Changing diff oil

[Clive]

My car's well overdue for a diff oil change (in the manual every 2 years or 30K miles.) Am I right in thinking that whereas the level/filler plug is a "female" 1/2 inch square which an ordinary socket drive will undo, the drain is a "male" 1/2 inch plug? The manual talks about a "pipe plug socket" for this? If so, are they easy to buy?

[J44EAG]

I think I might use the good old adjustable shifter wrench for the male plug.

As far as the female socket is concerned, here are a couple of links. Two rather different quality tools at widely differing prices.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRAPER-225MM- ... %26ps%3D54

http://www.supaprice.co.uk/p/red.jsp?s= ... 2BFE010000

Mike

[ptjs1]

It might sound obvious but do remember to always make sure that you can undo the filler plug before trying to undo the drain plug.

You might be very surprised at the number of people that have ended up draining the diff oil and then finding that they can't get the filler plug undone. An expensive mistake to make!

Good luck

Paul

[Clive]

Thanks Mike and Paul. The problem is that the blighter is recessed - you have to get at it via a hole in the subframe. Looks like only a socket would get near it. Or some way of using a 1/2" socket "the wrong way round." The proper "pipe plug socket" sounds the ticket, especially as the plug probably hasn't been shifted for a while. Maybe people like David Manners stock them? And I take the point about not draining before checking the filler plug will come out!

[revvedup56]

Just recently changed my diff and A frame i used a half inch square drive bar for undouing the filler level plug,and a half inch square drive socketinverted for the drain plug ,,hope this helps.