Chiang Mai - Looking for a good repair shop.

[Formaleins]

I have a bit of a problem with my Hilux, the rear diff. plug has stripped and the plug will no longer tighten nor can it be removed, just sits there spinning. I guess I don't have many choices but as I am not 100% confident in pulling the diff out on my own I thought maybe a good repair shop might be able to remove the plug and possibly weld it over and drill and tap it out. I do not think that there will be much in the way of 24-26mm helicoil inserts.

 

These Toyotas do not have a diff. cover plate on the back, it looks like the half shafts need pulling out and the entire diff. pulled out from the front which means dropping the prop shaft too. Anyone had this type of work done here before? The only other two options would be to weld the drain plug in and use a syringe to replace the oil. or see if there is a decent back axle available at a scrap yard - So if anyone knows where to get 2nd hand rear axles from it might be useful, thanks!

[The Hammer2021]

Speak to the Thais at your local garage or mechanic in the area.

[Lacessit]

J& N Auto or Expat Auto if you want someone who speaks good English. Don't know what their capabilities are for your problem.

[Formaleins]

3 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

J& N Auto or Expat Auto if you want someone who speaks good English. Don't know what their capabilities are for your problem.

Thanks, worth a try anyway!

[petermik]

You could try putting two screwdrivers either side of the plug and using a socket wrench try screwing it out....a long shot I know but either the thread in the plug has partially stripped or in the axle housing itself...if it,s the housing then your knackered but if it,s just the plug it is possible you could pick the thread up again and remove it and get another....you will need a third hand helping........good luck.

 

[Formaleins]

24 minutes ago, petermik said:

You could try putting two screwdrivers either side of the plug and using a socket wrench try screwing it out....a long shot I know but either the thread in the plug has partially stripped or in the axle housing itself...if it,s the housing then your knackered but if it,s just the plug it is possible you could pick the thread up again and remove it and get another....you will need a third hand helping........good luck.

 

There is no room to get anything in if you use a socket, the bolt head has a walled surround that shrouds the head of the bolt. I cannot even get mole grips on to it, the best I managed was a big pair of pliers but I just cannot get enough leverage. I am going to buy a 24mm open ended spanner tomorrow (23mm is my biggest as luck would have it) I might be able to get something in there with a spanner. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

I might have a look at grinding the shroud off as that would give better access, but will leave the bolt head vulnerable

Edited August 14, 2022 by Formaleins

[pgrahmm]

There should be some rubber expansion plugs that can be used....They are designed for stripped drain plugs, inspection plugs, & freeze plugs..... I've used them successfully in the past on the old crappy Ford crankcase plugs.....

There is no pressure build up to worry about as the diff splash lubricates.....

I'd go to ProAuto on Hang Dong Rd.... Speak to Tonn....

 

There has to be suppliers here....In the states any Napa Auto or parts store carried them..... There's a few different designs.....One is a push in type where you push a screwdriver into the rubber to stretch/thin the diameter & it pops in & out using the same method....Others have turn bolts that sandwich the plug expanding it to seal..... That's what's shown....

I'm sure there's some other ways others have devised.....

[Formaleins]

57 minutes ago, pgrahmm said:

There should be some rubber expansion plugs that can be used....They are designed for stripped drain plugs, inspection plugs, & freeze plugs..... I've used them successfully in the past on the old crappy Ford crankcase plugs.....

There is no pressure build up to worry about as the diff splash lubricates.....

I'd go to ProAuto on Hang Dong Rd.... Speak to Tonn....

 

There has to be suppliers here....In the states any Napa Auto or parts store carried them..... There's a few different designs.....One is a push in type where you push a screwdriver into the rubber to stretch/thin the diameter & it pops in & out using the same method....Others have turn bolts that sandwich the plug expanding it to seal..... That's what's shown....

I'm sure there's some other ways others have devised.....

Thanks! They are very interesting, will try that place in Hang Dong, it isn't that far from me. Appreciated! Just got to get the damn drain plug out first, I have a couple of things to try, Ezyouts, 24mm open ended and if none of that works it looks like the half shafts will have to come out, propshaft off and pull the diff! The joy of motoring!

Edited August 14, 2022 by Formaleins

[Thunglom]

Try spot welding a washer onto the plug and see if you can pull and turn at the same time - or get a garage to do it - it's only a 10 minute job.

Te other thing to bear in mind is that the thread in the casing may still be OK and just the soft bolt has stopped its thread.

 

apparently if that doesn't work, you can access the diff front the pro shaft side.

[HauptmannUK]

I have dealt with stripped fill/drain plugs quite a number of times.  Usually the result of backyard mechanics over-tightening......  

