I was changing the gear fluid on both front and rear. Did the back without braking anything. Doing the front, on the last bolt and it happened! The head popped off! Its just above fill hole. I know, I should of bought a torque wrench.

Can I drive it like this??
Would an easy out do the trick, I sure I could find one somewhere today.
Place where I work could do it, but then again, can I drive it?

Thanks

 

If it's above the fill hole I wouldn't worry about it.
What I would worry about is if the bolts are so tight that one broke you may have deformed the pan.
Buy a torque wrench, guessing doesn't cut it.

 

I've always had better luck with the spiral fluted extractors, as opposed to the ones with four straight flutes down the corners.

Crafstman's click type torque wrenches are reasonably priced, and seem to be fine for home mechanic use...

Infidel makes a good point, when you pull the cover, make sure the flange area is flat, and not dimpled out around the bolt holes.

Good luck.

 

Are those bolts in blind holes? If not the bolt tha t is broke off could go in board in to the case. I my self would take it out and put a new one in.

 

Get something small and sharp like a seal pick, and try to spin it out without any drilling. Probably no tension on it since the head is gone.

 

I had good luck with left hand drill bits removing broken bolts. The bit usually catches and spins the bolt right out. Eze-outs expand the bolt and make it bind against thereads often breaking the eze-out.

 

If the bolt is not broken too far inside the hole you can use a SHARP punch and tap it around the outside at an angle so it will turn itself out (counter clockwise). I always try this before using an EZOut and it usually works.

 

Thanks everyone for the info!! I will try them. I been driving the truck and havent seen any leaks around the differential cover. The broken bolt is just above the fill hole so hopefully I'll be ok til I can get to it.

Thanks again!

 

Take a dremel tool with a small cut-off wheel and cut a notch into the bolt... then it will come out with a regular slotted screwdriver. there is no load on the bolt because the head popped off so it should come out easily.

 

I need to buy a torque wrench also.
What is the recommended torque on the tranny pan and diff. covers?
I saw one at AUTOZONE that was 120 to 960 inch pounds, but I don't think
they need to be that tight.
I have always heard that torque wrenches were more accurate near the top end of thier range.

 

That's 10-70ft-lbs, a good range for general automotive use.

 

I like to take a nut that just barely fits around whats left of the bolt and weld them together from the inside of the nut. After it cools a little simply use the right size wrench on the nut to back it out.
Good luck

 

Went at lunch to try to find some left hand drill bits, didnt have any luck. Any suggestions on who might sell these besides online?

The diff. covers should be 30ft lb and the the plug 24ft lb. At least that what I read on a post here.

 

I managed to break off two when replacing the diff cover. I was using a torque wrench. The dealer took out the remainder of the bolts. There were broken off approx, 1/4" into the hole.

I fould loctite or RTV on the bolts, I think that didn't help the whole situation.

 

Mac Tool or Snapon have lh drill bits