Transmission plug stripped

[Wayne0 455]

So, I went to change the tranny oil on my Eaton1100 and the plug stripped out. I wish they had used an external hex plug!

I'm sure someone has run into this. Ideas??

[ebinmaine 67,417]

Proper sized drill bit and a good ez out. 

[ebinmaine 67,417]

I've never tried it... but I understand welding a nut to the plug might work. 

 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,129]

I have had some success by grinding a taper on an oversize allen wrench and tapping it in the damaged plug.

[oliver2-44 9,726]

Get a large Torx screw driver bit that is a slightly tight fit and drive it in the old plug. 

[Ed Kennell 38,129]

Just be careful not to break the case.  The bottom is not very thick.

[953 nut 55,183]

A  Torx T-40 bit should do the trick, like Ed said, don't make the situation worse by hitting it too hard.

[ri702bill 8,314]

11 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

I've never tried it... but I understand welding a nut to the plug might work. 

 

 

Yup - it DOES work. My son bought a 1981 Kawasaki 4 cylinder motorcycle where the PO overtorqued everything - used the wire feed welder to attach a 1/2" hexnut to the stripped out allen oil drain  plug. Worked out so welll he left it that way!! The localized heat from welding made removal super easy........

[Ed Kennell 38,129]

2 hours ago, ri702bill said:

The localized heat from welding made removal super easy...

Fer sure this works.   I used it several times  on the disassembly of the RJ58 "Wally" project.     I didn't mention it to remove the tranny drain cause I can't weld overhead.

Drilled a hole in a chunk of scrap and welded it to this broken seat bolt in Wallys tranny.    It turned right out with ease.

 

 

 

[lynnmor 7,305]

14 hours ago, Wayne0 said:

So, I went to change the tranny oil on my Eaton1100 and the plug stripped out. I wish they had used an external hex plug!

I'm sure someone has run into this. Ideas??

You will hate that external hex when it interferes with attachments or drags on rocks.  The plug should not be above the casting.

[Wayne0 455]

Thanks for the ideas. When I get back to it, I'll post what worked.

[Lee1977 6,656]

15 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Proper sized drill bit and a good ez out. 

If you do the above, you need to remove the transmission, take it apart and be sure there isn't any steel shavings left inside.  

[Wayne0 455]

4 hours ago, Lee1977 said:

If you do the above, you need to remove the transmission, take it apart and be sure there isn't any steel shavings left inside.  

That would be a last resort.

[adsm08 2,046]

8 hours ago, Lee1977 said:

If you do the above, you need to remove the transmission, take it apart and be sure there isn't any steel shavings left inside.  

 

Applying a heavy coat of wheel bearing grease or similar to the drill bit will capture most if not all shavings. It is not a substitute for checking/cleaning but it make the job a little easier.

 

The torx bit idea can work, but if you break the torx you may have attached yourself to another object with an inclined plane wrapped helically around an axis as many are very hard.

 

I would try to find a replacement plug with a torx, or even better a torx plus drive. TP drive bosses are a bit squarer at the high and low points of the star and so are less prone to stripping.

[ri702bill 8,314]

11 hours ago, adsm08 said:

 

Applying a heavy coat of wheel bearing grease or similar to the drill bit will capture most if not all shavings. It is not a substitute for checking/cleaning but it make the job a little easier.

 

The torx bit idea can work, but if you break the torx you may have attached yourself to another object with an inclined plane wrapped helically around an axis as many are very hard.

 

I would try to find a replacement plug with a torx, or even better a torx plus drive. TP drive bosses are a bit squarer at the high and low points of the star and so are less prone to stripping.

I added a vent "Patch" to the gearbox on an old Ariens Sno Thro. Had to drill thru the casting - without disassembly. Rigged up an airline adapter to go into the drain plug port - pressurized the port with 5 PSI. It blew ALL the chips outward once the tip of the drill went thru... Could you do something similar if desired??

 

 

[peter lena 8,608]

@Wayne0  would also recommend , moving a rarely moved   plug , just to establish  function , typically moisture  , debris sets up a corrosive  sealant , thats hard to move , set yourself up for , mechanical leverage advantage . solid  size to size fit , use 6 pt  connection , breaker bar , leverage . also a smaller  6 / 8 " pipe wrench , with a  1"  pipe leverage , will solidly  engage a tough spot . pipe fitter approved , pete  

[peter lena 8,608]

@Wayne0   being a millwright , came from a time when  crafts / ratings  were rarely crossed . you only did  your trade , pfizer  was one of the  first maintenance  set ups to pair up , different trades , to enhance , productivity . imagine that , almost scary at first , but you watched a different approach to a shared problem . then you both , looked at the same issue , getting past the macho / ego baseline , was the tough spot , you would , start to share views , split up the work .  then it was like finding a magic zone of cooperation , to get it done . a pipefitter , will always find the best / fastest way , to get it done . regularly split up a job , for parts and idea plan for  finish . also taught me how to weld / set up work . you just look at things differently , and enhance its function , pete