a ice cube to the bolt for a couple of seconds. This has helped I think.?.
What, dosen't every one have some cold ones on ice in the garage?

[mason79]

Re: Impact driver.

Originally posted by wa407mpp
Am I the only one on this site who owns an impact driver, they were invented for jobs like this, if you don't have one, buy one, it will save you a lot of work, frustration and striped parts.

good idea never thought of that, but i never said i was a good mechanic.

i may buy for for my stuck middle drive filler

[xschop]

dremel

dremel a large slot and smack it CCW with a chisel. Been there.

[79XS11F]

Once you get that slot made in the cap heat the case up REAL good and apply some penetrating oil... let it cool and repeat. Then heat her up again and go at it with the cold chisel.
Rob

[ross]

madmax-im.....just a thought....if ya wanna spot freeze a bolt.....just go 2 the office supply store and get a can of air duster 4 your computer keyboard.....heat the hub area......then turn the air duster can upside down, use the spray straw, and it should spot freeze the head of the bolt.....spray until the bolt frost up.......(please use safety glasses as this is not something you want in your eyes!!!)......not sure if it will work, but will greatly improve the expansion differences between the hub and the bolt.....that and an impact driver should do it...if not, if u have a harbor freight in the area, get a cut-off wheel, cut the slot, and use the chisel with great care...as a last resort, drill it out, cut slots in the drilled out hole without touching the threads and using a chisel fold the walls of the plug into the hole......ross