If in an aluminium housing its invariably the housing that strips and a Helicoil is required.

If into a steel/cast iron housing it is usually the plug thread that strips.

The way I have generally got these out is weld a short bolt onto the head of the plug. Then clamp Mole grip on bolt head and turn whilst pulling outward.

[Formaleins]

6 hours ago, Thunglom said:

Try spot welding a washer onto the plug and see if you can pull and turn at the same time - or get a garage to do it - it's only a 10 minute job.

Te other thing to bear in mind is that the thread in the casing may still be OK and just the soft bolt has stopped its thread.

 

apparently if that doesn't work, you can access the diff front the pro shaft side.

Thanks for that, going to try an EZout this morning, if that proves no good I am off to find someone with a welder - Almost suffocating holding my breath just hoping it is the bolt and not the casing threads that are stripped. Thanks for your help, appreciated.

[Formaleins]

2 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

I have dealt with stripped fill/drain plugs quite a number of times.  Usually the result of backyard mechanics over-tightening......  

If in an aluminium housing its invariably the housing that strips and a Helicoil is required.

If into a steel/cast iron housing it is usually the plug thread that strips.

The way I have generally got these out is weld a short bolt onto the head of the plug. Then clamp Mole grip on bolt head and turn whilst pulling outward.

The bolt is inside a shroud, the biggest thing I can grip it with is a pair of 200mm pliers. Mole grips, pipe wrenches just do not have enough room to get the jaws in. I have used the helicoil system before and it works well, certainly worth considering once I get this bolt out. You are correct too about the stripping, the truck had been taken to B-Quick tp have the fluids replaced on the day I bought it - Bquick had used a windy gun to do up the bolts and when I tried to break it free it just stripped out. Apparently, they used the same windy gun on this drain bolt as they used on my wheel nuts! It took a two metre bar to loosen the damn lug nuts - unbelievable.

[pgrahmm]

5 hours ago, Formaleins said:

The bolt is inside a shroud, the biggest thing I can grip it with is a pair of 200mm pliers. Mole grips, pipe wrenches just do not have enough room to get the jaws in. I have used the helicoil system before and it works well, certainly worth considering once I get this bolt out. You are correct too about the stripping, the truck had been taken to B-Quick tp have the fluids replaced on the day I bought it - Bquick had used a windy gun to do up the bolts and when I tried to break it free it just stripped out. Apparently, they used the same windy gun on this drain bolt as they used on my wheel nuts! It took a two metre bar to loosen the damn lug nuts - unbelievable.

I had very poor experiences there - like crushed parts from racking & axles that fell out after R&R for servicing CV  joints....0 for 2 vehicles....

[1FinickyOne]

The obvious choice seems to be Toyota - this is a Toyota - right?

 

If you don't like Toyota for some reason - Anuway has done good work for me. 

[Thunglom]

12 hours ago, Formaleins said:

Thanks for that, going to try an EZout this morning, if that proves no good I am off to find someone with a welder - Almost suffocating holding my breath just hoping it is the bolt and not the casing threads that are stripped. Thanks for your help, appreciated.

If the bolt is spinning, how will you get purchase to drill in the easy out?

Edited August 15, 2022 by Thunglom

[Formaleins]

Just a quick update - EZout was drilled jamming plier jaws in between the shroud and the bolt - didn't work, after about 1\2" in it just spun. As 1Fnicky1 mentioned - Toyota, well we tried another repair shop local to me, absolutely clueless so we took a chance and went to local Toyota - I must admit I thought they would not even look at trying to repair it and half expected to be told they would just fit a new axle housing. How wrong I was! They said they had seen it all before and that if I left the truck they had sub contract mechanics that came by with all their own specialist kit and that they carried out all of these nasty jobs on behalf of Toyota (My local Toyota cannot even balance a wheel or do front end alignment work as they do not have the tools)

 

Anyway, it cost me 2000 Baht to cut out the bolt and redo the threads, another 500 for the new Diff. oil and it was done in two days! Boy was I a happy bunny! Turns out that not only did the original idiots over torque the drain bolt, they even fitted the wring bolt, from what Toyota explained, it looks like they had driven in a 1.0 pitch bolt instead of a 1.25 (or the other way round)

Sd it happens they saved the tapped bolt hole (They were going to re-tap it oversize if need be) cleaned up the thread damage and fitted a new standard size plug, so all is well!

I was dreading this repair as I really thought they were going to have to pull the Diff.

 

Anyway, thanks for all of the great suggestions, lots to keep in mind for future motoring fun.

 

Cheers!