Drain plug install on TTB front axle

Sixlitre · May 10, 2004

Just finished the drain plug install I read about here. Thanks to everyone who helped out with suggestions and pics. Here's my photos;

http://www.superford.org/registry/vehicles/detail.php?id=4970&s=17957#content

I was actually under the Bronco to replace the two lines that connect to the brake hoses. Got them out, tomorrow I'll bend up new ones to go with the new hoses.

While I was under I ripped all 4 front shocks out as they were "past it" as my British cousins say. Funny thing about the quad shock set up the rearward set, although rusted through, still had life in them. The most forward pair were whipped beyond belief ! Wonder if Ford engineers planned on that ?

Sixlitre :clap :clap

Bronco85 · May 10, 2004

Hey good little write up. I was going to do that to my TTB before I went to a Solid axle. And on your comment about that plug being there. It is actually here from the factory in Australia. Probably other places as well.

Crazed · May 10, 2004

I put a plug in mine in the same spot when i did gears..great writeup.

jermil01 · May 10, 2004

Very nice job on the write up man. :thumbup

Fireguy50 · May 10, 2004

I used a plug with a ressesed alled head?

blueoval78 · May 10, 2004

Fireguy50 said:
why not use a plug with a ressesed alled head?

i thought the same thing. good idea though, i had thought about doing the same on my last 94, but never got around to it

Sixlitre · May 10, 2004

Bronco85 said:
Hey good little write up. I was going to do that to my TTB before I went to a Solid axle. And on your comment about that plug being there. It is actually here from the factory in Australia. Probably other places as well.

Thanks guys

The Aussies got one free did they ? As the English say "lucky bloody them!". We North Americans (at least us Canadians) seemed to have been ripped off by the beancounters.

Fireguy and BlueOval

I wanted one like that and even checked one of my Mopar block prep kits thinking there was one in there but the smallest I had was 3/8" NPT. Still I'm gonna keep my eyes open for a alan or recessed square to take a 1/4" or 3/8" socket extension.

I took a couple of bad photos of the finished plug. They're not only out of focus but they don't show the fact the new plug is still under the TTB shield and doesn't hang down. Tomorrow when I'm under replacing those brake hose to brake junction lines I'll snap a coupe of better pics and reload them.

Sixlitre :clap

Shadofax · May 10, 2004

Great job sixlitre. Looks like you used the same size as I. The flush 1/4" pipe plug I found in a kit by Spectre (PN 6018). That PN was actually 2 ea. of 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 flush (hex) plugs, like this:

PS, did you put any pipe thread sealer on her?

Notice how I tipped my truck up sideways to show you this? :shocked

BlueBronco · May 11, 2004

Sixlitre said:
Thanks guys

The Aussies got one free did they ? As the English say "lucky bloody them!". We North Americans (at least us Canadians) seemed to have been ripped off by the beancounters.
Sixlitre :clap

The bloody wankers!
:drinkbud

Sixlitre · May 11, 2004

thejuice said:
Great job sixlitre. Looks like you used the same size as I. The flush 1/4" pipe plug I found in a kit by Spectre (PN 6018). That PN was actually 2 ea. of 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 flush (hex) plugs, like this:

PS, did you put any pipe thread sealer on her?

Notice how I tipped my truck up sideways to show you this? :shocked

Juice

Nice plug ! and great "on it's side" view! No I didn't have to use thread sealer as it was already on the threads of the plug.

All I did was paint on some anti-seize compound over it and screw her in. Up here we're not too worried about sealing, it's more about it not ever coming out again !

Just posted a slightly better pic of the new plug in place(Gotta get to know this new digital camera better). Check it out here;

http://www.superford.org/registry/vehicles/detail.php?id=4970&s=17957#content

Sixlitre :chili:

p.s./
BlueBronco I see you understand British speak too !

Shadofax · May 11, 2004

That's right, sorry, I saw the sealer in one of your pics. This is a great mod. anyone else doing this, one word though. when you are getting near though the diff with your drill, take it slow. There is not much room once you are through and you're hitting the ring gear. :shocked :duh

Sixlitre · May 11, 2004

thejuice said:
That's right, sorry, I saw the sealer in one of your pics. This is a great mod. anyone else doing this, one word though. when you are getting near though the diff with your drill, take it slow. There is not much room once you are through and you're hitting the ring gear. :shocked :duh

Good advice Juice

I may have touched it pushing through for a moment, but my machinist buddy said not to worry. He said the kind of tool steel you'd need to do any damage to those gears is way beyond what any of us own(certinally me).

Here's hoping he's right and that me and my Q-tips and the brake cleaner rinses got all the filings !

Thanks again for the idea

Sixlitre

p.s./
Pepe finally got it through my thick head how to post pics, so here's one;

djdan · Jul 24, 2006

Man...I just keep doing all the stuff Six suggests and it's keeping me busy and my Bronco happy!

Looks like I'm going to be doing this one in a couple of days.

I would like to use the recessed allen plug that I saw. Can I pick one of those up at a Lowes or Home Depot? If not where should I be looking.

I'll also need a drill bit...which size will I need? I don't want to Eff this up.

