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dana 30 diff plate removal

rydog1130

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Quick question: Im removing the diff cover so I can clean out my axel tubes and replace the 50+ year fluid. The bolts are oxidized in there pretty well. I cant get them to bust free w/ a 3/8' drive breaker bar. I'm thinking 2 options heating them up with the torch or using the impact gun on them. Any NO NO's on these? worried I might snap a bolt with the impact and/or loosing the temper on something if I heat it up... thoughts appreciated...
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

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they've been painted over with por 15 and a top coat of rustoleum gloss black...I don't think anything is getting in there
 

Readhead

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I have a Dana 30 ... broke it more than once doing stupid stuff .... figure you wanna drive it like I do mine I have owned mine for 25 years trust me I get it I don’t know what kind of torch you have but I have a good oxygen aceetaly torch heat the head till it starts glowing red ... not melting lol let it cool just till the bolt goes black and hit it with an impact if it brakes it was gonna brake brake anyway ...only had one brake in the thirty years I have done this stuff
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

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I have a Dana 30 ... broke it more than once doing stupid stuff .... figure you wanna drive it like I do mine I have owned mine for 25 years trust me I get it I don’t know what kind of torch you have but I have a good oxygen aceetaly torch heat the head till it starts glowing red ... not melting lol let it cool just till the bolt goes black and hit it with an impact if it brakes it was gonna brake brake anyway ...only had one brake in the thirty years I have done this stuff

sounds like the plan, I just didn't want to make more work for myself lol
 

Readhead

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Heat kills paint and I hope POR15 ... getting the head hot breaks all that loose and expands the bolt thus loosing the serface tension on the cover. I know it sounds scary but works well and bolts for the diff cover are cheap and easy to come by
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

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Heat kills paint and I hope POR15 ... getting the head hot breaks all that loose and expands the bolt thus loosing the serface tension on the cover. I know it sounds scary but works well and bolts for the diff cover are cheap and easy to come by

Oh im familiar with heat I just wanted make sure theres nothing heat sensitive down there other than the gear oil, ha
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

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Please let m know how it works

heat worked great, snapped only one bolt off on my diff cover. Tried welding some nuts on it but they kept breaking off, tried an easy out and that kept slipping so I threw a hail mary and tapped the easy out in, welded it, then welded a nut to that...TOUCHDOWN lol

IMG_8245.jpg IMG_8258.jpg
 

pcf_mark

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Jun 11, 2010
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When you said heat I thought you meant propane - you got a torch! That will burn off anything - paint, POR15, rust!

Happy it worked.
 
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rydog1130

rydog1130

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When you said heat I thought you meant propane - you got a torch! That will burn off anything - paint, POR15, rust!

Happy it worked.

I'd still be there with a propane torch lol! I was just concerned on igniting the gear oil with the torch!
 
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