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Stripped out torx socket on front differential plugs

16K views 54 replies 17 participants last post by  RangerMann 
#1 ·
In trying to remove my front differential plug from my Ranger 900xp I stripped out the socket!!!

Any ideas how to remove it????
 
#3 ·
Or go get an ez-out. First I'd go get the replacement plug from the dealer so you know how deep you can safely drill the plug. There's a magnet on the back side of the plug you don't want to pop off and have floating around in the diff. Use the largest you can safely get away with.
 
#4 ·
If you're referring to the drain and/or fill plugs, they are Allen, not Torx. The use a 6mm Allen tool of your liking. Another way to get them out is put a short bolt into the stripped hole and weld it together then just unscrew it like a normal bolt.
 
#6 ·
I was thinking they were allen too.
 
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#11 ·
I stand corrected on the Allen size. 6 mm for the engine oil drain plug and 8 mm Allen on differentials and transmission. I have many come in to my shop with stripped holes. A lot of folks doing their own oil changes don't have metric Allen or don't know that the plugs are metric and will use an Imperial Allen. Doesn't work so well.
 
#10 ·
Pyro is a machinist and has mucho experience.

Let's be accurate here. I am not a machinist. I am a hobby machinist that has never had any formal education in machining. My machine shop education comes from lots of study of books and hand on school of hard knocks experience. I consider myself fairly knowledgeable in the field of machining and mechanics, but a true machinist, someone that makes their living in that field, is far more knowledgeable that I am. If you want to see some real machinists watch some Youtube videos by Keith Fenner, Abom79, This Old Tony, Keith Rucker, mrpete222 or some of the others there. I am a regular follower of the channels mentioned above.
 
#12 ·
Used 5/16 on trans the first time. After allen got stuck in plug, went to an 8. Considering you have a centered hole, the ez out should do the trick. straight or spiral, I'm guessing straight.

And Steve, you should have been a machinist. You sure have a great detailed library in that head!
 
#13 ·
Thank you for the compliment. I'm happy about almost every occupation I've ever had but being a firefighter was my forte'. I would not have liked to be a mechanic or a machinist for a living, working at them to survive would have taken the fun out of it. I find both enjoyable becasue I am interested in both and becasue I don't have the stress of depending upon them for a livelihood.
 
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#14 ·
I have a '15 900 XP both are 8mm, engine is 6mm You will need an extractor, no doubt!

Food for thought: One thing I learned a long time ago is always check the fill plugs FIRST.
If you can't get that one off and have already drained your housing / engine / transmission you are 100% pooched!
 
#16 ·
Thanks everyone for your comments.

FYI I have the mechanics manual for the rig and it says it is a torx socket.

I did the engine oil with the torx and the front diff fill with no problem .

The drain plug was way to torked in.

Looks like I will have to drill into the plug short of the magnet as recommended and use an easy out.

If this does not work I am screwed.
 
#17 · (Edited)
What year is the rig? Post a picture as another suggested please. I may have a couple other suggestions. I've worked on alot of farm equipment and if it wasn't stuck it was probably because it was broke
Is Polaris getting so cheap they had someone from China do the manual or simple layman not an engineer and the translation got fouled? I've seen similar problems on other things
 
#24 ·
Just because it says it in a PO service manual, doesn't mean it is so.....Sorry to say, many times this has been the case..
 
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#18 ·
If your still working on getting it out, try rapping right on the head of the plug with a brass punch and a hammer. Have someone hold your purse if you know what I mean. Or carefully give it a few raps with an air hammer. I don't remember what style of plug it is used on these but I have used this trick countless times on o-ring boss plugs on tractor undercarriages. 3/16 allen head and farmers turn them in until the head strips out. Many times after hitting it with a hammer you don't even need the ratchet you can just spin the socket with your fingers. These plugs may not the ordinary o-ring boss but I figure it's worth a shot.
 
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#19 ·
Many times the judicious application of heat can make a huge difference between difficult, destructive removal and successful removal. The difference in coefficient of expansion between the steel plug and the surrounding aluminum is quite large. Warming the aluminum case will expand the threaded hole more than the steel plug expands resulting in a looser fit and easier removal.
 
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#21 ·
My rookie advice is slow down...post some pics....you said socket stripped so I assume it's the plug that stripped and not the wrench.

There is a vent line you may be able to insert a suction tube in to pump out fluid with a vacuum pump....then remove the overfill plug to make sure you insert correct level fluid.

Short of that I would explore tapping an over sized Allen or torx whatever fits into plug and give it a try....

Pics will help ALL cypher best attack
 
#22 · (Edited)
Since this plug is not totally recessed into the gear case, it could probably be turned using a dull cold chisel or flat nosed punch and a hammer. I have removed many stuck bolts and such over the years like this. You just have to be careful and not damage the gear case housing. I also looked at those torx extractors and if you are sure the plugs are torx, they might work. All the plugs on both my machines are allen. I have an old handheld hammer impact that has removed many stuck bolts and screws, but I'm not sure how strong the gear case housing is. Every time I try to use an EZ out on something really stuck tight it breaks.
I also put never-sieze on those plugs.
 
#25 ·
Rangerwhit said; Put the impact on her!
I just fixed a 2016 900 Ranger that had been stripped
He brought me the buggy & a new drain plug & said he stripped it with a torx bit
The new plug is OEM Polaris 8mm Allen (Hex)
I just got a bigger torx, tapped it in with a hammer & impact zipped it right out
 
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