soft/stripped differential cover bolts

[sjc115]

I need to get the differential cover off my AMC20 , as I suspect the fluid hasn't been changed in a long time. The bolt head are so rusty, that the first one I tired, the torx bit just spun inside the head whit almost no force.

I double checked the size of the torx bit, and it is correct. Tried a second bolt and the same thing happened.

What are my options?

 

[Tin Medic]

Soak the bolts with PB Blaster for 3-4 days and then try again. I little movement back and forth on the bolts will help loosen any rust around the bolts. If they strip out you can try vise grips or square off some corners so you can get a socket on them. Once you do get them out I recommend replacing them with regular hex nuts.

 

[Torxhead]

If the female end is stripped out it can be repaired by installing a heli-coil insert.

 

[sjc115]

I guess I did a poor job of explaining. The head of the bolt is so soft that the torx shape is disintegrating when I try to turn the bolt with a wrench. Essentially leaving a bolt with a round 'hole' in its head. And this is with almost no torque being applied.

I'll try vise grips on the head, but I'm not holding out hope (the heads of these bolts are very soft for some reason). If I drill them out, will I be able to retap the holes in the housing one size bigger?

Or should I try something stupid like leaving the cover bolts on and drilling a hole in the cover for a drain plug. Then welding a drain plug fitting on with the cover in place.

 

[Tin Medic]

You will need to get those bolts out. Soak everything with pb blaster for 4-5 days to loosen them up. If the heads are that soft that they are breaking off you can drill the bolts out and insert heli-coils.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[IOPort51]

I agree with the PB blaster, or use my favorite 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF. And then.

Use an impact driver to loosen them. that is one of those things you put the driver socket on and hit with a hammer to loosen bolts. the combination of the torque and driving the torks driver into the hole helps to loosen with out stripping the head.

one of my favorites.

Sears.com

 

[coldair]

I guess I did a poor job of explaining. The head of the bolt is so soft that the torx shape is disintegrating when I try to turn the bolt with a wrench. Essentially leaving a bolt with a round 'hole' in its head. And this is with almost no torque being applied.

I'll try vise grips on the head, but I'm not holding out hope (the heads of these bolts are very soft for some reason). If I drill them out, will I be able to retap the holes in the housing one size bigger?

Or should I try something stupid like leaving the cover bolts on and drilling a hole in the cover for a drain plug. Then welding a drain plug fitting on with the cover in place.

I've ran into this a lot with torx. This is what I do to get them out. Take a torx bit one size bigger then the one you stripped out. Center the bit right in the middle of the "hole" use a pair of vice grips to hold the bit hammer on the bit this will make new torx groves in the bolt.

 

[drtyryd]

the same thing happened to mine,about 8 of them actually.i soaked them with PB and various other products for a few days then used an extractor socket(pretty cool tool).it tore up the heads but they came right out.replaced w hex heads!

 

[rockhounder]

sjc115, I'm going to have to do the same thing and get my differential fluid changed. You can see I have a leak and I've let this poor girl get a bit messy down under.

My late brother was a major Jeeper and after I bought my jeep he said "I'm going to take you to my friends shop and get that metric off your CJ"

I forgot about it until I read this thread. I'm a bit ashamed at how I've let my CJ get so I am going to clean her up and get these leaks fixed.

It looks like my Brother had my AMC20 cover bolts replaced years ago.

Good luck getting those rusty torque bolts off.

 

[sjc115]

I've ran into this a lot with torx. This is what I do to get them out. Take a torx bit one size bigger then the one you stripped out. Center the bit right in the middle of the "hole" use a pair of vice grips to hold the bit hammer on the bit this will make new torx groves in the bolt.

That sounds like a great thing to try first. If not, I think I'll invest in some of the extractors that drtyryd mentioned.

Here's hoping they come out...

 

[coldair]

Did you get them out?

 

[sjc115]

Not yet. I am going to wait until I know a have a full day to work on it, because heaven knows that this isn't going to be a ten minute job...

 

[GatorBate]

I have welded a hex nut on striped out allen head bolts before. Just place the nut over the striped bolt and weld the inside of the nut to the bolt. The combination of heat and a good hex nut to get a wrench around worked for me. Or you could just drill the heads off like you were removing rivets only use a left handed drill bit. Sometimes the bit will catch and spin the bolt out for you.

Just a few things I've tried.

 

[S76]

I was able to get all of mine out with a good set of vise grips. Give the head a good wack with a hammer to loosen the threads first.