Well I have been wanting to change the rear dif grease for some time. Today, the weather warmed up, so I backed up my 99 OBW on ramps, and grabbed my 1/2 drive. Try as I might using PB Blaster, and rust eater, after a soak, I could not loosen either bolt. I even added a bar to the drive to extend the length of the handle, and pushed down with both feet on the bar. All I did was break the driver. It was a cheapie driver to begin with, so I don't mind breaking the tool, but still am surprised how tight those plug bolts can be. I am sure that they have never been loosenedby PO before, but wow, are they tight.

 

Any suggestions on what to do next would be greatly appreciated.

can you slide a breaker bar over 1/2 in rachet , thats what i used

use a 1/2 in breaker bar, and slide a pipe over the handle,

i gave up on mine, i watched the guy at the shop tighten it, 36 inch breaker bar.

 

but a real good piece of advice, loosen the fill plug first, if you can't get that off, walk away. what do you do if you drain the diff and can't get the fill plug out to put oil back in?????

. . . but a real good piece of advice, loosen the fill plug first, if you can't get that off, walk away. what do you do if you drain the diff and can't get the fill plug out to put oil back in?????

 

Amen to that brother john!

 

I faced the same over-tight problem on mine awhile back. Set up the car jack under the 1/2" breaker bar and slowly cranked away--worked like a charm.

 

Use small blocks of wood to make sure the jack is absolutely perpendicular to the breaker bar and adjust as necessary during the process.

 

Good luck.

Amen to that brother john!

 

I faced the same over-tight problem on mine awhile back. Set up the car jack under the 1/2" breaker bar and slowly cranked away--worked like a charm.

 

Use small blocks of wood to make sure the jack is absolutely perpendicular to the breaker bar and adjust as necessary during the process.

 

Good luck.

 

 

I like this approach. I will give this a try.

i gave up on mine, i watched the guy at the shop tighten it, 36 inch breaker bar.

 

but a real good piece of advice, loosen the fill plug first, if you can't get that off, walk away. what do you do if you drain the diff and can't get the fill plug out to put oil back in?????

 

I appreciate your advise about making sure the fill plug comes loose first before draining diff oil. Someone else wrote this about a month or so back (Maybe you) on the USMB. I remembered that, as I struggled to loosen both plug bolts.

Someone else wrote this about a month or so back

 

that's where i read it. but when i was trying to loosen mine, before that, it never occurred to me, i would have been screwed.

Edited March 16, 200917 yr by johnceggleston

i gave up on mine, i watched the guy at the shop tighten it, 36 inch breaker bar.

 

but a real good piece of advice, loosen the fill plug first, if you can't get that off, walk away. what do you do if you drain the diff and can't get the fill plug out to put oil back in?????

 

You can always tip the entire car on it's nose/side Good advice though. Also, remember to use new crush washers when putting the drain/fill plugs back in.

 

I've done the diffs on the 96 OBW twice now, the first time at 100K, I remember the plugs needing some extra force - a 30inch pipe over the handle of a 1/2 drive. Had to use some force but they finally did break free.

 

On the newer MY05 to date the plugs now require Hex and torx drives - make sure to buy good quality ones....

Edited March 16, 200917 yr by PAezb

You can always tip the entire car on it's nose/side Good advice though. Also, remember to use new crush washers when putting the drain/fill plugs back in.

 

Diff drain plugs don't have crush washers.

 

Use plumbers tape or brush on type pipe fitting sealer

Diff drain plugs don't have crush washers.

 

Use plumbers tape or brush on type pipe fitting sealer

 

 

Uhmmmm, well I cant remember on my 96, you might be right, but I can tell you my O5 OBXT definitely has them on the rear diff, and a copper-ring for the front. I just did mine last summer.

Planning on doing this on 98 Legacy L wagon... Anything different applies to it?