I'll be doing the Trans. Filter at the end of this week but I want to do the front diff drain today or Tuesday.

Sixlitre · Jul 24, 2006

djdan said:
Man...I just keep doing all the stuff Six suggests and it's keeping me busy and my Bronco happy!

Looks like I'm going to be doing this one in a couple of days.

I would like to use the recessed allen plug that I saw. Can I pick one of those up at a Lowes or Home Depot? If not where should I be looking.

I'll also need a drill bit...which size will I need? I don't want to Eff this up.

I'll be doing the Trans. Filter at the end of this week but I want to do the front diff drain today or Tuesday.

2:01 am !!!!!!!!!!!!

Man djdan ! Are you up early or just not going to sleep for a few days ?

Any plumbing place will have the pipe thread plugs. Go up 5 posts to that pic from juice. Just underneath, in the same post, is my link that will tell you the drill and tap size (in the captions under the pics).

Read all of them thar captions carefully before you heads on out to the Lowes, etc.

BTW you may as well pick up the nut and drain plug for the trans pan while you're out. If you don't want to weld in the nut in Summit and NAPA both sell a drill and sandwich drain plug kit.

Too small a drain hole for my liking, but no welding and they tell me they don't back out (I'd like to believe that).

Good luck

Sixlitre

p.s./
If you don't commute to work in a stream (like SRatex) then think about fully synthetic diff fluid. I noticed she rolls better with it IMO.

llanaro · Jul 26, 2006

Six

I had to grind down the tap
I ground it down in order to tap in all the way in without touching the gear

Ruined the tap but probably never use it again

I did it when I took it out to re-gear

Lou

Sixlitre · Jul 26, 2006

That looks great all painted up like that !

Somehow my tap worked well enough on the drilled hole, though I do remember touching the gear.

I used the hack method of tapping. That is to say I left the diff fluid in the TTB and while I was tapping it ran down the tap flushing the filings as I went.

After that a good hosing with brake cleaner spray and I was good to go !

Sixlitre

collinsperformance · Jul 26, 2006

it did mine during a gear swap as well.

mike

Sixlitre · Jul 26, 2006

Dang!

All you brave hard workin' b@$turds pullin' your front diffs out like it's easy !!!!!

I do my level best to change the synthetic diff fluid, keep all my front U-joints changed and worry about my axle pivot bushings nightly, just so I won't have to screw with my TTB !

Hats off to you

Sixlitre

Shadofax · Jul 26, 2006

Sixlitre said:
That looks great all painted up like that !

Somehow my tap worked well enough on the drilled hole, though I do remember touching the gear.

I used the hack method of tapping. That is to say I left the diff fluid in the TTB and while I was tapping it ran down the tap flushing the filings as I went.

After that a good hosing with brake cleaner spray and I was good to go !

Sixlitre

Six, you and I likely used a "flush tap" (at least that's what I call it). the end is basically flat. Seems like I have seen taps with a more pointed nose???

EDIT: not to off topic this but did you see the post I had concerning bronco driver and you?

sewiv · Jul 26, 2006

Shadofax said:
Six, you and I likely used a "flush tap" (at least that's what I call it). the end is basically flat. Seems like I have seen taps with a more pointed nose???

EDIT: not to off topic this but did you see the post I had concerning bronco driver and you?

See here:

http://www.answers.com/topic/taps-and-dies

A bottoming tap goes all the way to the bottom, but is hard to start. A taper tap is easy to start, but doesn't cut full threads all the way down. An intermediate is in between, oddly enough. I believe the intermediate is also called a plug tap.

Sixlitre · Jul 27, 2006

sewiv said:
See here:

http://www.answers.com/topic/taps-and-dies

A bottoming tap goes all the way to the bottom, but is hard to start. A taper tap is easy to start, but doesn't cut full threads all the way down. An intermediate is in between, oddly enough. I believe the intermediate is also called a plug tap.

This one wasn't quite a bottoming tap, but it's definately not a regular tapered tap either. Like you suggest it's a plug tap and it sho' nuff' worked for me though !

maybe that's how I got away with it ?

Sixlitre

stan the man · Nov 22, 2009

I have RTV and an o-ring on my plug.

PWMTN · Nov 22, 2009

Another way if you have the thing apart is to drill the bottom bolt hole deeper on the front of the diff. Then before you install the 3rd member grind thru to the hole. This works for 3rd member that do not have the raised casting you guys are all showing. Then put the bolt back in with thread seal.
PW

96Bronco_Mike · Dec 16, 2010

It doesn't say anything about the depth of the hole in Six's Supermotors page. Does anyone have any idea how thick the metal is on the front diff?

SigEpBlue · Dec 16, 2010

It's about 1/2-inch at that boss, IIRC. :scratchhe

If you're worried at all about whether it's thick enough for a plug, don't worry. It's a beefy case.

96Bronco_Mike · Dec 16, 2010

It's not the plug I am worried about, it's my drill....and the gears inside. I need to know how much of my drill bit to tape up. Thanks for the quick reply BTW.

Drain plug install on TTB front axle

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